Sandhill Crane Migration Leads to Newly-Created Partnership Between Programs
Beginning March 1, the GROW Gift Shop will be open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The GROW Gift Shop will offer a number of food and gift items for the many visitors "flocking" to the area to watch the annual migration of sandhill cranes, ducks and geese. More than 30 GROW Nebraska members will feature products there.
"GROW Nebraska is excited about the opportunity to welcome visitors to central Nebraska and introduce them to some of Nebraska's entrepreneurs and quality items for purchase that reflect well on our state," said Don Reynolds, one of the managers of both the GROW Gift Shop and the Grand Island GROW Nebraska Store located in the Conestoga Mall.
Molly Johnsen also helps manage the two locations. "The gift shop will provide visitors from out of state the opportunity to purchase Nebraska-made goods," she said. "A lot of the time they don't venture into the cities to find things, so I think this is a nice way to offer what we have."
If past attendance figures are any indicator for this year's season, there should be plenty of visitors to the center. According to Renee Seifert, Executive Director of Hall County Visitors Bureau, both the Rowe Sanctuary and Crane Meadows have traditionally averaged 15,000 visitors during the six-week crane viewing season.
Seifert also is excited about the partnership with GROW Nebraska. "The purpose is really to provide as much for the visitors as possible. We want to give them not only the experience of getting into a blind and hearing the sound they (the cranes) make when they take off or land, but provide them with knowledge about the birds, and give them the opportunity to take a little bit of Nebraska home with them, and to overall promote Nebraska-made products."
People from Virginia, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado and Texas have already booked tours this year through the web site wingsovertheplatte.com, said Seifert.
"Crane viewing truly crosses all socio-economic barriers. You don't have to be rich. We have visitors from all walks of life and all social and financial brackets," Seifert said. "Previously visitors have come from as far as Germany, Japan, Russia and Denmark. This is the only place in the world that this particular phenomenon occurs."
Anderson Ehrke is especially enthusiastic about the variety of visitors. "We want to take GROW to the next level and market our members' products globally," she said. "This is a great opportunity to expand internationally."
Story by: Midwest AGNet
