History of the Spring Wing Ding

The history of Spring Wing Ding begins with the Strategic Training and Resource Targeting  (S.T.A.R.T.) promotion committee.  This committee along with committees for recreation, housing, economics, and government received a pledge of $2500 from the Commercial State Bank.  S.T.A.R.T.'s purpose was to help rural communities assess their assets and needs.  Promotion committee members were John Burkland, Diane Harms, Dee Wilkerson, Sharlene and Bob Wilson, Dan Baird, and chairman, Derwin Redline.   This committee identified the wetlands surrounding Clay Center as an asset.  At the January 1991 meeting the decision was made to hold a birding festival during the peak migration of waterfowl in an effort to promote the community through it's wetlands.  Attending this meeting were committee members Derwin Redline, Dee Wilkerson, Dan Baird, Bob and Sharlene Wilson, guests (local birders) Jim Baird and Mary Ann Thompson, Lois Johnson of the NE Dept. of Tourism, and Dick Gersib, wetlands specialist from NE Game and Parks.  The first Spring Wing Ding was scheduled for the spring.  Planning this event were Dan Baird, Derwin Redline, and Jim Baird.  The goals were to promote Clay Center and to provide education regarding the value of the wetlands.  70-75 people attended the first Spring Wing Ding.  Joe Hyland, Jon Farrar, Randy Stutheit, Mary Clausen, and Chuck Spearman presented at workshops. Educational displays were provided by Nature Conservancy, Audubon, NE Game and Parks, US Fish and Wildlife, and Pheasants Forever.  Bus tours of various wetlands were offered and the group enjoyed sack lunches on a local farmstead adjoining Massie's lagoon.

The next year the event was expanded to two days and the sack lunch was replaced with a cookout at the edge of Massie's.  The cookout, dubbed the Flyway Cafe, has remained an integral part of Spring Wing Ding.  In that second event vendors were invited to sell their wares in the high school gymnasium.  The next year a kid's workshop was added.  The Knothole Gang as the kid's workshop is known, has been offered every year since.  Several years later a tour of bird feeding stations in Clay Center was included.

Visitors to the Spring Wing Ding utilize a Look Out to view migrating birds that are resting at the Massey Wild Life area.  Proceeds from the Spring Wing Ding purchased the Look Out.

The bus tours of the wetlands, the banquet and benefit auction, kids workshop, educational workshops, and the Flyway Cafe are the main events of Spring Wing Ding. Every year volunteers meet to review the previous year's events and to plan the next.  Although the composition of the planning committee has not changed greatly, new members are welcomed.  Currently the group seeks to work more closely with other community groups as a way to involve more people in this important promotional activity.

The work undertaken by the volunteers that organize the Spring Wing Ding has received various honors and awards including:

• Outstanding Conservation Award by NE Wildlife and Lincoln Star
• Conservation Award from NE Chapter of DAR
• Hometown Pride Award by Midwest Living
• $5500 Grant from NE Environmental Trust