Surrounded by vintage airplanes and U.S. Air Force memorabilia, volunteers gathered at the Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center on Thursday morning for their bi-monthly social hour. A tight-knit group of inventors, pilots, aircraft mechanics and engineers, the volunteers reminisce and discuss shared interests over coffee and donuts.

“I open the door to let our volunteers hang out with each other,” said Museum Director Rachel Schwam. “It’s a time for them to be able to network and talk with the others.”

Located at the Coeur d’Alene Airport since 2019, the Bird Aviation Museum has a loyal volunteer community. It was originally founded in Sagle in 2007 by aviator and inventor Dr. Forrest Bird and his wife, Pamela. Bird’s most famous invention was the mechanical ventilator, which reduced the breathing-related infant mortality rate from 70% to 10%.

Some of today’s volunteers have been with the museum since the beginning and have their own memories of the now-deceased Dr. Bird. They carry on Bird’s legacy by sharing their knowledge in the fields of aviation and innovation.

Paul Nowaske, who was a member of the famous Flying Tigers pilots, enjoys sharing his knowledge of aviation and aircraft history with visitors.

“Glass half-full people come to the museum,” Nowaske said. “It’s a pleasure giving them talks.”

Volunteer Ross Welburn, a retired electrical engineer with eight patented inventions, conducts scientific demonstrations at the museum to teach kids about electricity and magnets.

“All the volunteers are top-notch people,” Welburn said. “Everyone here is so friendly.”

As the museum approaches its 20th anniversary next year, Schwam reflects on how the museum has grown over the years thanks to the support of its dedicated and reliable volunteers.

Through the Bird Museum network, Schwam reached out to Beth Brubaker, founder of the nonprofit student invention program Invent Idaho. Together, they merged the museum with Invent Idaho and now display kids’ inventions on the second floor. The museum hosts many homeschool groups, and one of Schwam’s main goals with the museum is to encourage kids to create their own inventions.

“This is the home of innovation, and it inspires young inventors and problem solvers,” Brubaker said.

Thanks to her efforts promoting education through the Bird Museum and her work as regional coordinator of Invent Idaho, Schwam is nominated this year for the annual Idaho Out-of-School Network STEM Educator Award.

After nearly 20 years, the Bird Aviation Museum community is tighter and stronger than ever and continues to recruit new volunteers. They are looking forward to what the future has in store for the museum. The possibilities are endless, but one thing is for certain: When the Bird Museum volunteers gather together, they are guaranteed to have a good time.

“You get somebody talking and pretty soon it’s a big social event,” Welburn said with a laugh, “and nobody wants to leave because everyone’s having so much fun.”

    Bird Aviation Museum team: Buzz Sherman, Rachel Schwam, Bob Bolam, Paul Nowaske, George Braden, Mark Sales, Todd Moore, Evan Seitz, Nathan Schwam, Ruby Scwam, Ross Welburn, Tyler Rhoads, Carol Moore, Mike Kincaid, Mike McGinnis, and Julianna Schwam.
  

    Volunteers enjoy social hour at the Bird Aviation Museum.