LATEST NEWS - "WERC@Work"

We’re heart-broken to announce that Willow, the little saw-whet owl who joined the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center’s educational animal ambassador team in November last year, passed away on April 9. It was sudden and took all at WERC by surprise as there had been nothing unusual about her behavior or appearance up to the very last day. A necropsy indicated stroke. During her too-brief time with us, she was immensely popular with staff, volunteers, school children, and adults, who were entranced by her sweet chirping. We will miss her dearly.

Many thanks to the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill for awarding W.E.R.C. a $500 grant for much-needed repairs to our Center's raptor enclosures. Work has begun on replacing a wall, doors, and perches in the large enclosure so that Golden Eagle ("Mercury") can be transferred soon for flight time and exercise. The repair and upgrade of other enclosures is also being planned for this spring.
For 57 years, the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill has been providing service, philanthropy, and fellowship that improves the local and world community and has been integral in establishing and maintaining the vivid community spirit of Morgan Hill.The Rotary Club of Morgan Hill has been a strong supporter of W.E.R.C. and we are very grateful for their continuing generosity

Ric Smith (Third from right) was the proud recipient of the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center's 2013 Philanthropy Day Volunteer of the Year. Ric Smith would see our wildlife display at the Taste of Morgan Hill and decided he wanted to become a volunteer when he retired. So in October 2006 he did. He started learning wildlife rehabilitation and learned to work with our educational animals, helping with our public education and fundraising events.
Then, because he also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together, he started fixing our enclosures and building new ones how can you keep an injured eagle confined so he can be treated and be safe for both volunteers and bird? Then, because he had worked in the tech industry, he started working on our website and became our web master. Then, because he is, as Sue Howell calls him, our Ric of all trades, he has done pretty much anything and everything needed around the center including hauling trash to the dump. Recently he joined the board of directors and continues to provide time and talent to that position. He is an incredible asset to our organization.