Who, who, whooooooo visited Cub Scout Troup 1857 of Harmony Elementary earlier this month? It was Horton the great horned owl and many of his friends from Earthquest. The troop was treated to a birds of prey show donated by Steve Hoddy, Earthquest founder and Master falconer, and the Giambra family of Jasper. Steve Giambra is the Cub Scout master of troop 1857.
It all started when Steve Hoddy agreed to donate a birds of prey show to the Tater Patch Auction last spring. Heather Giambra bid on it for the scout troop. The troop won the show and Tater Patch Players received a healthy donation. On Saturday, June 13, the troop was treated to the aerial antics of Horton, the owl and his friends Laredo, the Harris hawk, Igor, the black vulture, Renegade, the hybrid peregrine falcon and Storm, the Andean Condor.
One young Cub Scout exclaimed as he left, “The condor was the best. He was HUGE!” The young man was quite right. Storm has a 10 ft. wingspan which she gladly extended for the cub scouts and family. The crowd gasped and laughed nervously as Storm attempted to visit some of the families in the front row but Hoddy had things well in hand. After Storm, Renegade drew applause as he nimbly swooped inches over the crowd’s heads, climbed and dived again at Hoddy’s command.
The scouts had an afternoon to remember thanks to Steve Hoddy and the Giambra family. Those interested in bringing Steve Hoddy’s birds of prey show to your school or community group can go to the Earthquest Web site at www.earthquest.org or e-mail Allison Burnes at allisonburnes@bellsouth.net. Families interested in Cub Scout troop 1857 can contact Steve Giambra at 706-299-1231. |
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| PHOTO BY SCOTT JOHNSON |
| Back row (L-R): Tyler Blalock, Josh Senneff, Folsom Proctor, Austin Retford, Wil Giambra. Front row (L-R): Xavier Collis, Shannon Bryan, Avery Franklin, Trenton Hall, Lucious Marshall and Steve Hoddy with Laredo, Harris' hawk. |
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