“VOLUNTEER p werNEWS”

“VOLUNTEER
p wer
NEWS”
Monthly Newsletter, Number 3, 2014
“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
Volunteer Spotlight
Alexis Fitzgerald grew up in Leechburg, Pennsylvania and now lives in Squirrel Hill with her boyfriend, Zach, her
dog, three chinchillas, and a Mississippi Map Turtle. Alexis attended the University of
Pittsburgh and graduated in 2013 with a BS in Ecology and Evolution, and a minor in
Chemistry. After graduation, Alexis began interning at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG
Aquarium in the Conservation Education department. She was hired in the same department and has been there ever since. Alexis spends a good amount of her weekends volunteering at the Wildlife Center. In her free time, Alexis enjoys gardening,
making crafts, and spending time with her loved ones.
Alexis started volunteering at the ARL Wildlife Center in February 2011. She currently
volunteers as an Animal Care Trainer. As an Animal Care Trainer, Alexis is responsible
for mentoring and training potential and current volunteers so the animals can receive
the best care possible. She also assists with education programs and tours as an Event/
Education Volunteer. Education programs and tours are vital to educating the public
about the importance of wild animals. Alexis stated, “I love teaching the public about
the Wildlife Center and helping other volunteers learn about how amazing wildlife is.”
Alexis also does a great job working with children that come in for tours and birthday
parties. She loves to work with children or anyone that would like to learn. Our Manager of Humane & Environmental Education calls Alexis “A true asset to the ARL’s education program”.
Alexis recently began fostering Eastern Cottontails for the Wildlife Center. This is not an easy task because Eastern
Cottontails are extremely delicate animals. The foster has to be extremely careful not to put too much stress on the
animals. She is also secretary of our Volunteer Committee and takes minutes at the monthly Volunteer Meetings.
When asked what her favorite animal to work with is, Alexis responded, “Before he passed away, Fluffy the Barred
Owl was my favorite animal to work with. He was partially blind and very old when I met him, but he was wonderful
to work with.” Alexis also enjoys working with the Wildlife Center’s Red-tailed Hawks, Chuck and Maxina, who act
as Education Ambassadors.
When asked what she enjoys most about volunteering at the Wildlife Center, Alexis answered, “I love being able to
work with native Pennsylvania wildlife, and love never knowing what I will get to interact with when I walk through
the door.” Alexis is an extremely dedicated and hard-working volunteer. She goes above-and-beyond her volunteer
responsibilities and displays great leadership qualities. The Wildlife Center is extremely lucky to have her as a volunteer!
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Upcoming Events
April
Need people to help at table and bring animals.
26 – Bark Shadyside and Great Shadyside Yard Sale 8am -2pm
May
2 – 3 Marathon Expo Convention Center – Times TBA
Need people to help at table and bring animals
3 – Marathon Kid’s Marathon and 5K Point State Park – Times
TBA
Need people to help at booth
4 – Marathon, Relay and Half Marathon Point State Park – Times
TBA
Need people to help at booth
12 – Event Training MPR 10am
Please plan to join us for the ARL Annual Volunteer Appreciation
will be held on Saturday, May 24th from 7-10pm at the Absolute
Ballroom.
June
1 – Petagogy Anniversary Event – Ellsworth Ave
July
31 – St Bernadette Parish Festival – Monroeville – 5 -9pm
Need people to help at table and bring kitties
20 – Wedding Clickers CONSOL (Time TBA)
Need people to help at table and bring kitties
August
Need people to help at table and bring kitties
16 – Event Training MPR 10am
1 -2 - St Bernadette Parish Festival – Monroeville – 5 -9pm
September
28 – Wedding Clickers Marriott Cranberry (Time TBA)
Need people to help at table and bring kitties
20 – Event Training MPR 10am
October
4 – Blessing and Celebration of Animals Bellefonte St Shadyside
11am -5pm
Need people to help at table and bring animals
4 – 2nd Annual Beard & Mustache Competition – Rivers Casino
19 – Wedding Clickers Ramada Greensburg
Need people to help at table and bring kitties
Volunteer Meeting
We will have an all volunteer meeting on Saturday,
May 10th from 3:30-5pm. This will be held upstairs
in the multi-purpose room of the shelter. We will
discuss current cleaning protocols and purposes
being used in the shelter, among other things. If
there are things that you would like to suggest be
added to the agenda, please send those to me via
email.
