The Bird Rock Community Council (BRCC) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a unique addition to its popular Benches of Bird Rock project. Local artist and Bird Rock resident Jane Wheeler is currently designing a commemorative chair, which she built last year out of lightweight concrete and donned a large blue ceramic star on top. Her original vision was to see the “starfish chair” on La Jolla Boulevard. “I could see little kids sitting there with the starfish on their head,” she said. “I thought it would be so fun and cute for a little selfie.” Wheeler — who had started and designed the Benches of Bird Rock project back in 2008 — then brought the idea up to BRCC. They decided to include the community in the project by allowing residents to contribute toward the $5,000 cost to create it. In return, residents can have their names or the names of their businesses written on mosaic tiles that cover the chair. “That way everyone is a part of it,” Wheeler said. “This is anchoring in the community. It’s the 25th anniversary, and anytime you get a milestone like that you really need to celebrate it. You need to make a big deal. Because that’s what keeps the community going I think.” The “starfish chair” will be placed in front of All About Animals, 5622 La Jolla Blvd., meaning Wheeler’s vision of her neighborhood chair came true. “We do a lot of things that are quintessential to what a neighborhood should function like. People really do get along and it’s nice to see because there are so many chaotic things and negative things in the world. I think Bird Rock is a stabilizing force in the area.” Bird Rock Community Council was established in 1994 to enhance the growth and improvement of the neighborhood. Residents can sponsor the “starfish chair” through the end of September, and the project is set to be completed by the first quarter of next year. All donations are tax deductible. To learn more about the project and how to donate, email Jane Wheeler at [email protected]. For more information on the Bird Rock Community Council’s 25th anniversary, visit birdrockcc.org.