Hello Everyone!

Our president, Leanna Rein, has asked that I write this month’s President Perch as she is swamped, so I thought I’d start right off by thanking all of our current members for their support and hope that we continue to grow our membership as the months go on. Why is your membership important? Why are our fundraisers important? Just read our mission statement – it’s quite the challenge! Your membership dues help the Alaska Bird Club accomplish many things to improve the lives of parrots… sometimes one bird at a time. With no 501c sanctioned sanctuary in Alaska that is staffed with a board of directors or proper veterinary care, we constantly find people out there who, out of the goodness of their hearts or who might even have a hoarding disease, try to take in every unwanted parrot they come across and then find themselves in trouble. That is often when we get called. Sometimes we’re contacted by the people themselves who just can’t feed them any more or their parrots are deteriorating at alarming rates. Or worse yet, we get called due to a major confiscation from state animal welfare organization shelters that they need our help. We bring them food, cages and advise them as to how parrots should be caged and help them bathe them and set up food dishes and water dishes. It’s a very tough job to do, and sometimes heartbreaking. We work hard to educate people on the proper care for parrots and how much work they are to own one and to be careful to not take in more than you can handle. That’s what we do.

And ALL of our members have reached out at some point and has helped in some way. Even with the simple annual membership dues they have paid, they have helped. So I wanted to take the time to thank all the current members and encourage others to join us or support our fundraisers. If you are a past member and have not renewed, please come back. We need you! Even if your aunt or uncle has never owned a parrot, they too can become members, to support a passion of yours. It’s a beautiful thing to see our club band together and teach each other toy making skills or feeding tips that enrich the lives of their parrots.

It’s also the hard work of the committees that makes a difference in the more difficult things about owning a parrot: for example, when you’ve lost your parrot in the trees (the Lost/Found-Rescue Committee), or when you can no longer care for the parrot that you have had for 25 years due to failing health or the death of a loved one (the Adopt-A-Bird Committee) or our wonderful website, thanks to member Garry Wallan. Without your support, we couldn’t do it. So from the bottom of my heart, I thank you, my birds thank you and to the next member who joins the Alaska Bird Club, thank you and welcome aboard! There’s always room for one more on the perch.

Lin Westgard, Vice-President
The Alaska Bird Club

The Alaska Bird Club • P.O. Box 101825 • Anchorage AK 99510
akbirdclub@yahoo.com