Have no fear, Wolf Hollow is here.
As the superhero of the animal world, the rehabilitation center treats injured creatures big and small, provides public education and conducts non-invasive research.
And one of its major fundraisers is coming up this weekend.
“The 18th Annual Bite of Orcas is a fun way for us to connect with people who live on or visit Orcas,” said Education Coordinator Shona Aitken. “It helps let new residents know we exist and remind others that although our center is on San Juan Island, we serve all of the islands.”
The upcoming event will be held on Saturday, May 25 on the Village Green from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
It offers a mouth-watering menu of foods like pizza, mini burgers, cupcakes, ice cream, sushi rolls, steamed clams and Chicago-style hot dogs plus a variety of refreshing beverages, including beer from Orcas Island’s own Island Hoppin’ Brewery.
The wide sampling of cuisine comes at a price that is hard to beat. Tickets are sold in $1 units and can be used at any of the participating restaurants underneath the big white tent on the Village Green.
More than a dozen local food purveyors are contributing delicacies (and donating 33 percent of their profits) to the fundraiser.
The vendors include: Allium/Lily, Cafe Olga, Deer Harbor Inn, Doe Bay Cafe, Juke Joint Foods, Mia’s, Ship Bay/Maple Rock Farm/Hogstone Pizza, Orcas Village Store, New Leaf Cafe, Rosario and Sugar Baby Specialty Cakes/Jami Plummer.
The event also brings in much-needed money for the non-profit organization. It takes place right at the beginning of the busy summer baby season when Wolf Hollow receives hundreds of animals for care and need funds to pay for the food, medications and other costs essential to keeping the rehab center running.
About Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Wolf Hollow is located on San Juan Island, but has served all of San Juan and Skagit County for the past 30 years. The 40-acre property hosts 40 animal enclosures, including an eagle flight enclosure, seal pools, a deer enclosure, and a songbird aviary.
So far this year, Wolf Hollow has treated 130 animals and Aitken says that number is increasing daily. Some are with the center for only a few days, while others need care for several months. Right now, the facility is home to 30 animals, including ducklings, goslings, raccoon kits, fawns, baby cottontails, young opossums and a fledgling Stellers’ Jay.
The animals are cared for at the facility on San Juan, but trained volunteers on the other islands respond to calls, assess the nature of each animal’s problem and, when necessary, capture it and arrange for its transport to the center. To report finding an injured or orphaned animal, call 378-5000.
