B: Good evening readers, exciting news tonight! Our Open House was a huge success, netting us over $4,500, the most we have ever made fundraising. The Bake Sale table managed to snag almost $400, a slight drop from last year (but we had less food this time around). But our patrons were generous and we educated many new people who had never even heard of our Center.
A: $4,500 will definitely buy a ton of rodent chow. Or… margaritas. Which is why this blog is coming to you from sunny Mexico, where Britt and I are holed up after absconding with the loot. To any SCWC Board members who are reading this: You’ll never catch us alive!!
B: And to our boss: sorry we beat you down here, but if you hurry, we will save you some chips and salsa.
A: If only it were all true. But of course, Britt and I are still here at the Center, diligently feeding our two remaining baby squirrels and our many other nocturnal patients. I don’t think we’re cut out for a life of crime anyways.
B: All joking aside, all of us here at Second Chance Wildlife Center are so thankful for our wonderful Board of Directors who worked tirelessly to post fliers, beg at stores and restaurants to donate gift cards and gift bags for our raffles and partake in the endless scrubbing and washing of all our walls, windows, floors and ceilings. We also wish to extend our (endless!) gratitude to all of our hard-working volunteers; without the support of this diverse but awesome group of individuals, SCWC would not be nearly as successful.
A: We are truly fortunate to have such wonderful and caring supporters- from our financial benefactors, to our dedicated volunteers, to contributors like Jackie Howard, who donated the beautiful prize in our Quilt Raffle. All of their giving has resulted in critical funds for the care of our wild patients.
B: The winter season is such a catch-22; the decrease in patient intake gives the staff and volunteers a chance to catch their breath but the lack of funding coming through our door leaves us in a serious pickle. Spring (and its income-bringing babies) never seems further away in the middle of November when you have a few large raptors that need extensive (and expensive) surgeries or over a dozen turtles to support through the cold winter months. Our Open House is our largest (and sometimes only) fundraising event of the year and to see the public support is heartwarming.
A: I think everyone had a good time while helping out a good cause. Our cake walk was rockin’, our bake sale bustling and our tours were in non-stop demand. This year we also had an extension of our merchandise section where handmade accessories were featured. I understand the interest in these new animal-themed bracelets and rings was quite high. All in all, it was a fun day of shopping, music and family entertainment.
B: And our new squirrel mascot (courtesy of Frank, our favorite squirrel-enthusiast) has a new name: Gigi (named for Frank’s old friend and SCWC’s newest nesting squirrel). The kids’ loved having a six-foot-tall squirrel to jump on and we loved having a new way to reach our younger generations. Thanks also to Brian Kristal and his Reptile Wonders. Brian, an old friend of SCWC, donated his time and reptile friends to appear at our Open House and was a huge hit with kids of all ages. Thanks also to Dina, our favorite falconer, and her partner Nicky, the Eurasian eagle owl. Dina is a crowd pleaser and each year we (as well as our patrons) are delighted to watch her and Nicky interact and answer questions.
A: Nicky answers questions?!
B: You didn’t know?
A: That is one talented owl. Britt and I were very pleased to meet several dozen supporters over our loaded Bake Sale table. It’s so nice to get to chat with so many of our giving community members while tempting them with all kinds of baked goodies (pumpkin cookies, anyone?). Every year I have seen how generously everyone gives after being sweetened up with some tasty treats. Brownies make everyone happy!
B: My only regret is the lack of delicious leftovers from the Bake Sale. Enjoy your autumn!
