We hope you and yours are happy, healthy, and excited for the holiday season! During the many challenges of 2021, we are so grateful Piedmont Wildlife Center has been able to stay open and connect so many people with nature. Your support allows us to continue our unique, deeply impactful work.
As we approach the New Year, we want to share some of the things you have helped us accomplish in 2021. Read on to hear stories from our education and conservation programs, and learn how you can help us change even more lives in 2022.
Nate’s Story
Mountain Quest backpacking trips are some of our most special programs. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for kids to maintain a sense of community and forge new friendships.
One teen experiencing this challenge was Nate, a 14-year-old Otter Clan camper eager to adventure into the beautiful Wilson Creek Wilderness Area. He learned how to carry only the essentials on his back, work with his team to set up camp, build and cook over a campfire, and follow Leave No Trace practices.
Best of all, Nate connected with his peers and learned about himself. Nate’s mother shared...
“[Nate] had an amazing time! I could tell he felt a renewed sense of purpose and belonging. We cannot thank you enough for this memorable experience and for keeping all the kids safe in their adventures. I haven't seen Nate this happy in a long time. Our deepest appreciation and gratitude.”
Young Wildlife Scientists at W.G. Pearson
In October, Grace Bowman, PWC’s Research & Husbandry Coordinator, started a pilot program with students from Durham’s W.G. Pearson STEAM Elementary School to study the eastern box turtle. Observing PWC's resident box turtles up close, a student named Sun lit up at the sight of our Shelly’s permanent smile! Others began offering up burning questions: “Can they get out of their shells?” “How old can they live to be?”
Grace hid box turtle shells along the school’s nature trail for the students to find. Some met the task with worry. Demarquez lamented, “I can’t even find the TV remote!”
Grace reassured him, “In my experience, kids are much better at finding box turtles than adults. You’re lower to the ground, where they’re hiding in plain sight.”
Sure enough, within minutes each group had found the camouflaged shells. Grace’s heart is so full knowing dozens of local kids now understand the threats box turtles face — and possess the skills to help monitor them.
All Because of You
Together, we can reach and engage even more young people in outdoor exploration and real-world conservation efforts. Our community’s financial support helps fund scholarships, our collaborative Triangle Turtle Trekkers pilot program, and so much more. This year, we were able to provide 14 summer camp scholarships, keep our 25 Ambassador Animals healthy, run afterschool programs, hire new staff, and host outreach events.
We could not do any of this without your support. Your year-end gift will make an invaluable impact…
$1,500, or $125 a month, provides annual preventative exams for all 25 of our incredible Ambassador Animals, ensuring they are happy and healthy for years to come.
$400, or $33.33 a month, gives an up-close encounter with our amazing Ambassador Animals to underserved kids in a Title 1 classroom, empowering them to conserve the environment we share.
$350, or $29.17 a month, gives a scholarship recipient a transformative experience like Nate’s at one of our camps.
$300, or $25 a month, gives Parsley our domestic rabbit a fresh bag of hay each month.
$70, or $5.83 a month, provides one radio transmitter for our eastern box turtle monitoring study.
So Many Ways You Can Help
Please give. As a small nonprofit organization, we rely on supporters like you to continue our vital work connecting people with nature. We need your support now more than ever.
You can support us in so many ways…
Become a PWC monthly donor. Being a monthly donor is convenient—and makes a huge difference. Visit our donation page and choose the “Monthly” option under “Choose amount.”
Donate when you holiday shop through Amazon. Go to smile.amazon.com and select Piedmont Wildlife Center from the list of charitable organizations. PWC receives a donation of 0.5% from all eligible purchases, at no fee or extra cost to you.
Check out our Amazon wish list at www.piedmontwildlifecenter.org/donate. Your purchase of supplies for our Ambassador Animals or our programming will be sent straight to us.
Be an advocate for PWC. Share our mission with family and friends. Like and share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Leave us a glowing Google review. You don’t have to give money to contribute to our cause!
Remember...you are the reason so many people can come to PWC and develop a profound, life-long love of nature, wildlife, and conservation. Our goal for 2022 is to continue our efforts, plus add new programs and fun family events. Your contribution makes our vital work possible.
Thank you for being part of our community, and for every way you support us. With love and gratitude from our family to yours, we wish you Happy Holidays!
Executive Director Karen McCall and the PWC Board of Directors
