IN THIS

ISSUE:

Director’s

Editorial 2

Year of the

Swan 3

Thanks to

Sponsors 5

Volunteer

Profile 6

Our New

Dream

Clinic

7

On the Wild Side S P R I N G 2 0 1 4 W W W . S A N D Y P I N E S W I L D L I F E . O R G

SANDY

PINES

WILDLIFE

CENTRE

Dear Friends,

This has definitely been the “winter of our discontent” as I write this on the first day of spring

and it is snowing! Enough already!

This winter has taken its toll on humans and the wildlife alike. Our poor old shed is groaning

and the infrastructure is crumbling with the amount of wildlife coming in. The water has given

up twice, and we keep blowing fuses with all the heat lamps on. Our numbers are up 50 per

cent over this time last year, and because of the ongoing bad weather we cannot release most

of our patients until it improves. We are all working overtime trying to keep up, and we are

loathe to say NO to any admissions, as there is nowhere else for them to go.

However—there is some great news for you! The end is in sight, and this time next year we will

be in a brand new hospital in our front field. There is much work ahead to raise funds for the

external necessities such as a well, septic system, and a parking lot and driveway. Then we will

furnish the building with shelves, sinks and taps. As well, there will be an operating room, an

anaesthetic machine, and an X-ray unit.

We are so fortunate to have such great volunteers who have been a tremendous help this win-

ter. Our fundraisers are working hard to reach our goal of $100,000 for the building to be

ready for use. For more details on our new clinic, please see page 7.

We are also all very lucky to have this wildlife Centre in eastern Ontario. Please consider mak-

ing a donation to furnish the hospital. You will be improving the daily lives of dozens of local

wild animals.

Also plan to attend some of our FUNdraisers. We cannot make this happen without your sup-

port.

Warm regards,

Sue Meech

Sue Meech, Founder & President Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre

Director’s Editorial P A G E 2

O N T H E W I L D S I D E

Wishlist for Baby Shower PENS ◦ MASKING TAPE ◦ DUCT TAPE ◦ BUNGEE CORDS ◦ TOILET PAPER ◦ PAPER

TOWELS ◦ BLEACH ◦ DISPOSABLE GLOVES ◦ BABY FOOD ◦ DISH SOAP ◦ LAUNDRY

SOAP ◦ DEEP WOODS MOSQUITO REPELLENT ◦ COMPUTER PAPER ◦

WHOLE ALMONDS NATURAL ◦ WALNUT PIECES ◦ DRIED CRANBERRIES

P A G E 3 W W W . S A N D Y P I N E S W I L D L I F E . O R G

The Year of the Swan This winter was unprecedented with

the cold weather causing 90 per

cent of the Great Lakes to freeze

over .

Migratory and overwintering water-

fowl were left with no opportunity

to find food, so they congregated

where there was open water and

tried to survive. We first became

aware of the problem in January

when I received a call from a bird

watcher in Barcoven beach, an area

in Prince Edward County, who was

distressed to see so many dead swans on the ice and beach. I asked volunteers to check the situa-

tion out and they reported back that there were many starving and weak birds there. They started

organizing a feeding schedule and the results were amazing.

Within days the birds were obviously stronger. Unfortunately the diving ducks did not do so well as

they only wanted live fish, which we couldn’t provide. Many swans and ducks were found in strange

places like parking lots and industrial sites, and then brought in to us. Our small building was and

still is full. The barn now has four stalls converted into swan pens to house 24 mute swans, and eve-

ry tub has a duck in it. Fortunately we have been able to get some of our patients to accept smelts

and silversides from the grocery store. We could have kept fresh minnows but had nowhere to keep

them alive; every inch of space was taken up with the birds.

Our volunteers have been a great help as the workload increased. We ran out of pools for the swans

and an appeal went out on Facebook. People came from all over to donate paddling pools that they

had dug out of the snowdrifts in their yards. We ran out of fish at our local supermarkets and an

appeal was sent out again. Volunteers responded by combing the stores for frozen fish and were

successful in meeting the demands of Mergansers.

