[mou] Money for Minnesota owls

[Jim Williams]

The fund drive to raise money to help cover extraordinary costs 
incurred by The Raptor Center this winter as it treats injured owls 
(primarily Great Gray Owls) is going very well. In fact, the Katherine 
B. Anderson Foundation, the donor providing the original matching grant 
of $20,000, has been so impressed with the results of this campaign 
that the grant amount has been doubled. This, then, also doubles the 
opportunity we birders have to help the birds we have enjoyed so very 
much this winter. Every dollar you contribute becomes two dollars when 
it reached The Raptor Center.

A preliminary and quick look at contributions received as of early this 
week showed 160 gifts, most from Minnesota birders, and including 10 
gifts from Wisconsin birders and one each from birders in South Dakota, 
Colorado, Kansas, Ohio, Florida, Missouri, Arizona, Arkansas, and 
Maryland.

The Raptor Center, located on the St. Paul campus of the University of 
Minnesota, had, as of Monday, received 100 injured Great Gray Owls. Of 
those, approximately 60 died after arriving at the center or were so 
badly injured that they were euthanized. The remaining birds are in 
various stages of recovery, being prepped for release back into the 
wild; a few owls already have been released. Two Boreal Owls are being 
treated; no Northern Hawk-Owls were there.

The opportunity for you to contribute continues. If you saw Great Gray 
Owls this winter, if this species went onto one of your lists or became 
part of your birding memories, please help. The Raptor Center raises 
over half of its total operating budget through gifts like these. Its 
patient intake this winter is running at about 10 times normal, so 
gifts at this time are very important.

Your contribution can be sent to
Rob Nordin
Development Director
College of Veterinary Medicine
1365 Gortner Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108

You also can donate online at  donate online at www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu

Contributions are tax deductable.

Jim Williams
Wayzata, Minnesota

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