Sep 10, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rachel M. Crumbley | Director of Marketing and Public Relations | Callaway Gardens
Direct: 706-663-5187 | Main: 706-663-6881 or 1-855-421-3120 | Fax: 706-663-5068
Email: rcrumbley@callawaygardens.com
Mailing Address: PO Box 2000, Pine Mountain, GA 31822-2000
www.callawaygardens.com
Pine Mountain, GA (9/10/2014) – Callaway Gardens® is proud to host the 2014 Georgia Junior Duck Stamp Exhibit. This year is the 22nd anniversary of the Junior Duck Stamp program, which is made available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to promote conservation through the arts.
Each year Georgia youth participate in the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Contest. Students in grades K-12 select a North American duck, goose or swan; research the species and its habitat; then depict the bird in an artistic medium.
Following the competition, the artwork goes on an exhibition tour around Georgia. The exhibit will be on display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Daisy Classroom of Callaway Gardens’ Virginia Hand Callaway Discovery Center through Oct. 31, 2014.
Winners on the state level receive prizes and certificates. Bethany Panhorst, 17, from Savannah Arts Academy, won the annual 2014 Georgia Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition on April 8, in Atlanta. Five judges unanimously selected Panhorst’s acrylic rendition of a green-winged teal out of 588 entries as the Georgia Best of Show.
Prizes and ribbons are also given for the best student conservation message that expresses the spirit of what they learned while researching and planning for their Duck Stamp Contest artwork entry. This year’s winning conservation message was submitted by 12-year-old Brock Taylor from Savannah Country Day School: “Conservation is like a half-full cup, you can always do more.”
To support conservation programs, Junior Duck Stamps may be purchased for $5, plus shipping and handling by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 (800-782-6724). For program information, visit http://duckstamps.fws.gov.
The USFWS sponsors this program annually to promote conservation through arts. It is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Callaway Gardens exists to fulfill a similar mission of preserving the natural environment and helping others learn good stewardship of the earth.
According to the USFWS website, for every dollar spent on federal duck stamps, 98 cents goes directly to purchase vital habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since 1934, sales of Federal Duck Stamps to hunters, stamp collectors and other conservationists have raised millions of dollars which has been used to acquire more than 5.3 million acres of habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Admission to Callaway Gardens is $18/adult; $9/child (ages 6 to 12); children ages 5 and under are admitted for free. Special event rates may apply. Tax is included.
Callaway Gardens® is in Pine Mountain, Ga., 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta and 30 minutes north of Columbus. For additional information, call 1-800-463-6990 or visit www.callawaygardens.com.
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About Callaway Gardens
For more than 60 years, Callaway Gardens has provided “a place of relaxation, inspiration and a better understanding of the living world” for millions of visitors. Owned and operated by the non-profit Ida Cason Callaway Foundation, Callaway Gardens includes a garden, resort, preserve and residential community on thousands of acres in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Highlights include a butterfly conservatory, horticultural center, discovery center, chapel, inland beach, nature trails and special events throughout the year.
In addition, Callaway Gardens offers more than 70,000 square feet of meeting space, 689 guest rooms, restaurants, shops, golf, tennis, fishing and more.
Five unique, close-knit residential communities — with custom home sites, lakefront properties and cottages on the golf course — offer an ideal home away from home or full-time residence.
Callaway Gardens is home to a forest preserve which is under conservation easement. This conserved, sustainably-managed land is used for biological studies and environmental education programs.