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Hello and welcome!
Thanks for dropping in to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, a not-for-profit, AZA-accredited wildlife park and educational facility, with a diverse crew of staff and volunteers. We're glad you're here with us, and we hope to see you in person soon.
As usual, there's a lot going on in this issue. Enjoy the photos and the news. Get to know our amazing cast of characters, and share us with your friends. Please come visit us, right here in West Yellowstone, relax and watch the animals, or participate in one of our interactive programs and displays. Until then we wish you all the best. We hope we can bring a little discovery and excitement your way. See you soon!
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 | | Sow 101 Looks On |
Around The Center
What's Happening at the GWDC
With an extra gift of sunshine extending every afternoon this week, it almost feels like summer has arrived! While that may be a bit of a stretch, we still disagree with research on "springing forward" an hour. A quick online search shows that stumbling forward an hour leads to an increase in heart attacks, workplace injuries, and reduced productivity. We couldn't disagree more. Both the animals and the humans at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center are all making the most of Daylight Saving Time.
We have a new CAO (Chief Administrative Officer), and the best part is that she is our very own Peggy B., our recent CFO!!!! She has hit the ground running and is taking on more administrative duties than you might expect in our homegrown organization. She is handling all the administrative and financial duties and anything else we toss her way. We are delighted to have her back in the mix.
In other Center news, our camera man was in last week to work on the Bear Cam. This sort of behind-the-scenes maintenance keeps us hopping in the off-season. We also have a lot of container testing scheduled for the upcoming weeks. Major testing officially starts April 1st, but on March 19th the Forest Service will be here to test a container from Slovakia. This program and the information it affords is fascinating and invaluable. Not that we're bragging. We would LOVE to have video or photos of testing, so if you're here during these sessions, please don't be shy with your camera! In fact, we need official footage for the testing, so let us know if you can help.
The West Gate to the Park will not be opening until April 26th, but we are hoping to offer visitors to the areas plenty to see and do during Easter and School breaks.
Remember if you have any questions, or just want to know more about any aspect of the Center, you can always give us a call at 406.646.7001, reply to this newsletter, or email
info@grizzlydiscoveryctr.com. We will try to keep you informed and up to date in as many ways as we can. Your involvement and interest in what we do keeps us doing it! Thanks again for tuning in.
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 | | Grant, Roosevelt, Coram, and Spirit Rumble! |
Bears, Wolves, and Birds
(Oh My!)
Animal Updates
Our biggest news is this enormous, snowy pile of bears! For the first time in the history of the Center, five grizzly bears were outside together at once in the habitat! Sow 101 (pictured in the first photo above), Grant, Roosevelt, Coram and Spirit (pictured directly above) were out together last weekend. What an incredible experience for all of us! We are elated that there are now five compatible bears that can be observed simultaneously in the habitat.
March 17th will be the last day we put rib cages out in the wolf habitats. As we move into spring and summer, the wolves will return to their daily enrichment schedule.
Our final seasonal keeper has been hired! Rebecca Konieczny will be starting May 20th. We will be set then with four year-round and two seasonal Animal Keepers along with our invaluable volunteers.
Every issue of our email newsletter will have updates on our animals, and we will still be sending quarterly newsletters through the mail. You should be seeing a new Howls & Growls any day! We know it's not the people who draw you to the GWDC, as magnetic as we are, so we'll keep you posted on the reason we're all here: the bears, wolves, and birds. Remember to check out our webcams when you're staring at your computer. It'll make you feel a little bit closer, and it's way more fun than work!
Read about our bears...
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 | | Winter Photo Festival |
Education
Knowledge Is a Powerful Tool
The Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center and Yellowstone National Park co-sponsored the 5th Annual Winter Photo Festival just last night! It was a smashing success as amateur and professional photographers shared their favorite winter images of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Thanks to Rich Jehle, Yellowstone National Park, and all the participating photographers and guests for an educational and inspiring event. Our newest naturalist Caelan started last week, and Andreina' s last day is March 16th. Change is the only constant - isn't that how the saying goes? Andreina, thank you and come back often! AJ & Trent have completed the CIT training course and are gearing up to train other interpreters and naturalists. The entire team continues to work with Keeper Kids, the West Yellowstone After School program, and so many other in-house and outreach opportunities. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with them! If you're interested in visiting the GWDC with your family or with your students, or if you'd like to sponsor a Teaching Trunk or outreach program, let us know. One of the Center's naturalists can visit your school for special assemblies, programs or activities. As you know, some of our birds-of-prey can travel for such programs as can our large collection of wolf and bear artifacts. We will customize the program or the Teaching Trunk for your group and areas of special interest.
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 | | McKinley |
Developments
New and Exciting Opportunities to Support the GWDC
This week we just want to thank our adopters, members, and friends. Your care for the animals and your support of the Center make our world go around. Whether it's $5 or $5000, we are constantly touched and amazed by the gifts you send our way.
We thought we might share a few findings about philanthropy with you this issue, not to make giving scientific or formulaic, but to tell you about general trends that you may find interesting. It seems that every generation relates differently to nonprofits. Maybe this doesn't come as any surprise to you at all.
Mature donors are more likely to give out of a sense of responsibility and duty. That's what good people do. Giving back is important. Giving to charity is what's right.
Baby boomers are more likely to give because it fits with their personal sense of identity, or who they are. They want to make a difference and believe that they are change makers, and they see themselves as having a role to play with the charities they support.
Generation X-ers are more likely to give if they can see a problem being solved. In other words, they are entrepreneurial about their philanthropy. It's less relational, and more about getting things done.
Generation Y-ers are more likely to give if they feel like they are part of a community of change. They see themselves as connected global citizens who are confident that together they can correct injustices of the past and make the world a better place.
Whatever your reasons, and whatever your role, we are thankful that you are involved with the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. Thanks again for all you do. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Keep reading about other ways to support the GWDC...
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 | Kobuk with Ravens
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Eye Candy
Photographs and Artwork from the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center
We are honored to have many artists and photographers visit and support the GWDC. Their vision and talents inspire and enliven our work here, so we thought it would be nice to feature some of their work in every issue of our newsletter. If you'd like to see your artwork here, send us an image! Paintings, sculptures, and mixed media are welcome too.
Our thanks to Gretchen H., Brandi Nichols, and Richard Trahan for this week's photographs.
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We hope you enjoy this issue, learn a little something, and feel like you are here with us for just a few minutes. It's a pretty special place to be. Have a great couple of weeks, a Happy Saint Patrick's Day if you've got a soft spot for the Irish, and we'll look forward to seeing you soon. Thanks again for all you do.
Sincerely,
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The GWDC Staff
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center |
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