If for nothing else, join us for ice cream and cookies!
Hope you all can make it. Please plan to attend!
Thanks,
Monica
Here is the most up to date events listing. Anyone wanting to help with events please join the events Google group! Thanks!
https://groups.google.com/d/forum/arleventvolunteers
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Photo Gallery
This is what an event volunteer
looks like! Long-time volunteer
Karen Madden is pictured here
hosting an ARL info table with
kitties!
Even more ARL
volunteers that
were appreciated for National
Volunteer
Week!
Come out to support our team, ARL Paws over Pittsburgh! The ARL is a partner charity of the Dick's Sporting
Goods Pittsburgh Marathon & it's our biggest fundraiser
of the year. Thanks to all of the volunteers and staff
that will be running on behalf of the shelter!
As part of the national Volunteer Appreciation Week, these
volunteers at our Wildlife Center were featured in a ARL Facebook post. These folks dedicate
a countless number of their
own hours to care for the injured & orphaned wild animals
of our region. Without them,
our Wildlife Center could surely
not exist. THANK YOU!
Celebrating
our rabbit/
small animal
volunteers,
event volunteers, & foster parents!
Another Volunteer Appreciation
Week pic! ARL
dog walkers
spend their mornings & evenings
ensuring that our
homeless pooches get muchneeded exercise
& socialization.
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Help! My dog/cat/I found a nest of abandoned rabbits!
A mother rabbit only visits her nest in the early morning
and late evening. By staying away from the nest, she
attracts less attention and less chance of an attack on the
nest. Mother rabbits do not build very elaborate nests –
they are often just a shallow
depression in the ground
covered with leaves or grass,
sometimes in the middle of a
yard. They are often found
when mowing the lawn.
We’ve even found nests under swing sets!
If you find a nest of infant rabbits, it’s very likely the mother is just away and they do not need help.
Before removing the babies, determine if the nest is actually abandoned.
Step 1: Are there any flies around the nest or dead babies
inside? If so, the nest is abandoned. Place the survivors in a
box, move to a warm and quiet place and call the Wildlife
Center at 412-345-7300 x 500 immediately for instructions.
Step 2: Repair the nest by replacing any dried grass/leaves
that were originally covering the nest.
Step 3: Place two twigs or pieces of thread in the shape of
an ʻXʼ over the entrance to the nest.
Step 4: Wait at least 12 hours and recheck the nest. If the
twigs/threads have been moved, the mother is returning to
the nest to care for her young. Leave the nest alone!
But my dog tore up the nest…
The mother will still come back and care for the babies.
Remove any babies that were injured, and follow steps 2-4
above.
Please join our Facebook groups if you haven’t already!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/arlcatcare/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/arldogwalkers/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/arlbuns/
To prevent your dog from returning to the nest, try to keep
your dog away from that area until the rabbits have left the
nest. Rabbits typically leave the nest at 3-4 weeks old.
Newsletters not Coffee
If it is not possible to keep your dog away, take a laundry
basket and place it upside down over the nest.
Eric Starbuck
Newsletters With
Distinction!
Lay some bricks on top to weigh it down. The basket should
be removed so the mother can get to the nest between
7pm and 8am, but your dog should be able to be in the
same area while the nest is covered. Lay twigs in an ʻXʼ to
check that the mother is coming while the nest is uncovered.
[email protected]
Katie Heckert, Wildlife Center Volunteer Manager
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