With a new fundraising team in place and now children throughout the region lending a unique but heartfelt hand, prospects are brighter this spring for the Medicine River Wildlife Centre to secure funds to finish construction of its long-awaited new hospital.
Last month, former Red Deer mayor Morris Flewwelling and current city councillor Lynne Mulder joined the team at the wildlife centre to spearhead fundraising efforts to find another $400,000 to complete the upgrades for the new hospital and to qualify for a $125,000 provincial grant. The old building, which was built in 1991 and includes the centre's hospital, is no longer usable.
The agency has so far raised more than $300,000. That money has already been used to move power and gas lines, install a septic system and to begin and finish construction of a concrete foundation. Centre officials have set a goal to resume construction at the site in April.
“I went to both of them and requested their help as champions for our project. They both have been past supporters, especially Morris who has been a member and supporter since the beginning years in the late 1980s,” said Carol Kelly, executive director of the centre, located near the hamlet of Raven, a 30-minute drive west of Innisfail.
“The project along with running the centre has become bigger than me and I was looking for caring, knowledgeable, experienced people to help guide the project to success.
“When they get involved in a project it's something they take very seriously. They just don't get involved and get around to it. They have lots of experience in this area,” she added. “They have several things pending. I have every reason to believe we will have our new wildlife hospital by the end of summer.”
In the meantime, there is also an “encouraging” grassroots movement in full swing to help out with the fundraising. Children across the region have stepped up for the centre, from as far west in Rocky Mountain House to the City of Red Deer.
“We are getting more and more calls from people who say, ‘My daughter just had a birthday and said she didn't need anything more so she asked all her friends to give us money to give to the wildlife centre',” said Kelly.
“We have a bunch of kids from Rocky Mountain House who get a bunch of crafts, set up a table in front of their house and sell the crafts to raise money to help us. That's really taking an initiative. It is a nice thing to see from young kids.”
The centre received additional good news last month when it received a $111,000 donation from Border Paving -- monies that will go towards paying off all the 452 acres of land, valued at about $835,000, the centre has acquired since 1989.
“We still have about $600,000 left. We are getting there,” she said.
A portion of the property is where the centre is located, while the rest is wetlands, boreal forest and meadows, which the organization wants to protect from future development.
For more information on the wildlife centre and its plans for a new hospital, visit its website at www.medicineriverwildlifecentre.ca.
Carol Kelly, executive director
"We are getting more and more calls from people who say, 'My daughter just had a birthday and said she didn't need anything more so she asked all her friends to give us money to give to the wildlife centre'."
