The Wareham Unit of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford has launched a website dedicated to its year-long Kukoo Birdhouse Project and June 18 Gala Auction.

Kukoo aims to teach the youth at the Club about birds, ecology, and the environment in a series of hands-on learning projects and field trips throughout the year. The Gala Auction will be held at the Kittansett Club in Marion, and will raise money to support all the programs and services provided to youth ages seven to 13 at the Boys & Girls Club’s Wareham site.

Designed and managed by Robin Ragle-Davis of rrinteractive, the website, www.kukoobgc.org, will be updated throughout the coming months with events for youth, photos of donated items, and information about making reservations for the gala. Join “Kukoo” in supporting our youth as they learn about our environment.

The first Kukoo program will be held Thursday, February 10 at 4 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club, located at 54 Viking Drive. All youth in the community are invited. Wayne Petersen, Director of the Important Bird Areas Program of the Massachusetts Audubon Society, will introduce children to some of the common and widespread species of birds in Massachusetts. Children will learn interesting facts about our native birds, including where to find certain species, where birds go when (and if) they migrate, what problems birds are facing in today’s changing world, and what we can do to help protect them. This free program is sponsored in cooperation with the Wareham Land Trust.

Additionally, the Kukoo Birdhouse project seeks creative donations of hand-made and/or customized birdhouses and related items to be auctioned off at the gala. Corporate sponsors are needed, as well, to help underwrite the entire project and to help with the fundraising portion.

For additional information contact Barbara Sullivan, Boys & Girls Club Unit Director at 508-295-5400 or bsullivanbgc@comcast.net or Maureen Sylvia, Senior Development Officer, at 508-992-8011.