When a hobby gets out of hand, it becomes a passion. When a passion gets out of hand, it’s time to open a store. Such was the case for Barb and Chip Whipkey when they realized the dream of a lifetime by opening a store that met all their requirements for feeding and watching birds. Their Wild Birds

Unlimited franchise in Lexington Park in St. Mary’s County is in its third year, thriving, and on the verge of even greater things. The Whipkeys eventually connected with the Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust, whose mission to save Southern Maryland’s farmland, forests, and wildlife habitat meshed well with their view to the future. The intersection of PTLT’s nonprofit mission and the Whipkey’s enterprise led them to make a generous contribution of the land conservation organization. It’s a logical fit. Barb explains.

“We now feel it is time to expand beyond the four walls of the store and what our customers can do for the birds,” Barb says. “We are interested in finding ways to enhance habitats in a broader manner. We have begun to work with the schools to provide classroom discussion on the birds and hope to work with local parks to establish Bluebird trails.

“PTLT is a natural extension to these efforts,” she continues. “Since songbirds receive less than 10 percent of food from feeders, quality foraging areas are essential to the preservation and hopefully recovery for many of the birds we find so fascinating.”

Getting to this point didn’t occur overnight. But the Whipkey’s route clearly shows a strong commitment to community

and nature.