Thanks to your help, American Heritage Wildlife Foundation
has been able to help the local injured and orphaned wild animals for 20 years!
Pat yourself on the back for your dedication. A fellow rehabilitator of only
songbirds had to close her doors in the middle of Spokane Valley after only 7
years due to lack of funds and volunteers helping. We are located in a rural
location and care for all but the largest of species and we are still forging
ahead with the mission to help the wild native neighbors and educate our human
community.
I wanted to share an excerpt from a recent email from a very
large nonprofit group executive director:
every leader has an
expiration date. There comes a time for all of us when – in taking a deep
breath and a long look at where we are and most importantly where we’ve been –
we realize that a new leader with fresh ideas and a different skill set is
needed to take our organization to the next level.
I receive a lot of
credit for being a great leader, but in all honesty, it is the team here at the
Center and our incredible board of directors who share in the credit. We
succeed as a team, always.
Those statements really sum it up as your founder and lead
volunteer of every aspect of operations. I am emotionally, mentally, and
physically tired.
I need to have others step up and exude their vibrant energy and revive my fatigued
soul. While it does not seem like it, twenty years’ time has passed since
the vision and the formal process began to create your local wildlife
rehabilitation and community education nature center.
In all honesty, I have been working in wildlife
rehabilitation longer than that. I was reflecting, not only wild animal work at
three different zoos but also the fact that during the late 1990’s prior to
moving out of state for a zookeeper position, I had been assisting the local
Sandpoint conservation officer and accepted wild animals as patients. He even
provided me with the vari-kennel crates! Wild animals have been needing my help
for almost 30 years. I have been required to provide their every need – it is
my divine calling.
Blessedly I have been supported these past
several years by AMAZING friends. I
could not have gotten through without your financial support both for this
mission of AHWF but also personally without your notes of encouragement and
hugs.
In order to continue another 20 years:
We must have an active board of directors. This includes the
presidency (if the members wish I will remain as the vice-president), a
treasurer, and several other vacant seats.
We must have active committees – many people giving a little
and working together to accomplish a lot!
Share with your friends (& followers) how important your
support is. Your soul has been stirred by mission and vision of keeping Idaho
wild – get them involved so they can experience this joy as well. Not only
treasure is necessary to succeed; contributions of time and talent are also
required. Consider getting involved with the American Heritage Wildlife
Foundation board or volunteering or perhaps submit application for either the
on-site or off-site internship positions. Details are on our secure webpage www.ahwf.org Consider getting involved with the
Association of Idaho Rehabbers for wildlife support group (AIR for wildlife).
This newly formed group www.airforwildlife.org
which will be working with all the licensed Idaho wildlife rehabilitation
facilities.
Duties of the aforementioned
committees are:
a)
Wildlife
Rescue (& transport) Team - These
committee members should function in cooperation with any and all wildlife
rehabilitation organizations within the state of Idaho which are in good
standing and members if the Association. They arrange for transporting animals
to and from facilities or veterinary hospitals as well as locating release
sites. Additionally materials and supplies will be transported as needed from
facility to facility. These may include surplus expired hospital items or
frozen meat or . They keep records of the locations of cages and animal taxis
drivers. Additionally these members shall abide by traffic laws as set forth by
law enforcement when transporting wild animals from one facility to another.
These members shall not attempt rescue of any wild animal without proper
training and a notarized release waiver being on record. Accurate records of
mileage will be maintained and provided upon delivery. Transportation costs for
fuel may be reimbursed however shall not be required nor demanded.
b)
Welcome wagon
Committee – This committee will
welcome incoming new members by introducing them and getting them involved in
the Association as well as the various licensed wildlife rehabilitation
facilities who hold active membership status.
c)
Supplies and
Inventory committee – these members’
research best prices for supplies, food, etc. and share their findings with the
nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation facility managers. These members ensure an
ample supply of such items is on hand based on the expected seasonal needs of
the organization, coordinates the collection of natural foods and maintains
records of the locations of freezers and other designated supplies. Records
shall be maintained of surplus and shortages.
