Mel Toellner, President of Gold Crest Distributing, has officially announced that Gold Crest has purchased Lone Star Purple Martin from David and Teresa VanBooven. In making the announcement, Toellner commented, "Prior to acquiring Lone Star Purple Martin Systems, we at Gold Crest asked the purple martin industry their opinions on housing systems. Almost unanimously they commented that Lone Star was the only manufacturer that always kept the best interest of martins first."

"All Lone Star Purple Martin Houses come with 12-inch deep compartments, which Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA), Purple Martin Society and other experts recommend," Toellner said. "This protects martins from predator attacks (owls, hawks) and gives martins more room for nesting." The result of having the 12-inch deep compartments is more martins fledged.

David VanBooven has agreed to continue to work with Lone Star as a consultant, and will help in the design of new products as well as continue to work on products presently being offered. At the recent Bird Watch America Show in Atlanta, Georgia, David said, "We are very happy that Gold Crest has committed to build our product line with the same quality of materials (more than twice as thick as other martin houses) and will continue to offer all of them 'assembled' as Lone Star has done in the past. We hope folks realize that the Lone Star line is more than just martin houses. Lone Star makes 'Add-A-Rack' gourd racks that fit under lone star or other houses, stand-alone gourd racks, and predator guards to prevent raccoons, cats and other predators from going up the poles of Lone Star or any other system."

Toellner said, "Now is the key time for retail store owners to promote purple martin products, as from now through May is when purple martins return to nesting sites across America. To help store owners show the benefits of Lone Star products and to gain personal experience with them, we are offering special rebates on products store managers or owners use themselves and for units put on display in the store.

"With concerns about West Nile increasing, many homeowners are adding purple martin houses to help control mosquitoes, which spread the deadly virus," Toellner said.

For more information on purple martins or Lone Star products, contact:

Mel Toellner, Gold Crest Distributing, phone: 888-985-2473, fax: 866-340-9670, e-mail: mel@goldcrestdistributing.com

PMCA, phone: 814-734-4420, fax: 814-734-5803, Internet: www.purplemartin.org