There is a lot going on at CAWES these days and our next big adventure, that we plan to unveil at the Walk for a CAWES on Sept. 11, is the CAWES Kids Club!
We are working on educational programming for children and youth that builds on an initial interest in animals and inspires a lifelong passion to care about animals, both companion and wild. Tracy McLachlan (from Family Place) has taken on the role as the coordinator of the club. We are thrilled to have Tracy be a part of CAWES with all her knowledge and experience.
We plan to start with ages five to eight and then follow with nine to 12 and bring in the teenagers (13-16) once the club is well-established. The programming would be adapted to suit each age range.
CAWES wants our next generation of animal guardians to feel empowered to make a difference and contribute to projects in an age-appropriate capacity. Some examples are:
- Determining issues
- Conservation/environmental protection
- Animal welfare (companion and wild)
There will also be skill-building opportunities such as:
- Hands-on animal care
- Leadership
- Fundraising
- Community education
Some preliminary activity/module ideas we are discussing include:
- Wildlife rescue/relocation basics
- Keeping wildlife wild
- Wild animal counts…contributing to citizen science
- Habitat preservation
- Habitat clean-ups
- Understanding the purpose/role of a true animal sanctuary
- Worldview of conservation and how to make a difference
For more information check out the website at: cawes.org or come along to the walk and speak with Tracy directly. We hope to see you at the Walk for a CAWES on Sept. 11.
