Meet Nancy Kay Duncan of Georgia Doves in Woodstock

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Kay Duncan.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Whilst on a student tour of Europe in 1968, our tour bus arrived at the Boboli Gardens just in time to enjoy Doves flying through the gardens followed by the Bride and Groom and their guests. This was an encounter that I never forgot. Years later, as I had established a small group of Ostrich’s on my 55 acre farm, I realized that the Ostrich business would never provide a decent income so I converted my operation to tour groups. I needed a bird that children could pet on the tours so found a lovely pair of small cage doves. This was the beginning of my discovery of how people love doves. I started participating in live nativity events and was thinking how wonderful it would be to be able to have some of the release doves to celebrate at Christmas…..my search led to the purchase of release doves. Meanwhile my Ostrich stock was donated to Pettit Creek Farms. I bought my first released doves from the keeper of Doves at Disney World. I began purchasing and designing dove release ceremonies for Weddings, Funerals, Graduation and other special events. There are now a number of release agents throughout the United states and I am a member of the White Dove Release Professionals, a prestigious group of us that adhere to some ideals that should be used by anyone in this business. This is my fourteenth year in this business. I retired from my profession of Dental Hygiene that I worked in for 45 years and now do the Dove release business full time.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
When I started raising my birds in 2003, there was not any guidelines or books to go to for information. I sort of had to “fly by the seat of my pants” you might say. I have learned a lot and contributed a lot to the business. I exchange ideas with the professional organization that I belong to and this has been a big help. Just getting out there and using my ideas and plans has paid off.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Georgia Doves – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Georgia Doves is just a small business, I have trained several ladies to step in and do ceremonies for me if I am not available to perform them. Many of the funeral homes rely on me to fill their needs for my service. They like the ceremony that I do, the pristine well maintained equipment and birds that I bring and love the interaction with the families that I provide. I have set a standard in this business with these attributes that have helped to make it the success that it is. I donate several Dove releases per year for example Memorial Day, Veterans Day and various fun raising events as Suicide prevention, Relay for Life, Heartstrings, prenatal loss, Congenital Heart Association and a few more. The primary question that everyone asks, unless they are familiar with the birds is: How do they know how to find their way back home? primarily, they have to know where their home is and that is the challenge in the beginning, once you have your birds trained and the procreate the task becomes a little bit easier. The location of the sun, polarized light rays, magnetic field, infra sounds and infra smells and visuals.

Studying and caring for my flock is a fascinating and fun business, I like all aspects of the business, the releases, caring and learning all are very rewarding to me. I am working with the most brilliant and magnificent bird that has been genetically engineered for centuries.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
No real big changes in the future except that I may market more to wedding venues and planners, in the past I just don’t like to book off every weekend for weddings, I like to make myself available for Funeral calls as I feel that this is such a meaningful ceremony for funerals and memorial services for the families to heal. I hope to write a guidebook for future employees and the general public to have. There are a lot of facets to this business, releasing ceremonies and raising and caring for the birds. The many things that I have learned by experience would be most valuable to anyone starting this business.

Pricing:

• Funeral prices start at $450.00 for at least 21 Doves and a cage of display doves (A 21 Dove Salute).
• Wedding price start at $850.00, 20 Doves and display doves.

Contact Info:

• Address: 349 Bluebird Acres Road, Woodstock, GA 30188
• Website: georgiadoves.com
• Phone: 770-928-3262
• Facebook: Nancy Kay Duncan

Image Credit:
Photojack

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