|
|
|
21st Birthday Party |
|
The venue and food was lovely and after dinner the speakers took us for a walk down 21 years of memory lane. Pat had prepared a continuous screen presentation from the media clippings kept in the WIRES scrapbooks - from past years to the present. This was combined with a collection of birds and animals that have been cared for by our members. The speakers had this
wonderful display playing, as they talked about all the Bob, together with some keen staff members, instigated the formation of a Wildlife Care Group, ranging from Nambucca in the south, north to the Queensland border. Because of this huge area and the many hundreds of people wanting to be involved, it soon settled into Wildlife groups in area sizes that were easier managed by the National Park of that region. The early days of the Clarence Valley group appeared to be a constant struggle with Bob reminding us of the ups and downs experienced.
Pat Edwards spoke of her caring for native animals and the need for information
of how to do things better, long before there were instruction
courses available. Maggie Skeel was also an early carer and liked the support that came with the start of a group of
like minded people.
Greg Clancy spoke of his involvement with both National Parks and WIRES members over the years which he has found to be very rewarding. Over the years, Greg’s help to all wildlife carers has been invaluable and he has always given freely of his time and his wealth of knowledge. Greg spoke about his favourite bird – the Black Neck Stork and how he has been with our members and NPWS on several joint rescues of this bird. Greg’s description allowed us all to see the humour in wading knee deep through swamps and bush, to get injured Black Neck Storks into care, so that they could receive the attention needed for the injuries sustained after hitting power lines or coming to grief on a barbed wire fence. After Greg left the floor the opportunity was there for some of the members to recount their rescues and releases. It showed that carers have a great sense of humour. Some of the stories were funny, some were sad, but everyone could relate to one or all of them as we have all experienced something similar - and so ……… a wonderful night was had by one and all. |
On the evening of
5th June 2010 at Grafton Services Club, we celebrated
21 years of caring for our Native Wildlife, that, for whatever
the reason has needed our help.
Pat Edwards and Sandy Webb put a lot of time and effort into
organising the night so that everyone could enjoy themselves.
things
that have been important in the past, what is important now and what we need to be focused
on for the future.
Bob Friederich was the National Park District Manager in the early 1980’s
and could see the need to organise a group of people who would relieve NPWS of the
care of Native animals that were always finding their way to their front counter.
He spoke of the dedication
and commitment of the early members and some of the trials and triumphs
that came with the rescue and rehabilitation of the animals and
how this has continued throughout the years. He assured us that the enthusiasm
has never diminished since our formation, way back in 1989.
