WBNA Arts at the Library

Saturday, September 23 | 10:00am – 3:00pm
WB Community Library Parking Lot | 15001 Wells Port Drive

We are excited to launch the NEW Arts at the Library event. This event will target hand-crafted goods, services and artwork. We are offering a “farmer’s market” format for local artisans and crafters. If you hand craft something wonderfully unique and you want to sell it—and you want to grow your business in the Wells Branch area, this event is for YOU and the Wells Branch community.

Variety is the spice of life! Do you make jewelry or work in wood, glass, clay, textiles or resin? How about painting, photography or home goods? Do you craft personal care products like soaps, honey, candles or natural beauty products?
Do you bake, cook, write or create music? Apply today to reserve a space.

WBNA is organizing this event for the community to help promote the wide variety of locally hand-crafted goods, original artwork, photography, literature, music and culinary creations. We will also host a small area for “Kids Crafts” for young entrepreneurs looking to learn how to market their work.

Fees collected for the stall space will serve as a donation to the WBNA organization, which in turn benefits the entire Wells Branch neighborhood.

Format: Open air parking lot with assigned spaces, Canopies
recommended (10×10’).

10 x 10’ space for $25
10 x 20’ double space for $40
4×6’ open table space (breezeway)  for $15
6’ tables for $10 (limited supply)

There will be an open stage area available for live performances, such as music, readings or story telling. Call to schedule a slot.

Apply today to have a space assigned:
https://tinyurl.com/Artsatlibrary
Questions? Contact Margaret Sufke:
info@wbna.us or call 512-341-0824 (msg).

2024 Wells Branch
Community Calendar Photo Contest

Give us your BEST shot! The annual WBNA Community Calendar Photo Contest is coming up. Our 2023 calendar was a huge success and the images are amazing. As a reminder, anyone who lives Wells Branch can submit a photo (or up to six photos). The image format MUST be an 8×10 landscape for the calendar. The only real “rules” are that images must be taken within Wells Branch by Wells Branch residents.

The 2024 theme is “Window into Wells Branch”. This year’s contest will take place both live at the WB MUD Recreation Center as well as online via the WBNA Facebook gallery for viewing and voting. The WB MUD Rec Center main lobby will host the contest gallery and “live” votes will be collected in a drop box.

Important Dates to Remember:

May 15: Start date! Use the online form and drop photo entry at the WB MUD Rec Center
Sept. 2: Contest closes and voting ends
Sept. 4: Winners announced
Sept. 23: Early sales begin at the WBNA Arts at the Library event
Oct. 3: The new 2024 Calendars will be available at National Night Out

Voting will take place online via the WBNA Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/WBNA.WellsBranchNeighborhoodAssociation/

Photos will be featured for voting in the “2024 Calendar Contest” facebook album and onsite at the Rec Center Gallery. NOTE: Please plan to provide a printed image for display at the Rec Center.

Please visit:  http://wbna.us/community/calendar-contest/  for rules and entry information. Questions? Contact Margaret Sufke, Calendar Contest Coordinator, at mmsufke@gmail.com or 512-341-0428.

Community Wildlife Habitat – Coming Soon!

Rapid and large-scale changes to our lands and waters mean wildlife are losing the habitats they once knew. More than half of America’s wetlands that support waterfowl and wildlife have been drained and/or plowed. Habitat fragmentation reduces biodiversity by 13 to 75%.

To combat fragmentation, Wells Branch is partnering with the National Wildlife Federation to become a Certified Community Wildlife Habitat. Every habitat garden is a step toward replenishing resources for wildlife such as bees, butterflies, birds, and amphibians—both locally and along migratory corridors. To secure certification, Wells Branch would need at least 175 homes with the Wildlife Habitat certification.

The basic requirements for the certification are to provide food, water, cover, and a place for wildlife to raise young, and to engage in sustainable gardening and landscaping practices. Examples of food are as simple as having a bird feeder and plants that provide pollen and nectar. Similarly, a birdbath, roosting box, and a rock pile are sufficient to meet the water and cover requirements. Mature trees and host plants for caterpillars meet the places to raise young requirements. The use of compost and native plants in your landscape fulfills the sustainable practices requirement.

