The Story of the Bird Feeder

(a case of necessity being the mother of invention)

The idea for the bird feeder came after the Grand Nationals in Indy in 2003. It was the culmination of work by several different people and sponsors. Trying to feed 150 kids on the road is not an easy task. To undertake a simple road trip of 1-2 days requires a lot of planning and food. The food committee would take as many as 4-5 car loads of stuff on the trips. BOA would not allow this many vehicles to park near the kids. It also became very messy when things spilled. Imagine hot dog chili all over the back of your vehicle. If you are not aware of what it takes to feed the kids here is a simple list:

· Approx. 750-1000 bottles of water

· 15 lbs. of macaroni and cheese

· 20 lbs. of chicken nuggets

· 100-150 hot dogs

· 100 bananas and apples

· 5-6 gallons of milk

· 50 containers of yogurt

· 15 large cans of soup

· 40 loaves of bread

· And numerous other things along with snacks and several cases of pop, coffee, and hot chocolate

After the Nationals Bob Hess began talking to Amy Perry and Kathy Codispoti about what we would need to make our lives just a little easier. It was obvious that one unit was the answer. We then put together a design of how we wanted it to look and function. It was then necessary to begin talking to people who do this kind of work. Tegtmeyer’s was the first stop and they worked extremely hard to help with our needs. As our trailer was being built, I began talking to others about the contents. Lowe’s and Sears were extremely helpful with donating either damaged goods or discontinued items. Believe it or not scratch and dent items work the best.

Here are the features of this latest addition to the Marching Eagles fleet of vehicles:

• 24 feet long
• 50 amp electrical service to control lights inside and out
• Numerous outlets for plugging in appliances
• Can be powered by an 8500-watt generator or the supply from any regular electric service
• 18.0 cubic ft. refrigerator
• 10 cubic ft. chest freezer
• 14 feet of permanent counter space and cabinetry
• 8 ft. of folding counter allowing the kids to be fed buffet style
• Ramp doors on both the rear and side of the trailer
• 48 inch storage cabinet
• 2 microwave ovens for quick warming
• Numerous other heating units

In its inaugural season (2004), the bird feeder made all of our lives easier on every trip it made. We have had everything at our fingertips - and it is all in one vehicle. The kids love it because they know that if they need something, it is right there for them.

Many thanks to the following sponsors for their time and donations:

Tegtmeyer’s Trailer Sales (trailer and electrical system)
Sears (refrigerator)
Lowe’s (cabinets, counters and freezer)
The Carpet Store (flooring)
Fast Signs (lettering)
The Codispoti Family
The Perry Family
The Hess Family

And a special thank you to Dave Perry for the additional work he put into this latest addition to the Bellbrook Family.