Richmond Audubon Society (RAS) of Virginia and Southern States Cooperative, Inc., team up periodically for a creative venture that benefits birds, the public, the chapter, and the company. Twenty chapter volunteers staff each of five area Southern States stores for a six-hour period on a Saturday (done fall 1995; spring and fall, 1996; anticipated again in future) to answer questions for Southern States customers. The volunteers find that customers primarily delight in telling their own bird and squirrel stories to receptive ears! Most questions are not technical or difficult, and center on bird seed and feeders, bird houses, some bird identification, and other general questions about birds and Audubon.

In return for the chapter's expertise and assistance, Southern States donates a percentage of the day's bird-related sales to RAS. The spring 1996 work-day brought the chapter $843 from Southern States; the fall '96 work-day, about $950. "Not bad, for a few hours time and no organizational efforts on our part," remarked Caroline Coe, RAS past-president (Southern States handled all publicity associated with the event). The chapter welcomes this income toward their commitments to the James River Park System, their bird-banding operation at Kiptopeke State Park and to Presquile NWR (their "adopted" NWR, an island in the James River), among others, along with the increased visibility their chapter gains from the event.

For More Info, Contact: Caroline Coe, RAS; P.O. Box 804; Richmond, VA 23207; phone: 804/276-1397; email: <coec@md.ahp.com>.