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But First...
Exciting News

 
Some of you may already be aware, as this plan has been in the works for over a year now. On behalf of the Chintimini Wildlife Center Board of Directors, I am very happy, excited, and proud to announce to our fantastic community that...
 
On January 14, 2020, Chintimini Wildlife Center became the owner of 311 NW Lewisburg Avenue in Corvallis, OR.

Q: What property, exactly, did we purchase?
A: Just to clarify - no, we aren't moving. We purchased the property on which we currently operate at 311 Lewisburg Avenue. The property is almost 10 acres and includes the former Picton home (the one at the top of the driveway), backyard, and garage - plus all of our current facilities (parking lot, education center and rehab facilities).

Q: Wait, didn't CWC already own it?
A: Well... yes and no. In 2005 there was a lot-line adjustment which allowed the Pictons/CWC to acquire about 5 acres from the neighboring property to the east. That adjacent parcel is where the parking lot and most of our educational facilities (yurt, woods, pond) are located. CWC paid for this land between 2005-2006. The purchase this year was to buy the rest of the property (the house, backyard, and entire rehabilitation facility).

Q: Why did we buy it?
A: For nearly 30 years we operated while renting this space, rather than owning it. While that worked for us for a long time, it was not a permanent solution. Given the nature of our work and the unique needs of the wildlife we serve, we would face insurmountable challenges should we have to relocate. We would lose much of the infrastructure that we've spent decades building. By purchasing the property, we have ensured that we will be able to remain here on this land for the foreseeable future. From the beginning, the plan has always been for CWC to become the owner of this property. The main challenge in making that happen was finding a way to pay for it...

Q: So, how did we pay for it?
A: We received a generous anonymous gift of $50,000 last year from a donor who passed away, which allowed us to make a sizeable down payment. The remaining sum has been financed with One-Forty Six, LLC (very generous supporters of CWC and other nonprofits in Corvallis!) and we will make monthly payments that are about the same as our previous rental payments. This means that there is very little impact on our operating costs - and that was incredibly important to us as we continue to serve more and more wildlife every year! There is no penalty if we pay off the loan ahead of time, but we are currently scheduled to pay it back over a period of about 20 years.

Q: What are we going to do with the new property/buildings we've purchased?
A: Ah, our FAVORITE question of all! Since much of what we purchased is land that we already rented and used, there won't be many changes there. However, we now have access to a new building (the former Picton home) and backyard. We anticipate the creation of a garden and outdoor interpretive area in the former backyard and have identified some enthusiastic partners in that work. As for the building, we plan to convert part of it into office space for our growing team. We anticipate the second half of the building will be used to house reception, a gift shop, interpretive displays, and public restroom facilities.


 

At the risk of being too long-winded...

I just wanted to end with this: So much of the work that we do here is focused on "survival." It's true that sometimes we find ourselves in tough circumstances where our only focus is to survive. But surviving is just the first step. Once the danger has passed, we must remind ourselves to strive for more than just surviving - we aim to thrive. We hope for joy, love, comfort, freedom, abundance.

So many of us work tirelessly to help wildlife in our community thrive. We at CWC feel strongly that the wildlife we serve should get the very best care possible - and we know that in order to make that happen, we as an organization must thrive as well. Securing a permanent home for CWC was an important step toward ensuring that wildlife in our community will always have a safe, caring place to get help.

We have so many people to thank - our many volunteers, donors, and cheerleaders who fuel this mission. Though there is much work ahead of us this year, we are inspired by the outpouring of love and support we feel from our community. Thank you, as always, for all that you do to help our native wildlife. It is a tremendous privilege to be able to serve alongside you.

Sincerely,



Sarah Spangler
Executive Director



 
Click here if you'd like to support wildlife at Chintimini in 2020

Wildlife Rehabilitation
Recent Patients

2020 has been off to a great start! There have been a great number of extraordinary animal rescues - many of which were successful due to the selflessness of people from our community who are committed to taking care of our wild neighbors in their time of need. Here are a few highlights from the month of January:

Our first patient of 2020 was an adult male Varied Thrush. He was caught by a cat and underwent a course of antibiotics. He was recently moved to an outdoor songbird enclosure and is getting around quite well, however he will still need more time to fully recover.

