CROW takes people to the Wildside Friday, Feb. 20
Looking for something novel and philanthropic to do this Friday?
How about taking a walk on the wild side of things?
The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) is sponsoring the 6th Annual Walk On the Wild Side, along the J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Drive on Sanibel.
There will be 40 challenging naturalist questions and bird ID stations for participants to answer as they cruise along Wildlife Drive. The entry fee of $30 per person, or $50 per couple, includes admission to the Walk and Wildlife Drive (closed to the public and all vehicles for this event), a free 2009 event T-shirt, a pick-up lunch, cookies by Bank of the Islands, bottled water and a ticket for FREE Same Day admission to the new CROW Healing Winds Visitor Education Center. Children 12 and under are free for the Walk but will not receive a free T-shirt. The three and one half mile walking course is designed to challenge your naturalist knowledge, allow you to test yourself against answers validated by Ding Refuge Staff or other recognized sources. CROW, J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge and Bank of the Islands are sponsors of the 6th Annual Walk. Additional T-shirts may be purchased immediately after the event across the street at the CROW Visitor Education Center.
Dr. PJ Deitschel, C.R.O.W. staff veterinarian/clinic director considers the event more of a friendship raiser than a fundraiser.
“It’s a time to enjoy Wildlife Drive,” she said. “It’s important for people to learn the environment around them.”
Deitschel said the self-motivated educational experience helps people to know the wildlife that exists on the islands.
“We can help people to understand animals,” she said.
But the money making portion of the program is also vital to caring for the injured wildlife that CROW cares for.
“CROW relies exclusively on private donations to operate, and it is events such as the “Walk On the Wild Side”, that not only help raise necessary annual operating support for CROW, but also encompass CROW’s dual mission of helping wildlife and educating people about peaceful co-existence with our wildlife neighbors,” said Anita Pinder, Acting Director of Development. “There is no better way to visit the “Ding” Darling Refuge (without cars, trams and bikes) than to join CROW for this delightfully fun and educational “Walk” along Wildlife Drive to benefit CROW”, continued Pinder.
The Feb. 20th event is open to the public, but advance reservations are requested. For more information about the event or to register for the event, call Debbie at 472-6667 or 395-0050.
(CROW press reports contributed to this story.)