Sept. 17, 2010 - The 28th annual Facility for Animal Care and Treatment (FACT) Barbecue for the Birds and Open House will be held at California State University, Bakersfield's Environmental Studies Area on Saturday, Oct. 2 beginning at 2 p.m.; dinner will be served at 5 p.m.

Tours of FACT feature talks and demonstrations with live birds of prey. A number of young birds, such as barn owls, great horned owls, and red-tail hawks will be on display. CSUB Biology students will give visitors an opportunity to dissect owl pellets and study bones of animals eaten by the owls. Members of CSUB's 60+ Club will sell nature gifts, such as T-shirts, note cards, coloring books, zoo books, and other items.

Dinner includes deep-pit beef and turkey, barbecue beans and salsa, tossed salad, rolls, homemade desserts, coffee and tea. Beer, wine and soda will also be available for purchase. A silent auction will be held during the open house and dinner. A live auction will begin after dinner, along with an opportunity drawing. Door prizes will be awarded at the end of the evening.

Dinner tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors (60+), and $6 for kids 5-12. Reservations should be made in advance. For details and reservations call (661) 654-3167 or email fact@csub.edu. More information can also be found at www.csub.edu/fact/Annual_BBQ.htm.

FACT is a wildlife rescue/conservation education project founded in 1975 by Ted Murphy, CSUB emeritus professor of biology. FACT students and volunteers care for hundreds of injured or orphaned birds of prey and conduct tours of the facility and classroom programs for thousands of Kern County school children each year.

FACT is supported by the annual barbecue, members of Friends of FACT, and the sale of gift items.

Directions: FACT is located in the Environmental Studies Area on the southeast side of CSUB. Enter campus on Roadrunner Drive from Camino Media Boulevard. Just after the information booth, turn right into Parking Lot I to access the road to the facility. Pass the recycling drop off area and, at the softball field backdrop, find a short dirt road. Follow the road over the bike path (yield to traffic on the bike path) to the parking area.