This is a very busy time for Saint Francis Wildlife. The organization is rescuing a flood of tiny wild creatures and is also holding some fundraisers to help pay for that caring effort.
Saint Francis Education Director Sandy Beck said the association’s rescue and rehab center near Havana is pretty much overflowing most of the time, particularly now.
“It’s nearly 3,000 injured, orphaned and sick wild birds, animals and reptiles every year now,” she reported. “But this is our busiest season. Spring and summer is wild baby season.”
That means an almost endless flood of little furry and feathered creatures found by well-meaning people and taken to St. Francis Wildlife.
“Orphaned baby birds, squirrels, possums, beavers, river otters, foxes, you name it. And we care for them,” she said.
The cost to provide that care is daunting. Just the special food and medications needed by wild creatures can be very expensive. So St. Francis Board President Pat Simmons said there are some special events coming up to help raise the money.
“On May 28th we’ll have our Second Annual Wildlife Fest, which will be at White Dog Plantation, formerly Nicholson Farmhouse off State Road 12 in Gadsden County,” she said, adding it will be happening from 9:30 until 2:00 this coming Saturday.
“We’ll have lots of animals out there, we’ll have demonstrations, we’ll have presentations, we’ll have a silent auction, and there’s going to be a tour of the grounds. There will be a tour of edible plants, which is an unusual thing to have.”
Less than two weeks after that, Simmons said there will be a different kind of St. Francis fundraiser. “June 10th, Pierce Pettis is coming to town and he’ll be joined by Mimi Hearn and Mike Palecki, so they’ll be doing an ‘In Concert for Wildlife’ for us at the Warehouse and that starts at 7:00 p.m.”
You can find more info on the St. Francis Wildlife web page: www.stfranciswildlife.org.