They directly assist the wildlife rehabilitation organization managers.
d)
Public
Relations committee - members
prepares news releases regarding AIR activities; prepares and mails newsletter
and all general interest information to members; prepares posters, fliers,
etc., for activities such as fund-raising activities, they assist with
maintaining social media presence, including creation of a youtube channel
designated for wildlife rehabilitation awareness. They are tasked with encouragement to join
the association; this includes identifying wildlife rehabilitators who are not
currently members of the association.
e)
Fundraising
committee - members shall proposes and coordinates
fund-raising programs such as garage sales, etc., and pursues whatever grant and
gift opportunities may be available. Also, develops promotional materials for
sales of hats, T-shirts, and sweatshirts, and coordinates sales which will
create funds to support the wildlife rehabilitation organizations which hold
Association membership status. Additional ideas for fundraising shall be
specially created artwork and books or online campaigns.
f)
Animal Records
committee members shall maintain
lists of species and quantities processed at the recognized licensed permitted
wildlife rehabilitation facilities which are Association of Idaho Rehabbers for
wildlife active members. These committee members shall report to the members or
the board of directors as needed or requested on issues relating to percentages
released, causes for admission, genus and species etcetera.
g)
Outreach and
correspondence committee - members
shall be involved with assisting the AIR active members with any type of
correspondence as deemed necessary. Makes calls necessary to coordinate or
assist various programs as proposed by other committees.
h)
Projects
planning committee - members maintain
close contact with the Association active members and identify the necessary
projects. These committee members organize and coordinate the solicitation of
supplies necessary for construction and maintenance of cages and other major
projects when the needs arise at the licensed wildlife rehabilitation
facilities which are active members of the association.
i)
Education
committee - members get directly
involved with providing presentations regarding AIR and wildlife rehabilitation
activities and goals to schools, civic and private groups, etc. to assist
community in better understanding role of AIR and the importance of wildlife
rehabilitation. Prepares training materials and conducts training sessions at
the direction of wildlife rehabilitation facility managers. Additionally a
template for online wildlife trivia is in place (through mentimeter established
by AHWF ) and can be utilized to educate and entertain.
j)
Wildlife
Health – committee members shall
research infectious and/or non-infectious diseases, human related causes for
wildlife admissions to rehab centers, or advancements in wildlife
rehabilitation techniques.
k)
Licenses and
regulations committee – members shall
remain aware of and report as needed the assorted dates for hunting and fishing.
These members will also strive to keep aware of any poaching activities and
encourage members to take action to apprehend the perpetrator of the
crime(s). Future laws effecting wildlife
and alterations to existing sporting activities shall also be identified
including regional restrictions of certain species.
l)
Standards of
operation committee – these members
are tasked with keeping current on latest means of intake, handling, feeding,
and treating animals as well as euthanasia practices. Creating documentation
reflecting this data relating to wildlife rehabilitation, wildlife health, and
captive wildlife topics along with announcing continuing education
opportunities shall be shared with those active wildlife rehabilitator members.
The committee shall also assist with drafting training materials and creating
training sessions including developing an Idaho Wildlife Rehabilitation Study
Guide with exams in order to prepare the next generation of Idaho wildlife
rehabilitators. This shall be done under
the close working agreement with staff from any one or more of the licensed
wildlife rehabilitation facilities who are Association of Idaho Rehabbers
active members.
m)
Other committees will be created on an as
needed basis (ad hoc).
Sincerely and with much gratitude,
Kathleen St.Clair - McGee
American Heritage Wildlife Foundation founder & board of
directors president
208.266.1488
Find us on the facebook, instagram, twitter, linked in, youtube,
vimeo, and the web.
Association of Idaho Rehabbers for wildlife founding member.
https://www.airforwildlife.org
“In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love
only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” – B.
Dioum
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