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Haley Gee(center with photo) and her fellow bird club members from the Berkeley Montessori School helped raise more than $400 to help IBRRC and bird care. (Photo: Russ Curtis/IBRRC) |
Motivated by seeing an oiled bird from the Cosco Busan spill disaster, animal lover Haley Gee, a 9 year old from Berkeley, CA got a bucket and started asking everyone she met for donations. She decided to help International Bird Rescue Research Center’s year round efforts treating injured and orphaned aquatic birds and waterfowl. Within a week she and her fellow bird club members at the Berkeley Montessori School raised about $400.
In honor of her efforts, a special fund has been created, Hayley’s Bird Rescue Fund. All monies donated into this fund will be used towards treating the thousands of birds IBRRC treats every year at its two California bird centers. IBRRC relies on donations to help pay for fish & medicine which alone totals $100,000 a year.
In Haley Gee's own words:
"I saw a picture in the newspaper a few days after the spill. The picture was of a bird that was covered in oil. I felt really sorry for the birds and all the birds in the oil spill because they didn’t do anything wrong and a lot of them have died. Oil makes the feathers lose the power to keep air next to their body so they get cold. Finding this out made me want to help them, so I made a poster and the next day I took my mom’s bucket (which she loaned me) and I went around my neighborhood asking for money and towels for the birds. That day, we went to the Berkeley Marina and I gave them the money and towels we’d gotten for the birds. It felt good to be helping. Next, I brought by bucket to school and asked for money and towels for the birds. I have raised more than $400 so far.
To anyone who’s listening: 'It’s not about me, it’s about the wildlife!'
Everyone can do something to help. Even if you don’t have any money, you can help. You can ask for money and materials in your neighborhood and say it’s for the birds. This isn’t about you being shy. It’s about the birds that could be dying while I speak.
Everyone can do something. You just have to believe. Look at me – this idea started out as just a little idea in the mist, something I could do when I was bored. It’s turned out to be much more than that.
Remember, this is what my aunt told me, “it’s not about the person who’s doing it, it’s about the wildlife affected by it.” “It” could be anything, not just an oil spill. You might think, “I didn’t do anything. Why should I care?” If you think that, you’re doing something wrong. You’re not caring about things that could affect you a lot.
These birds live in the ocean which we humans have contaminated. They need our help. Everything in the ocean could be affected by this. Those dolphins who play on the waves to those krill which the whales eat. Even if the orca has never ever been in contact with the oil spill, the fish which it’s eaten could have.
Mother nature is sick. We need to help her. So do something!"
Thanks to Haley, outside donations now total more than $13,400.
List of donations:
Aliph, $10,000
Joseph and Ida Foundation, $3,000
Please help us by donating online today:
or send a check payable to:
IBRRC-Haley's Bird Rescue Fund
4369 Cordelia Road
Fairfield, CA 94534
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