Marco Woman’s Club Supports Burrowing Owls

President Maureen Chodaba and Community Outreach Chair Kristina Jones.

Debbie Silvestri, Christina Wergiles and Joyce Frame sell raffle tickets.

Shirley Thayer and Dawn Marceau check-in our guests.

Helen Ruth and Barbara Lialios serve as hostesses for the day.

Tatiana Petronis, Joann Sergi, and Linda Watson catch up on club activities.

Elaine Bercher shared a message about thanks and gratitude

Brittany Piersma shares her vast knowledge of the burrowing owls.

Shirley Thayer treats us to God Bless America.

Can you spot the Burrowing Owl? They blend in seamlessly with their habitat.

Posted Wednesday, November 13, 2024 7:00 pm

By Ellen Schmidt

Naples Lakes Country Club was the setting for the November meeting of the Marco Island Woman’s Club (MIWC). A Thanksgiving theme was reflected in the savory meal of turkey roll, marble mashed sweet potatoes and buttery green beans. Elaine Bercher gave a nice invocation about giving thanks and gratitude. Shirley Thayer led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance and God Bless America.

President Maureen Chodaba greeted everyone with a special welcome to many members coming back for the season. Marco Island Woman’s Club is officially in full swing! Chodaba informed the crowd of upcoming volunteer opportunities, including the Meals of Hope Packaging Event and the Beach Cleanup. Upcoming community events include Donate While You Dine night at Culver’s on December 3. MIWC will be the non-profit beneficiary for the Winn-Dixie Community Bag program in December. Just purchase a shopping bag and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the MIWC Charitable Foundation.

There are many sponsorship opportunities available for the MIWC annual Fashion Show that will be held on President’s Day. This event raises funds to provide scholarships for students living on Marco Island and to support other charitable causes. Please contact miwcel@gmail.com for more information on sponsorship opportunities.

Our hostesses for the November luncheon were Rita Coyne, Tammy Barstow, Bonita Schwan, Helen Ruth, Barbara Lialios, and Debbie Silvestri. The 50-50 raffles were managed by Raffles Chair Christina Wergiles and Corresponding Secretary Anita Drake.

Vice President Karen Caster was pleased to welcome Brittany Piersma, a biologist who manages the shorebird stewardship, burrowing owl, and gopher tortoise programs for the Audubon Western Everglades.

Piersma coordinates eighty-eight volunteers from February – July to go out to Owl Watch. These owl watchers go into neighborhoods on the Island to research, monitor, and maintain the nests throughout the year.

The life span of an owl is typically five to seven years. There are two subspecies of owls in North America, one of which is in Florida and are visible on Marco Island. They dig their own nests and burrows. Male owls decorate the nests to make them more attractive to females.

Female owls lay six to eight eggs and incubate them up to twenty-eight days. Only a third of these make it to the next year.

Piersma shared that owls are considered birds of prey and will eat snakes, crickets, frogs, mockingbirds and bats.

These birds are banded each year to allow volunteers to identify them throughout the nesting season and from year to year. Volunteers install starter burrows to keep them away from rat poisons and pesticides.

Piersma encouraged those interested in volunteering to reach out to her. Karen Caster proudly presented a check from the MIWC Charitable Foundation to support the Audubon Western Everglades organization.

You can attend their talk on Burrowing Owls and Gopher Tortoises via zoom on November 12, at 6:30 PM, or you can watch it later on their website. EVENTS | Audubon Western Everglades Upcoming Events

MIWC welcomes all women who live on Marco Island, full-time or seasonal, whether you own or rent, to join us in fellowship, friendship, and fun! We are a service organization that knows how to make a difference in our community. Come join us! For more information, please visit https://marcowomansclub.com or contact miwcel@gmail.com.

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