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The Hawai‘i Wildlife Center Archived News

Hawai‘i Wildlife Center 2008 Newsletter

Dec. 9, 2008

Aloha,

Linda Elliott with Nene gosling

It is time once again for us to share the great progress we have made since our last report:

On the fundraising front, we have received another generous $100,000 grant, this one from the Dorrance Family Foundation, and just this week we received another grant of $5,000 from the Elinor Patterson Baker Trust. With the 13 grants, community donations, program revenue and in-kind professional services and material donations received to date, we are thrilled to say that we have reached the 75% mark! It is now critical for us to raise the remaining $500,000 balance to construct the building. To that end, we have sent out dozens of proposals, our Board and pro bono design/build team are working hard on materials donations and private donations, and we are contacting our annual and new supporters to consider giving again. (Click here to learn more about donating.)

We are also excited to report that we have officially completed phase I; architectural and construction design and engineering are complete, thanks to almost 2000 hours of pro-bono professional services. A two-acre site has been donated. We have also begun receiving donations of materials and supplies for Phase 2 site work and infrastructure, and we have begun work on the materials donations for Phase 3, construction of the building shell. (Click here to view the HWC design.)

HWC Aerial View
Hawaii Wildlife Center Aerial View

At the site on Lighthouse Road in Halaula you can now see the activity of the bulldozers and other equipment doing the grubbing and rough grading and infrastructure work. Our water-meter was installed and the waterline supplies donated and received. We have our Grading Permit, our Special Permit, and just received our Final Plan Approval from the County Planning Commission, so we are ready for building construction to begin once the funds are in place. (click here to view our list of generous contributors)

Although we had planned to minimize wildlife programs this year while we focused on the fundraising and construction deadlines to keep us on schedule, it turns out that we have provided some major wildlife services for endangered species projects.  Linda Elliott was called to the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge on Aug. 29 to rescue the critically endangered Laysan duck during an avian botulism outbreak. During nine days we successfully treated and released over two-dozen ducks, while also providing training and protocols to refuge staff. Linda returned just in time to head to Kauai the following week to teach a two-day course for a program to rescue three endangered seabirds, to veterinarians, field and animal care staff. Linda also has been working with our landscape architect, Jason Umemoto, and the adjoining Kohala Middle School on science and civic projects to track the Center's development and propagate native plants for the HWC site. (Click here for articles on these projects in our “Latest News” section)

Linda Elliott with Laysan duck
Linda Elliott with Laysan duck

All of these wildlife projects demonstrate the urgency of building the HWC for the Hawaiian islands, and the critical need to get this resource open in order to be better able to provide the requisite training of wildlife biologists and volunteers to rescue and respond to our all-too-numerous threatened species.

We have also updated our web site. So, although it may have seemed quiet on our end, A LOT has been happening since we last spoke with you! We are focused on completing the fund raising, so that we can meet our goal of being open in 2009! Please join our growing list of passionate supporters and continue to support the HWC by sending your annual donation to the Hawaii Wildlife Center, PO Box 551752, Kapaau, HI 96755 or click here to donate through our web site.

Mahalo nui loa

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