Photos: The Gabriel Foundation Conference!

[Shirley]

Two days of time with The Gabriel Foundation and the presenters and attendees were AWESOME!!!!! It was terrific in every way, and a 3rd day would have just made it all the better -- I believe we had about 30 people there, and it was simply wonderful!!

Ellen arriving on Saturday.

Pre-meeting coffee, OJ, and snacks -- L to R:
Patti Christie, TGF's CVT and Dir of Education, Janet Burkhalter (SummerJ), Ellen Cook, DVM, Julie Weiss Murad, Director, CEO, and Founder of TGF
(Jill, I was wearing the Andy Warhol Kilroy T-shirt you made me! I wish I'd had my picture taken!)

[Shirley]

Julie, Patti, and Ellen

Patti is from Minnesota originally. Julie is from the states, but used to live in Kuwait.



Mary (Tootiehead) and Patti enjoying a conversation
I loved her shirt! C.S.I. - Can't Stand Idiots!!

[Shirley]

Julie presenting to the audience - I could listen to her all day long! Terrific information - And loads of questions answered



A Foraging Tree brought by Dr. Angela Lennox
Yes, you can MAKE this! It's about 6' tall at the highest point.






Dr. Angela Lennox, Indiana's only Board-Certified avian vet (Dipl. ABVP-Avian), Presented Avian illnesses, diseases, organ systems, examination, proper touching/cuddling, physical exercise, and more. Her presentation to a group of largely "lay people" was fabulous!



Patti Christie presents to the audience - She was absolutely terrific - and fielded a load of Q & A afterward

Foraging time... we took a 45-min break, found the food, and enjoyed meeting others, talking about our birds, and eating! You see my husband Steve across from Janet in the foreground; Ellen is talking with others in the background, and Patti is sitting with her back to the camera behind Janet. You can also see the cool die-cut folders holding all our materials on the table.

Far left: Mary and her friend

[Shirley]

Sunday!

I photographed the vultures on the way in to the meeting - you can see those shots in the All Creatures forum -

Dr. Ellen K. Cook presented The Wellness Examination and Teaching Husbandry Behaviors to Your Bird
She answered a load of questions on behavior, demonstrated with Merlin, and led discussion with Julie afterward - AWESOME Presentation!

Merlin was an absolute GEM all day long! He was SUCH a good gentleman!

You can tell Ellen's in her element here... and her shirt says "Got Cockatoos?"



Merlin demonstrates is flock call on cue -- that brought the house down, not only in volume, but by the fact he was SO quiet, yet ON CUE he could be SO LOUD! And remember... he was one of those biting, screaming, abused cockatoos when she rescued him at the age of 6. He's 16 now.



Following her PowerPoint presentation, Merlin was the center of attention during the Behavior Demonstration part of her presentation



Demonstrating "Towel Games"





She also demonstrated putting the harness on Merlin.



Julie and Ellen discuss Behavior and Teaching with the audience

There was a lot I didn't photograph - Julie's Behavior presentation on Sunday was fabulous - and we had a professional clicker trainer in the audience who trains dogs - all the attendees had so much to contribute, great questions asked and answered or discussed - Dr. Lennox explained that "we just don't have the answers yet..." on some of the questions. Key word there... YET. Donations for Avian Research and Avian Wellfare are SO importantly needed! You CAN make a difference! Julie explained how to determine if a given "rescue and adoption center" IS a center you can support, knowing your $$ are being used properly, she explained a lot about the questions to ask, the questions to ask your veterinarian with a special interest in avian medicine and your board-certified avian veterinarian, just loads of information. A CD was provided with the conference materials, containing their articles, links, tons of information!
Julie promoted Dr. Cook's DVD, Happily Ever After with Parrots, A Learning Game, and the proceeds of all the DVDs we sold there were donated to The Gabriel Foundation.

Please visit their newly designed website: The Gabriel Foundation

YOU can make a DIFFERENCE in parrots' lives!

[Sue]

Wow that looks like a great couple of days.

I love that last pic of Merlin, he look like he's in heaven

Thanks for sharing!!

[tropiclegirl]

Great pics, looks like you guys had fun. Merlin is so cute coming out of the towel..almost looks like he is on stage and the curtains are being drawn

[Jim]

Looks nice and everyone seems to be having a good time. Wish I could have come over.

Thanks for the photos.

[CocosMomma]

Did you get an invite, Jim? Apparently mine and Gary's got lost in the mail again.... they must still be using carrier pidgeons here in the mountains!!!

[Jim]

Not sure if I, me, moi, got an invite.... It was mentioned that if I wanted to bring the boyz...

[Jean]

What a fabulous time for all. I wish I'd of been there with all of you. Merlin looks fabulous and is perfect as Ellen's model.

Shirley, the pics are great! Thanks for sharing them.