April 11, 2008
by Deb Heineman
On April 18 and 19, several northern Westchester groups that share a common concern with preserving endangered species and ecosystem education will band together to support The Wolf Conservation Center.
Borders Books and Music in Mt. Kisco is setting aside April 18 and 19 as “Benefit Days” for The Wolf Conservation Center in neighboring South Salem, NY. During that two day period, 10% of all sales will go directly to The Wolf Conservation Center if the customer uses a special coupon, and the store is hosting several exciting events, including:
• Friday evening, 6:30 - “Wine & Wolves” reception in the Borders Cafe with a gallery display of Wolf photographs.
• Lecture on “The Wolves and other Animals of Yellowstone” immediately following the reception - Video and slide presentation by a WCC teacher who has just returned from a wolf-tracking expedition in the national park.
• Saturday, 11:00 appearance by Atka, one of the WCC’s ambassador wolves - With talk by the WCC’s Education Director.
• Saturday, 1:00 Book-signing by adored children’s author Jean Craighead George and award-winning illustrator, Wendell Minor - whose just released book, The Wolves are Back celebrates the successful reintroduction of the wolf in Yellowstone National Park.
Founded in 1999 the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) in South Salem, New York, promotes wolf conservation by teaching about wolves, their relationship to the environment and humans’ role in protecting their future. The WCC accomplishes this mission through onsite and offsite education programs. These programs emphasize wolf biology, the ecological benefits of wolves and other large predators, and the current status of wolf recovery in the United States. The WCC also participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) and Recovery Plan for the critically endangered Mexican gray wolf and the red wolf.
The WCC is one of the only non-Zoo facilities to be part of SSP. We are very proud of that – but our education program is our passion. Our four ambassador wolves, Kaila, Lukas, Apache, and Atka have given thousands of children and adults across the county and the Northeast a first-hand experience of what a wolf is all about and how crucial they are to the natural ecosystem.
If you would like more information or would like to help, visit the website at www.nywolf.org or call 914-763-2373.
Deb Heineman lives in New Castle and is executive director of the Wolf Conservation Center.
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