Critter Chatter – “Many hands make light work” – Reminiscing, Part VI

During our recent series of “Taking a Trip Down Memory Lane,” I’ve shared a few stories that Carleen Cote wrote about local school children initiating various fundraising projects for Duck Pond Wildlife Care Center. However, not only young members of our community have supported this facility over the years. In September 2003, Paul Basham wrote about 35 adult volunteers who gathered at Duck Pond:

“All during the workday, volunteers hammered, sawed, cleaned and repaired old cages and built new cages. The workers stopped in mid-day to enjoy a generous lunch catered by Rhonda Boynton, Mrs. Staples, and Blanche Bourdeau.

I asked Carleen how this workday got started and she said, ‘Ever since the news spread about the ruling of the USDA, prohibiting our Wildlife Care Center from conducting tours, our phone has been ringing off the hook with callers offering to help us.’ She paused for a moment, and then continued, ‘I was overwhelmed by all the people – near and far – giving us their support, and I took down their names and phone numbers. Then I came up with the idea of calling these folks back and scheduling a workday. And this is what happened,’ Carleen said, swinging wide her arms as if to display all the improvements.

I talked with Fred Turner and Michael Brown who were still repairing an old cage during the lunch break. Turner operates the Critta Gitta in Augusta, where he helps control animal damage, and Brown manages Second Chance Wildlife, an animal rehabilitation facility in New Sharon. Both men said they often work with the Cotes regarding wildlife issues.

Don Cote said he did not know how to act with so many people scattered across the Center ‘doing his work.’ But he could not disguise his delight.

Carleen remarked with emphasis, ‘Some of these volunteers, after working all day, handed me a check before they left!’ She added that many workers said, ‘Let’s make this an annual event!’ It looks like a new tradition has been established at Vassalboro’s Wildlife Care Center – and Don and Carleen Cote could not be happier. At the end of the day, Carleen said, with her eyes dancing, ‘It would have taken three years for my husband and me to do what was achieved today!’

I don’t know if Volunteer Workdays became an annual tradition, but photos from 2016 show a crew building a new duck house and an article entitled, ‘Old-Fashioned Barn Raising’ tells of a storage building project to house bulk animal food. In addition to friends and carpenters, volunteers included IF&W Warden Scott Thrasher of Madison and State Police Sgt. Aaron Hayden of South China. Every person involved donated their days off, as well as some of the materials. Carleen’s column ended with, ‘Whether in the baking sun or the pouring rain, the construction crew carried out the Maine tradition of neighbor helping neighbor. Our thank-you’s do not adequately express our appreciation for all the hard work from folks who had nothing to gain except the good feeling of having helped a neighbor in need and helped support the care of Maine’s wildlife.’

So, we have more examples of how simple, but thoughtful and generous acts can make a big difference not only to human neighbors, but wildlife neighbors as well. Remember that while donations to causes close to your heart can be financial, there are other ways to contribute.

Duck Pond is not accepting admissions or phone messages at this time, but we have worked closely with Wilderness Miracles Rehab in Bowdoin (Kathi at 207-720-0074), Misfits Rehab in Auburn (Jen at 207-212-1039), Bridget Green in Wiscasset (207-631-0874), Critterville Wildlife in Brooklin (845-549-2407), and Saco River Wildlife (207-702-1405). Turtle rehabber Pam Meier can be reached at The Turtle’s Back (203-903-2708). Otherwise, please check these websites for a rehabber close to you: mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/index.html or contact your local Animal Control Officer through your town office.

—by Jayne Winters, Natural Resources Council of Maine member from South China, Maine

Critter Chatter also appears monthly in the Town Line newspaper