Julie Duke has a unique history with the Bite of Orcas. In 2000, she covered the Bite, which is a fundraiser for Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation as a reporter for the San Juan Journal. Then a few years later she volunteered at The Bite as a Wolf Hollow board member. Now as the nonprofit’s new executive director, Duke said she is excited to see people come together for a good cause.

“It is our main fundraiser and we have very loyal supporters,” said Duke.

Wolf Hollow’s 19th Annual Bite of Orcas is Saturday, May 24 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. under the big white tent on the Village Green in Eastsound.

Island restaurants and caterers will be presenting examples of their culinary fare for the benefit of the Wolf Hollow.

Participating eateries include Brown Bear Baking, Cafe Olga, Inn at Ship Bay, Mijitas, New Leaf Cafe, Rosa’s Bakery, Deer Harbor Inn, Doe Bay Cafe, Rosario and Flyin’ Hawaiian Sushi. There will be coconut ceviche, tamales, rhubarb pie, homemade ice cream, fresh bread, wood-fire pizza and clam chowder.

“The bite is important because it coincides with baby season,” said Duke. “Now is the time we get the brunt of animals coming in.”

Wolf Hollow is located on San Juan Island, but serves all of San Juan and Skagit County.

The aim of wildlife rehabilitation is to care for injured, orphaned, or sick native wild animals and release them back into the wild.

Right now, the facility has a baby weasel, fawns, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons and birds including an albino mourning dove. According to Wolf Hollow’s website “The dove is quite lovely, sadly it got nabbed by a hawk – they are much easier for predators to see – and has some wounds that are being treated at this time.”

In 2013, Wolf Hollow cared for 521 animals, which included 350 birds, 170 mammals and 1 amphibian/reptile.

“We save the wildlife,” said Duke to answer why people should support the Bite. “It’s part of the whole reason we move here. Who doesn’t like looking at an eagle in the sky? It’s a big part of life; it’s why people come to the island, but because humans are here, means we come in contact with willdlife and Wolf Hollow has to make up the difference.”