Wildfowl competition attracts artists from around the globe

Hundreds of competitors from around the globe came together this weeked for a Wildfowl World Championship at the convention center in Ocean City.

The 48th annual event is put on by, and benefits the Ward Museum in Salisbury.

This is the museum's top event for raising funds throughout the year.  Funds go toward educational programs such as classes for youth on wildfowl carving and art classes for children in schools without art programs.

We're told events like this are critical for inspiring the next generation of local kids to take up the unique art.

"There is a gap that's being filled getting the youth into carving, because we're competing for their time.  Now there's the iPad and the Nintendo, and kids are moving very very fast," says Shawna Kearsley, director of community relations for the museum.  "We're competing with that, but we're definitely making inroads, and we've got a lot of kids that are on board so we're pretty excited about that."

The next event for the Ward Museum will be the Delmarvalous Festival on June 23, a celebration of local traditions.