A local business is honouring its backyard birds.
The Roster Sports Club Bar & Grill have commissioned a pair of B.C. artists to paint a mural on the building’s exterior wall. The painting features a scoreboard and a great blue heron - the large birds that nest in the protected park behind the pub.
While the artist team of Lacey & Layla Art paint the mural on the 83.5 foot wide by 18 foot high building wall during the first two weeks of August, the pub will be raising money to support the blue heron sanctuary.
“In the concept meeting with the artists, we talked about our mission statement and our focus on sports and the community. We also wanted to find a way to pay tribute to the important conservation work of the heron sanctuary located behind us, while beautifying the area with a unique work of art,” said club owner Hussein Hollands.
Featuring the heron, The Roster’s official colours and a blazing scoreboard, Hollands feels the mural concept does a great job showcasing sports, community, and nature all intersecting.
“I think the artists did an amazing job integrating our ideas,” Hollands said. “Once the concept was established, we decided to run a fundraiser for the month of August, offering a new cocktail called The Blue Heron.”
The club will donate $2 from every one of the special cocktails sold (Bacardi Rum, Blue Bols, lemonade and soda) to the Vernon Heronry Protection Society to support the sanctuary.
Rita Bos, senior director of the Vernon Heronry Protection Society, said she’s thrilled about the mural and welcomes the impact it will bring to the society’s cause.
“These beautiful birds are blue listed in B.C., which means they are an indigenous species considered to be vulnerable in their locale. The mural will be a stunning work of art, and I think will help remind people of the importance of protecting these vulnerable birds,” Bos said. “Of course, I am also very appreciative of the fundraiser and thankful to The Roster for their continued support with past donations to the society and helping with rescue efforts of the herons during the heat wave in June 2021.”
The fundraiser will run for the month of August and people can also make additional donations at The Roster to support the Vernon Heron Protection Society.
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