An American White Pelican was seen hanging around the Willamette River near Harrisburg earlier this month, and when a couple of days had passed and it hadn't flown away, finder Tony Peterson knew it was time to call us here at CWC.

The capture of the downed pelican required a rescue team, and Tony didn't hesitate to volunteer his time and operate his boat for the rescue. We'd like to extend a sincere THANK YOU to Tony for everything he did to help the pelican, for without his efforts we may not have been successful in retrieving her.

We'd also like to thank All Creatures Great and Small Vet Clinic for offering their x-ray imaging services in the diagnostic care of the pelican.

Her prognosis is guarded at this time while she undergoes further testing, but we are glad she is no longer fighting for her life alone. Our caring community is what makes all of this possible, and for that we are grateful.

If you missed the video of her remarkable rescue, you can view it
HERE.

Earlier this month, a Great Blue Heron had been spotted with fishing line and lure wrapped tightly around one of its legs. He was still flighted and was difficult to catch, though many concerned people were diligent and kept a close eye on him. The leg injury eventually created enough hardship that he became weak and was able to be gently captured and brought to us at CWC. 

After examination, the heron was determined to be emaciated and in critical condition. He received supportive care in our ICU, but after a few days he passed away. We greatly appreciate the effort from all involved in the rescue, care, and well-wishes of the heron. Though he did not recover, the thoughts and actions of so many caring individuals remind us of our purpose - and this heron, along with any wild animal in need of help, deserve all the kindness and compassionate care the world has to offer.

Restaurant Fundraising 
Dine Out for CWC

Join us at the Corvallis Old Spaghetti Factory on February 12th, 2020!

When you
dine between the hours of 11:30am and 9:00pm and present the fundraiser flyer to your server, the restaurant will donate 15% of your meal's proceeds to Chintimini Wildlife Center!

Enjoy good food while helping to earn money to benefit local wildlife. We hope to see you there!

 

Click here to view or download the flyer
Volunteer Spotlight
Jordan Burford
Jordan volunteers on Thursday evenings and is a wonderfully reliable and diligent animal care volunteer. Volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation facility isn't glamorous - there is a lot of diet prep, laundry, and cage cleaning involved. This does not deter him! He knows the value of hard work, and we are so grateful to have him on our volunteer team.
 
 Please join us in thanking Jordan for his outstanding commitment to serving our community's wildlife.
 
Click here to learn more about Jordan or to read about previous Volunteer Spotlights!

Community
Connection & Education

Each year we attend the annual Willamette Valley Bird Symposium that takes place at Oregon State University. WVBS is a day-long event, which brings together bird enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds. The symposium provides current student research presentations, demonstrations of avian research techniques, and networking opportunities. We also bring many of our traveling Raptor Ambassadors to the event!

This year was no exception - it was a fantastic turnout and a great opportunity to help spread the word of our mission.

For more information about the annual symposium, visit their website:

https://willamettevalleybirds.org/

Meet the
Winter 2020 Interns
Pictured here: Intern Bailey Cain is holding a Barred Owl patient in preparation for testing its flight abilities.
Click here to learn more about our winter interns!

April 17, 2020


Please save the date for the next Art is Wild, our BIGGEST fundraiser of the year! This event includes a silent auction of beautiful works of art, fantastic experiences, and exciting prizes. Enjoy delicious appetizers and drinks while meeting representatives from our Raptor Ambassador team - all while supporting the wildlife you cherish.

More details and invitations to follow.
Our supporters are a vital part of our community. We are lucky to work with some of the most compassionate people around who ensure that the animals in our care are safe and healthy. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all of the volunteers, donors and other supporters who make our work possible. Thank you.
 
You can protect wildlife, too. Donate Today!
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