Our volunteers publicized the plight of the birds and many bags of corn were donated to us and to

the feeding stations in Barcoven, Bath, and anywhere there was a need. Volunteers are continuing

the emergency feeding until the birds can disperse into open water. A thank you to all those that

responded to the emergency and helped out in so many ways. It certainly was a great team effort!

"Saving one animal won't change the world, but it will change the world for that one animal."

About Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre

P A G E 4

The Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre has been in operation

since 1994. Our goal is to help all injured and orphaned

wildlife and to release them back into their natural habi-

tats. We also give advice and assistance to property own-

ers who are having problems with their wild animal

neighbours, and can offer humane alternatives to solve

these conflicts. We work closely with veterinarians and

Humane Societies across Ontario.

We are licensed provincially by the Ministry of Natural

Resources and federally by the Canadian Wildlife Services to provide care and shelter for

birds, mammals, and reptiles. To ensure the well-being of our patients, we are unable to offer

tours of the Centre.

W W W . S A N D Y P I N E S W I L D L I F E . O R G

The Wildlife Baby Shower is our largest annual fundraiser filled with live music, live and

silent auctions, raffles, animal feeds, a barbeque and so much more. Last year the event

drew a crowd of several hundred attendees and raised over $21,000! This year we are

adding an additional element with a “Chili-tastic” night of food and fun at JAKK Tues-

day's Sports Bar on Saturday, April 5th from 6:00 pm to close.

The second part of the Baby Shower is the 9th annual event that takes place at Sandy

Pines on Sunday, May 4th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Once again we will be joined by the Kingston Police and the K-9 Unit to perform the very

informative demo that keeps us all coming back. We will also have children's crafts,

games, and many new additions. The funds raised at all of our events go toward daily care

of wild animals, life- saving surgeries, veterinary care, medications and community educa-

tion.

With the help our many volunteers, generous donors, and SPWC supporters we have the

ability to aim higher and higher every year. We hope that you and your family have a

chance to join us at one or both of these fun-filled days to continue the very important

work that we do. We look forward to seeing you… your generosity is most appreciated!

Please visit our website to download a pledge form,

or donate an item from the wish list.

2014 Wildlife Baby Shower—Join Us!

P A G E 5

We are

committed

to helping

wildlife 365

days of the

year.

O N T H E W I L D S I D E

Thanks To Our Sponsors... Our fundraising events are successful in part due to the helpful contributions of

organizations that lend their financial support.

A big thank you to all of our generous sponsors below!

Country Road Primitives - Elgin Bow Wow Butchers - Perth Rd. Loyalist Township Employees

Wendy May's Antiques - Kingston

Randall at Charm Jewellers - Kingston

Pocket Watch Purveyor - Ottawa

Ken Karchmar - Kingston

Deb Stagg Photography - Kingston

Urban Paws - Kingston

Blue Heron Photography - Kingston

Martin & Co. Photography - Kingston

Wendy at Frontenac Mall - Kingston

Doug Allan

Jennifer Allan

John & Catie Allan

Lawrence Arkilander

Diane Arthur

Pam Barnard & Jim Sova

BJ Beaton

Donna Beaton

Chris & Alan Bickerton

Robert Bond

Alan Clark & Beverley Jennings

Donald & Sylvia Claydon

Ken Collins & llka Hrynchyshyn

J Lynn Cooley

Cheryl Douglas

Katrina Eastwood

Margo Elie-Garbutt

Helen & Gerald Finley

John & Janet foster

Irene Frey

Janet Gibbs

Erica Hayes

Sue & Greg Leggatt

Ian Letts & Shelley Durnin

William Hogg

Marlene Jeffs

Dorothy Jowett

Raymond Kaufman

Bubby Kettlewell

Mike Kramer

Gloria Mannix

Robert Mayoff

Wesley & Glenda Meyer

Juliet Milsome & Robert Gordon

Shirley Morin

Vivian Musselwhite

Brigitte & William McConnell

David & Sheila McCracken

Reta & Robert McKean

Eleanor & Gary Oke

Our

“Gol

den

Win

gs”