If you are interested in this program, Jill Douglass will be presenting at the July meeting of the Wells Branch Garden Guild (Saturday, July 15, 10am at the Recreation Center on Shoreline Drive). You can also visit https://nwf.org/CERTIFY to learn more about the program. Feel free to reach out to me directly at jdzurenko@gmail.com.

 

The 2023 WBNA Silent Auction is LIVE!

Ready, Set… and Start Bidding!  The 2023 Silent Auction will open on Friday, June 23, at 9:00am. You will be dazzled by this year’s amazing donations! Our team worked very hard to bring the community a wide range of items and some wonderful surprises. Be sure to check the site often, there will be ongoing updates as we receive any final donations. Below are a few bidding tips and if you have questions please contact us: slientauction@wbna.us

Celebrate with Red, White, BOOM!:  https://www.32auctions.com/WBNA4thFest2023

Have fun and thank you for your support! We truly appreciate every donation. See you on the 4th!

2023 WBNA Silent Auction: Bidding Tips:

Once you find that “special” item, what’s the best way to bid or buy? Carefully consider what the item is worth and how much are you willing to spend. Look at the starting (or current) bid and then bid up to the next increment. If bidding online you will need to register.

If you REALLY want the item, you can exercise the “buy now” option and simply buy the item out right at the set “buy now” price. This price is usually set just below the full item price. Or if you want to fully support the WBNA you may choose pay full price for the item and enter a custom bid amount.

The online auction site has some helpful features to make choosing and bidding on an item easier. Once you a place bid on an item, simply click the “” option to mark as a favorite, then select the “” option to track bids on your item. To narrow your search, select from the categories menu (next to search) to quickly filter items by group. Use the search option and type in a key word to find a specific item.

We have had a few folks ask “Why can’t I just pay online?”  We have chosen not to pay the additional processing fee to the 32auction service company (fee is nearly 10%). All the proceeds are returned into the community. If you really need the item before the July 4th checkout, please contact Margaret Sufke, 512-341-0428 (msg) or via mmsufke@gmail.com and we will work hard to make the purchase happen.

2023 Silent Auction Donations Request

WOW! It’s already time to start thinking about the WBNA Silent Auction. The annual auction is our BIG fundraiser for the year and takes place during the WB MUD  4th Fest celebration. Funds raised help to pay for all the WBNA community events: the Easter Egg Hunt, National Night Out, Pumpkin Painting and our participation in WB MUD Halloween Trunk or Treat, and the crafts at Luminary Fest as well as on-going town hall meetings, candidate forums and safety awareness sessions throughout the year.

We are excited to be hosting the auction during the WB MUD Independence Day celebration. Our hybrid format of an online auction followed by a “live” event for the final bids on July the 4th has been so successful—we are gearing up again for 2023. The LIVE event will be in our traditional venue at the WB Community Center from 9:00am – 2:00pm, July 4th. The online auction will go live the week before. Watch the WB Google Group, our website, and the WBNA Facebook page for updates.  A link will also be included in our Summer Issue of the Neighborhood News.

Friday, June 23: The Silent Auction site goes live!
Friday, July 2: The Silent Auction site closes and we transition all active bids to the live event.
Monday, July 4: The LIVE auction opens at 9:00am and closes at 2:00pm. Payments and Pick Up will be from 12:00 – 5:00pm.

In addition to giving back to our community, donating to the WBNA Silent Auction is a GREAT way to promote your business! We are seeking donations of merchandise, gift cards/certificates, theme baskets, and services to auction. In return, you will receive exposure for your business at the live auction and on the auction website. There will also be a special “Thank You” section in the September issue of the WBNA Neighborhood News and on our Facebook page. The online auction has a rotating featured section along with item details and links to your site. If you have items or services to donate please email us at silentauction@wbna.us.

Along with support from our local businesses, services, and Austin area attractions, we would LOVE donations from the community. We will begin accepting donations May 15. Donations to be included in the online auction must be received by June 18. Live auction donations will be gratefully accepted through June 30. We would also like to welcome the return of baked goods donations, please contact Margaret Sufke, 512-341-0428, for details.

We are actively seeking event volunteers to help solicit items, prepare the baskets and/or work the auction. If you have any empty baskets leftover from last year, we’d love to have them! Please email us at silentauction@wbna.us and watch for the event volunteer site.

Thank YOU for supporting the Wells Branch Community!