The nonprofit Gwynn’s Island Civic League Foundation has been raising funds since its inception in January 2022 to support worthy educational and community causes on Gwynn’s Island and throughout Mathews County.

After its first fundraiser last year, the group began its philanthropic work, including awarding four college scholarships, the installation of a Little Free Library at the Gwynn’s Island Museum, and, most recently, fulfillment of a middle school class’s wish.

Thomas Hunter Middle School seventh grade English teacher Leslie Hudgins said that the foundation’s president, John Mathiesen, had visited a school board meeting and told the board there were funds available to help with school projects.

Hudgins had changed classrooms over the summer and, because her new room was rather dark and uninviting, she installed bird feeders on the windows outside to “bring some life to the room.”

Keeping the birds fed proved to be costly at eight pounds a week, so she decided to ask...