Gulf Winds Commits $50,000 For Wildlife Sanctuary Oil Fund

June 5, 2010

Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union has committed $50,000 in a matching donation fund to assist the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida.

According to Chris Rutledge, Gulf Winds president and CEO, “We wanted to create an opportunity for the community to double the amount they give to the Wildlife Sanctuary. When they give through our website, we will match the gift dollar-for-dollar, up to a total of$50,000.”

“In short,” Rutledge said, “we want to turn our $50,000 into a $100,000 donation with help from the Gulf Coast residents.” Rutledge said that the Wildlife Sanctuary will be doing rehabilitation during and after the oil spill cleanup, and Gulf Winds wants to help them with the funds they need for the work ahead.

Rutledge and several Gulf Winds staff members took a tour of the Wildlife Sanctuary recently.

“We were very impressed with the facility and the work they are doing,” he said. “The Wildlife Sanctuary has been a part of this community for over 28 years and will be here long after the BP cleanup operation has left the area.”

Rutledge said that Gulf Winds has a strong history of supporting our community and they cannot sit idly by and wait for others to solve this crisis. “We know that the Wildlife Sanctuary will be assisting and doing all they can do to protect, restore and rehabilitate wildlife that will be affected by this disaster. Our wildlife cannot wait while lawsuits are settled. They will need our help now and long term.”

Although reports indicate that British Petroleum (BP) has committed to covering the costs associated with the oil spill incident, including the wildlife cleanup, the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida is preparing for a potentially overwhelming amount of work. Dorothy Kaufmann, Wildlife Sanctuary Director, said her staff and volunteers are working closely with many collaborating organizations in these recovery efforts.

Kaufmann said that the Wildlife Sanctuary is already involved and has received injured birds from Tri-State Rescue and Research (the organization contracted by BP to rehabilitate wildlife in this incident). “The birds and other animals can’t be released to the wild immediately,” said Kaufmann. “The oil is still out there. We will be ready to nurse the animals back to health and if needed, hold them until it is safe to release them.”

The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida is a non-profit organization that has been serving Northwest Florida since 1982. They do not charge for their services, so they rely on contributions to stay open. The money is used to build facilities, grounds upkeep, medical supplies and lots of food. During a normal year, they take in 3,000-4,000 injured or sick animals, and they expect to see a big increase this year.

If you would like to support the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida, you can make a donation at www.GoGulfWinds.com. By using the Gulf Winds website, your donation will be doubled and 100 percent of the donation will go directly to the local Sanctuary.

Comments

One Response to “Gulf Winds Commits $50,000 For Wildlife Sanctuary Oil Fund”

  1. Linda Hartmann Herrington on June 7th, 2010 9:01 am

    As a volunteer and board member of the Wildlife Sanctuary I wish to express my utmost gratitude to the Gulf Winds FCU. For many years, the Wildlife Sanctuary has worked to rehabilitate and restore our native wildlife back to the community and habitats. Too often, their work goes unnoticed by many and in the past, they have not gotten the recognition and support they need. The dedicated staff is there seven days a week, 365 days a year. There are no holidays when it comes to feeding and caring.
    Although there are many uncertainties still to be faced, the generosity of Gulf Winds will allow us to be successful in our efforts. I thank you for this blessing.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News