Lauren Meads, Manager of SORCO and Houdini, at the Kiwanis Club of Oliver meeting Jan. 13.
The regular meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Oliver, held Jan. 13 at the Oliver Community Centre, was a busy one, with a wide range of guests in attendance, including the SOSS field hockey team and Kyle Fossett from Oliver Search and Rescue, both of which received donations from the Kiwanis.
The guest speaker was Lauren Meads, and the highlight was Houdini.
Meads is the Manager of the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls (SORCO).
SORCO’s Mission Statement reads: “We are dedicated to rehabilitating injured birds of prey for release back to the wild, and to educating the public to the important role raptors play in maintaining a healthy ecosystem.”
Through the hard work of many volunteers, and financial support from businesses such as the Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, SORCO has rescued, rehabilitated and released hundreds of raptors back into the wild.
SORCO relies entirely on personal donations and dedicated volunteers. Donations are always needed to cover treatment, medical supplies, food and equipment.
The highlight of the presentation?
Well, of course, when Meads brought out Houdini, so named because when the great horned owl was brought to SORCO, Houdini continually escaped from the many bandages which had been wrapped around broken bones.
Many questions were asked and answered by Meads, and a much better understanding of owls and their rehabilitation was developed through the presentation.
For more information, call 250-498-4251, or check out: www.sorco.org.
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- Lauren Meads with Houdini