Spec

ial D

onor

s Shirley Oke

Murray & Penny Robertson

Laurel Robinson & Dave Cymbaluk

Michelle Roos

Karen & Mike Schneider

Britton Smith

Patti & Tim Smith

Larry Ste. Croix

Mary Steele- Thomas

Bob & Laurel Taylor

Walter Tedman

Denise Tessier

George Thomson & Elizabeth Churcher

Liz & Tom Touzel

Ron & Anne Trace

Nancy Turkington

Greg Twemlow

Gerald Vise

David & Elisabeth Willis

Gloria & Graham Woods

Our staff and patients wish to thank all of our donors and volunteers for their support.

Unfortunately space does not allow us to honor you all personally but you are so ap-

preciated. Listed below are a special group of friends of SPWC.

P A G E 6

O N T H E W I L D S I D E

I would like to introduce you to Brigitte Bruer. Brigitte has been volunteering

with us for about ten years now, and has been a consistent and enthusiastic team

member and friend. She has also rescued animals, birds and turtles when asked.

Here she is ready to release a turtle she rescued one summer. She is fun to work

with and her energy levels keep us amazed, she can work circles around most of

us. Thank you Brigitte you brighten our day.

Thank you Brigitte, we all think you are a very special person in our lives.

We are always

looking for volun-

teers, who are es-

pecially needed

during the spring

and summer,

when many new

animals are being

admitted to the

Centre.

Volunteer Profile

The 9th Annual "Previously Loved" Art & Jewellery Sale once again

proved to be one of our major fundraisers, raising $12,278 this year! We are al-

ways so grateful for donated estate jewellery which helps to make this event so

successful. The Sutton Group will be holding a Golf Tournament on May 25th

with the proceeds going to SPWC.

W W W . S A N D Y P I N E S W I L D L I F E . O R G P A G E 7

A Dream Come True—Anticipated New Clinic Here is an idea of how our new clinic will look, thanks to two special people who are building

this for the wildlife that we all care for. Building will start in May 2014 and move-in is ex-

pected for this fall—we can’t wait! This winter has been very hard on our existing clinic’s in-

frastructure. We are rising to the challenge to raise $100,000 for other needed items.

In the anticipated clinic there will be separate rooms for birds of prey, waterfowl, and mam-

mals. Our animal patients will have more privacy and better facilities in which to recover.

We can’t wait to move in. It is truly a dream come true.

CAMDEN BRAES GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB

May 25, 2014 at 10:00 AM

Event Organizers: Rhonda Grant & Brandon Grant, Sales Representatives, Your Grant Team

Sutton Group Masters – Realty Inc., Brokerage 1650 Bath Road, Kingston, Ontario

and Brittanie Grant, AVC Applicant 2014 together with

Vicki Gannon, Mortgage Mobile Specialist and the Royal Bank of Canada

Charity Golf Tournament

If you would like to be removed from our mailing list,

please contact us via Email, phone or

mail.

We protect your privacy and do not sell our donors list.

Please help us help the wildlife of Ontario!

All of our revenue depends on your generous donations. We receive no funding from the government. You may donate by cheque or on our web-site with the “Canada Helps” button.

Receipts will be issued for donations of $20.00 or more. Please make your cheques payable to the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre.

For more information on volunteering, sponsoring, or donating, please visit www.sandypineswildlife.org, complete the form below and mail to 8749 County Rd 2, Napanee, ON K7R3L1, or call us at (613) 354-0264.

Name ______________________________

Address ____________________________

___________________________________

Phone ______________________________

Donation amount $____________________

Check to receive weekly update email

Email _______________________________

8749 County Rd 2, Napanee, ON K7R3L1