The Moose Mountain R & R Wildlife Rehabilitation hosted their first annual Moose Mountain Gone Wild fundraising evening on Saturday, Oct. 24, which raised $28,000.
Gathered together at the Red Barn north of Kenosee Lake where approximately 200 people who enjoyed an evening of fun and entertainment, while supporting local efforts.
“It's mind boggling what the community has done,” Cheryl Winkler, wildlife rehabilitator, exclaimed. The outpouring of support in dinner tickets sold and donated items for the auction, which totalled around 60 silent auction items and 12 live auction items.
“Thank you all for coming out, I couldn't do this by myself. There is an amazing group of people standing behind me, helping to make this all happen.”
As Winkler thanked those in attendance for coming she explained, “I can multitask 40 animals at a time on bottles, but I'm a deer in the headlights up here in front of you all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you for the support.”
Winkler has been rehabilitating animals for the past 10 years. Moose Mountain Rehabilitation serves the entire southeast corner of the province. The non-profit organization is fully funded through donations and Winkler's artwork that she sells.
Currently Winkler has 34 intakes including three moose, an elk, five hawks, an eagle, raccoons, and more.
She added that her strangest intake was a mouse, saying, “If a person has the compassion to bring the animal to me, I will do my best to get it to where it needs to be.”
The evening began at 5 p.m. with cocktails followed by Supper, which included Ben Dubois' famous roast beef. Sherry Moffat and Elaine Roth also put together a phenomenal dessert spread.
Trevor Gowan acted as the evening's MC, while Scott Bryce took on the role of auctioneer.
This was followed by entertainment including Chris Byrne, Two Sharps and a Flat, as well as music by Jimmy G and the Cable Guys.
The great support from the community was bolstered by a donation from Enbridge for $5,000 presented to Winkler for the wildlife rehab.
The efforts of the event will be used to help facilitate the rehabilitation of the animals in Winkler’s care and future intakes.
“It's 365 days a year,” Winkler has told The Observer. “Our ultimate aim is to release healthy animals and birds back into the wild once they are able to survive in the wild again. That's why we limit human interaction. It's for the animals' protection. I'm the person who does all of the feeding, for that reason.”
“We give tax receipts for any donation over $20, and we also accept in-kind donations of all types: food, household items such as garbage bags, paper towels, laundry soap and bleach, lumber, newpapers....There's a whole wishlist on our website, www.moosemountainrnr.org.”
Additionally Winkler adds, “We also accept regular meat, game meat and produce. Sometimes people are just cleaning out their fridge or freezer and just drop stuff off that they don't want anymore; but it's still good for us to use.”
While thanking people for their efforts, she included the Carlyle Co-op who has been an amazing support through giving their expired produce, which can still be used by the wildlife rehabilitator.
Overall the evening was a great success, which was enjoyed by all. It was one which Winkler had been worried about, unsure of what the turnout and reception would be like, but one that she was elated with in the end.
