Amos Butler Audubon Society had one of their “nicest days of the years” on September 6 hosting a non-profit booth space at the 2025 CBIZ PENROD Arts Fair on the beautiful grounds of Newfields Art Museum, joining over 350 artists, performers on 5 entertainment stages, and 50+ other non-profits on a sun-filled late summer day.
With a tabling theme of “The Intersection of Birds and Art” many thanks are due to photographer Ryan Sanderson and artist Dan Glossenger for providing original photographs and art for display. Thanks also to Deb & Randy Patrick, Wes Homoya, and Dan for providing art from their own collections for the booth. A special shout-out to Eagle Creek Ornithology for the loan of the Barn Owl (taxidermy) which prompted a constant traffic stream to the ABAS table and to Jenna McElroy who designed several graphics with QR codes promoting ABAS lectures, field trips, and the Bird Safe Indy petition.
Wendy Kindig, Deb Patrick, Randy Patrick, Wes Homoya, Jessie Greene, and Olivia Bautch manned the Booth and the Birding Table at the Arts & Nature Park Visitor Center engaging the fair goers and answering many questions. Craig Murphy was invaluable with his large Tahoe (funniest line of the event – the PENROD member directing traffic surveying the Tahoe and saying, “You are not an Artist!”) in helping with transport and set-up. It was a special delight to encourage the younger fair goers to select a sticker, pick a bird-themed coloring page, or to touch the (Eagle Creek Ornithology provided!) Turkey Vulture and Barn Owl feathers. This was the first time in recent memory ABAS had a presence at Penrod and participants deemed it an unqualified success, and one to be repeated in coming years.