Wildlife Baby Shower to support local rescue organizations

LEEDS—All are invited to a baby shower but not for a human bundle of joy. This one helps baby wildlife that are sick, injured or orphaned.

The Wildlife Baby Shower takes place the weekend of April 25-26 during Meadowbrook Farm Catskills’ Spring Fling and supports Catskill Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation and Friends of the Feathered & Furry Wildlife Center.

Spring is the busiest time of the year for wildlife rescues and organizers hope the event will bring the community together for a cause that is deeply local and quietly heroic.

With the number of rescues increasing and supplies constantly being used up, the fundraiser is not just helpful—it’s necessary, says Tonya Frickey of Round Top, who founded Catskill Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation three years ago and serves as the nonprofit’s president.

Frickey’s goal was to create a reliable funding structure for local wildlife rescuers and rehabilitators. Today, the organization has become an umbrella for eight sub-organizations working together, each assisting different parts of Greene County and caring for various types of animals.

Their work includes providing supplies that mean the difference between life and death for animals in crisis—including medicine, incubators, blankets, syringes, formula and heating pads which are often essential when animals are recovering and must be kept warm.

A single rehabilitator could be responsible for the care of 200 to 300 animals over time—a number that surprises many residents who don’t realize the scale of wildlife emergencies happening quietly behind the scenes, Frickey said.

The animals rescued through the network range from the common to the unexpected. They have taken in everything from opossums, rabbits, weasels, squirrels, foxes and bobcat kits, as well as the Catskills’ prickliest celebrities: porcupines.

Frickey herself has developed a reputation in the community for her skill with squirrels, earning her the nickname, “the squirrel whisperer.” Many of the animals that pass through her care are named after where they were found, like “Vozzie,” a squirrel rescued near Vosenkill Road.

Frickey emphasized that the organization’s work depends heavily on the public.

“The Greene County community has been extremely generous to us over the years and furthered our cause,” she said.

The Wildlife Baby Shower will be held indoors at a barn on the Meadowbrook Farm property, located at 513 Route 67 in Leeds.

The fundraiser will feature a silent auction packed with gift baskets and gift certificates donated by local businesses, along with a growing Amazon registry that functions much like a traditional baby shower list allowing community members to contribute whatever they can, whether it’s a small item or a larger donation.

Proceeds from the silent auction and fundraiser will be split between the organizations, helping sustain the entire network of rescuers and rehabilitators operating throughout the Catskills, Frickey said.

Guests will be able to watch local videos of wildlife rescues, including updates showing how animals are doing after being brought into care.

Dave Loverde, from Friends of the Feathered & Furry Wildlife Center, will be on hand with an ambassador barred owl, giving attendees a chance to meet and learn about the work involved in wildlife rehabilitation.

Located in Hunter, Friends of the Feathered & Furry Wildlife Center receives about 20 calls a day and responds to as many of possible, taking in everything from eagles and owls to turtles and bears.

The Wildlife Baby Shower is part of Meadowbrook Farm Catskills’ Spring Fling that includes food, beer, wine, live music, and a variety of vendors from throughout the region, along with children’s activities separate from the fundraiser. The highlight is more than 20,000 tulip blooms in a dazzling variety of colors, perfect for capturing photos with family and friends. Admission is free; parking is $20 per vehicle.

For more information about Catskill Mountain Wildlife Rehabilitation, visit https://catskillmtnwr.com. A link to the Amazon registry can be found here.