Help design our 2024 camp t-shirt!

Artists, it's time to come out of brumation: Piedmont Wildlife Center’s 2024 t-shirt contest has officially begun!

This year, we're going wild for all things scales and scutes. Show us your best design featuring one or more of our reptile Ambassador species! The winning design will become our official 2024 camp t-shirt, and the winner will also receive a $50 cash prize. One runner-up will be awarded a $25 cash prize and Nature Store coupon.

All designs must adhere to the following rules and guidelines:

1. Design must be nature-themed and prominently feature a reptile species we care for at Piedmont Wildlife Center: eastern box turtle, diamondback terrapin, corn snake, eastern rat snake, eastern milk snake, hognose snake, eastern king snake.

2. Design should reflect our mission of connecting people with nature through outdoor education, conservation, and citizen science. Creative interpretations highly encouraged!

3. No color images, please. Line art works best on our screen-printed shirts.

4. Be original! Do not use another artist's work or submit a design that's been used elsewhere.

5. Be human! Images generated using AI cannot be accepted and will be disqualified.

6. Design must be submitted as PDF or vector file (.AI or .EPS) to admin@piedmontwildlifecenter.org no later than 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, March 31st.

All members of the Piedmont Wildlife Center community are eligible to enter - including YOU! The winning design will be clear, creative, appropriate for all ages, and capture the spirit of Piedmont Wildlife Center’s camps, citizen science, and conservation programs.

Please send submissions to admin@piedmontwildlifecenter.org no later than 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, March 31st, 2024. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

3 Ways to Support PWC this Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day, Pumpkin the opossum invites you to celebrate your love for wildlife, conservation, and outdoor education by supporting Piedmont Wildlife Center. Whether you're head-over-heels for romance or would rather say "not today, Cupid," you can make a big difference this month - while having a blast learning about native NC wildlife!

Keep scrolling for 3 easy (and fun!) ways to support nature connection at PWC this Valentine's Day. Thank you for sharing your love for nature with us!

---

1. Enter our Valentine's Day raffle for a chance to win a pet portrait, animal encounters, and more!

$625 down, $3375 to go! Help us reach our goal of $4,000 before 11:59 PM EST on February 15th by joining Love at First Flight, an online raffle for Piedmont Wildlife Center. You can purchase entries on our RallyUp raffle page for a chance to win the prize(s) of your choice:

• One Week of Summer Camp at PWC

• A Custom Oil Painting of Your Pet

• A Private Raptor Tour

• An Opossum Squishmallow Plush

• A Private Turtle Trek

• Two $50 Apple Gift Cards

• A Private Animal Encounter

Tickets start at $10 for 10 entries. The more you buy, the more you save - and the better your chances of winning your favorite prize! Winners will be drawn on Friday, February 16th.

Void where prohibited. Piedmont Wildlife Center is an IRS-designated 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Proceeds from this raffle will support the care of our Ambassador Animals, provide camp scholarships to kids in need, and help sustain our award-winning environmental education programs.

---

2. Surprise your sweetheart with a personalized video from one of our Ambassador Animals...

Celebrate your sweetie's love of wildlife by gifting them an Ambassador Animal sponsorship! Our Valentine's Day "adoption" packages include a personalized video and virtual Valentine's Day card from Pumpkin the opossum, Shelly the box turtle, Wink the red-tailed hawk, or Parsley the rabbit. Your loved one will also receive an adoption certificate and an information packet about your chosen Ambassador.

This $30 sponsorship package makes a great Valentine's Day gift for the nature lover in your life, whether they live nearby or across the globe!

Please note: Packages must be ordered by noon on Monday, February 12th in order to be received by Valentine’s Day. Any order placed after noon on Monday, February 12th will be delivered by February 23rd.

---

3. ...or unleash your petty side by feeding our Ambassador Animals a rat, worm, or veggie in "honor" of your ex!

Not feeling the love this Valentine's Day? We get it. Put your spite to work for a good cause with a "Petty Pals" Ambassador Animal sponsorship!

Your $30 sponsorship will feed Pumpkin the opossum or Wink the red-tailed hawk a tasty rodent in honor of the "rat" in your life. Feeling a little more earthy? You can also opt to sponsor a superworm for Shelly the box turtle, or a veggie snack for Parsley the rabbit! Whatever option you choose, you'll receive a personalized video of your Ambassador Animal eating their snack, plus a virtual Valentine's Day card, an information packet, and an "adoption" certificate.

Please note: Packages must be ordered by noon on Monday, February 12th in order to be received by Valentine’s Day. Any order placed after noon on Monday, February 12th will be delivered by February 23rd.

New year, new Adopt-an-Ambassador experience!

Our Conservation Team has been hard at work putting together brand-new sponsorship levels for any budget, with new perks to match. Plus, for the first time ever, you can now sponsor ANY of our 26 Ambassador Animals, including fan favorites like Edgar the raven!

All Adopt-an-Ambassador sponsorships directly support the non-releasable animals in our care and make it possible for us to educate thousands of people each year about native wildlife.

Learn more about these updates by watching the video above or on YouTube. Then hit the link below to support wildlife education by sponsoring your favorite PWC Ambassador Animal!

Announcing our 2023 t-shirt design contest!

Share your love for wildlife, outdoor education, and nature connection this Valentine's Day - and all year long. It's time for Piedmont Wildlife Center's annual t-shirt design contest!

Read on for contest rules, guidelines, and prizes:

• Designs must be nature-themed and reflect what you love most about Piedmont Wildlife Center. Creative interpretations highly encouraged!

• No color images, please. Line art works best on our screen-printed shirts.

• Be original! Please do not use another artist's work, or submit a design that has been used elsewhere.

• Designs must be submitted as a PDF or vector file (.AI or .EPS) to admin@piedmontwildlifecenter.org no later than 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, February 28th.

All members of the Piedmont Wildlife Center community are eligible to enter - including YOU! The winning design will be clear, creative, appropriate for all ages, and capture the spirit of Piedmont Wildlife Center's camps, citizen science, and conservation programs.

Need some inspiration? View past t-shirt designs on our online Nature Store.
 

The first-place winner will have their design featured on our 2023 summer camp t-shirts. They will also receive a free shirt (with their design, of course) and a $50 cash prize! One runner-up will receive a Nature Store coupon and $25 cash prize.

Will your design be the perfect Valentine's Day match for this year's camp t-shirts? We can't wait to see what you come up with!

NEW! Personalized Birthday Videos

Oh no, our Ambassador Animals are running late! Find out what exciting party they're going to - and learn how YOU can get a personalized birthday video from your favorite PWC critter.

Starting this week, it's easier than ever to help provide food, care, and enrichment for our Ambassador Animals. Adopt-An-Ambassador sponsorships are now available in our online Nature Store! You can even add a birthday video from your Ambassador for an extra $15.

Sponsorship options start at $25 for 3 months and $100 for one year. In honor of former Executive Director Gail Abrams, all proceeds from birthday video add-ons will support the Gail E. Abrams Wildlife Ambassador Fund.