PRESS RELEASE October 1, 2013 For Immediate Release Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges Refuges Closed by Government Shutdown Due to our elected representatives' inability to produce a budget, the US government was forced into a partial shutdown at 12:01 AM today. All refuges are now closed until further notice, and most FWS staff have been furloughed. As of today, we have not canceled any Refuge Week activities, but some are at risk if the shutdown continues.  Watch our website and the FWS site for further information.  Let's hope reason prevails and operations resume quickly. www.coastalrefuges,org www.fws.gov/savannah * Thanks again to all Friends members and supporters and to the FWS staff and volunteers who make our activities possible. Rick Shields, President Friends of the Savannah Coastal Wildlife Refuges