Sharon Audubon raises funds for new facility

Sharon Audubon raises funds for new facility

Audubon staff showing one of the birds to patrons before the release.

Matthew Kreta

SHARON — The Sharon Audubon Center held its annual “Raptors & Riesling” fundraising event on Sunday, May 26. The event ran for about two hours, explained plans for the Audubon’s new facility and culminated in the release of several birds back to the wild.

“Raptors & Rieslings” was held under a large tent near several bird enclosures for patrons to see. There were drinks and waiting staff provided by the Sharon Package Store and J.P. Gifford, and a band played music throughout the event to about 250 attendees.

The majority of the two hours were spent with guests socializing and enjoying the refreshments provided.

Eileen Fielding, host and director of the Sharon Audubon Center, thanked Hudson Sebranek and his fellow Eagle Scouts for their work on the Audubon’s Deer Trail repairing boardwalks along the path. This project, Fielding said, is just one part of the Audubon Center’s ongoing efforts to create healthy habitats for the hundreds of birds the community brings to them each year.

Fielding continued by elaborating on the topic of community, thanking everyone for their generosity and commitment to helping the area’s birds, as well as highlighting the many programs and school trips the Audubon Center hosts.

“As anyone who’s been in our clinic or our teaching spaces can tell you, our programs have outgrown our buildings”, Fielding said.

The Sharon Audubon Center has started a capital project and capital campaign for new facilities that will provide more space for classes and programs, as well as bring the Center’s facilities closer to the organization’s goal of green practices and low emissions. Mock-ups of what the future facility may look like were available for patrons to view.

The evening ended with the release of four birds back into the wild, after their recovery over the last few weeks at the Audubon. Attendees were shown the birds by a handful of staff before they were released and flew off to cheers and applause.

A preliminary version of what the new rehab clinic Matthew Kreta

Latest News

Cornwall board approves purchase of two new fire trucks following CVFD recommendation
CVFD reaches fundraising goal for new fire trucks
Provided

CORNWALL — At the recommendation of the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, on Jan. 20 the Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with the purchase of two new trucks.

Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, was chosen as the manufacturer. Of the three bids received, Greenwood was the lowest bidder on the desired mini pumper and a rescue pumper.

Keep ReadingShow less
Robin Lee Roy

FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.

She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie A. Vreeland

SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.

At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rafael A. Porro

SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.

Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.

Keep ReadingShow less