The Board members of the Garden City Bird Sanctuary are making plans for its 15th Anniversary scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday June 5th. The public is invited. The Directors have many exciting things planned for that day, along with delicious food, wine and drinks.

A big surprise is not one, not 2 but 3 live bands will perform during the 1pm to 6pm party, with each catering to your musical tastes. The bands’ eclectic names are: “Crash & Burn”, “Tom Wagner and the Village Music Makers” and “Born of Scars.”

“Crash & Burn” is a band featuring classic rock. John Tomitz of Garden City plays in the band that has appeared in various venues on Long Island.

John Cronin, a director, is spearheading the Anniversary Celebration and is excited about the bands playing. He explained how the 30-something “Born of Scars” band got together: “ ‘Singer looking for aggressive rock band’ - six words in a local music paper brought together four New York musicians (Nick Geluso,Renee Davis, Pietro Sirianni, and Steve Papa) who would emerge two years later, in 2007, as ‘Born of Scars’. This quartet spent those two years writing, recording, and performing. The summer of 2009 was an exciting time for Born of Scars as they began to get ready for the release of their debut album.

As the name Born of Scars suggests, their music is as intimate as it is inspiring, drawing on their rock, classical, and progressive influences to create music that is a powerful, personal expression into their view of the world. Band member Nick Geluso says that to be ‘born of scars’ means that all of us in this life experience the existential angst of the human condition. From these scars we can emerge, like a bird from an egg, into a new uplifting life, having learned and grown as a result of those experiences... The band and I believe that we can and should grow as better people. As the Native Americans say that true knowledge only comes from pain. Our music is meant to inspire our listeners to rise above the woes of life.’ With a female lead singer who has been compared to Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac (Renee Davis), the band has a unique style that puts them on the cutting edge of prog rock.’ The party-goers on June 5th will enjoy the music of this band and the others.” Visit their website to hear their music at www.BornOfScars.com.

The Tom Wagner & his Village Music Makers has played locally for over 30 years at various venues, including the Garden City gazebo summer concert series. Any big party in town has to include the band. Their classic Big Band sounds of the 1940s and 1950s are entertaining. Tom Wagner was the band teacher at Stewart Elementary School in town, and voted New York State Teacher of the Year in 1982.

Other entertainment will be the ever-popular “Birds of Prey” show by Bobby Horvath, featuring rescued wild hawks and other birds, and animals. Bobby is the recipient of the Garden City Bird Sanctuary 2009 Environmental Stewardship Award. A licensed rehabilitator, he founded Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation (WINORR) in Massapequa. “It is a non-profit volunteer organization that provides professional care for sick, injured and orphaned wildlife” according to its Facebook page. Horvath has been on television and in the Daily News (see Aug. 26, 2009 and April 13, 2010) with his wildlife. He is also a New York City Firefighter. For more information, please visit www.Facebook.com/WINORR.

The Garden City Bird Sanctuary is a non-profit 501C organization, located opposite 181 Tanners Pond Road in Garden City. Please call 516-326-1720 for more information regarding the party. The website is www.GCBirdSanctuary.org