It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that inflation has caught up with our project and the cheques and pledges were not anywhere close to covering the expenses so we have had to cancel it. I want to thank everyone who came forward so generously - regretably I shall be tearing up your cheques with the hope that I may someday again call upon you and with more success. I really hate to give up on this as the place and opportunity was perfect - 1) WSOS is willing to let us use their land 2) The boundary wall fences are already up and all we need to do is make the roof - only the roof. 3) They have the vets, the people to care for the animals on a day to day basis and will scrounge the means to feed and look after the birds It really could not be better. Unfortunately to cover the entire space - a structure would have to be built to support the metal mesh on top and ensure it does not fall due to strong winds, storms, or rains - just for support and roof would work out to about 17 - 18 lakh. We did not even dream about that, we thought we would cover about 1/3rd of the area which would have served our purpose and even for that, the most conservative estimate we could get was 3.5-3.75 lakhs. Our collection worked out to Rs.80,000. The place still stands, the birds still wait and the project hopes for some wealthy generous benefactors to dig deep and save them all. So all of you out there, take out your begging bowls, pull in favours and ask anyone you can ( I have a deep, sincere and new found respect for NGOs and realise how difficult it is for them to function) and if we come anywhere close to our required figure we will grab this golden opportunity and watch our birds fly free again -
Thanking you once again, and still with hope Sheila
It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that inflation has caught up with our project and the cheques and pledges were not anywhere close to covering the expenses so we have had to cancel it. I want to thank everyone who came forward so generously - regretably I shall be tearing up your cheques with the hope that I may someday again call upon you and with more success. I really hate to give up on this as the place and opportunity was perfect - 1) WSOS is willing to let us use their land 2) The boundary wall fences are already up and all we need to do is make the roof - only the roof. 3) They have the vets, the people to care for the animals on a day to day basis and will scrounge the means to feed and look after the birds It really could not be better. Unfortunately to cover the entire space - a structure would have to be built to support the metal mesh on top and ensure it does not fall due to strong winds, storms, or rains - just for support and roof would work out to about 17 - 18 lakh. We did not even dream about that, we thought we would cover about 1/3rd of the area which would have served our purpose and even for that, the most conservative estimate we could get was 3.5-3.75 lakhs. Our collection worked out to Rs.80,000. The place still stands, the birds still wait and the project hopes for some wealthy generous benefactors to dig deep and save them all. So all of you out there, take out your begging bowls, pull in favours and ask anyone you can ( I have a deep, sincere and new found respect for NGOs and realise how difficult it is for them to function) and if we come anywhere close to our required figure we will grab this golden opportunity and watch our birds fly free again -
Thanking you once again, and still with hope Sheila
----- Original Message ----- From: Sheila To: delhib...@yahoogroups.com ; delhibirdpix@googlegroups.com Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 1:47 PM Subject: [delhibird] An appeal on behalf of Rescued Birds
As you are all aware, every year numerous birds need to be rescued from life-threatening situations or illegal captivity. Sometimes fledglings fall from nests in their first tentative endeavours to gain wing and sometimes unscrupulous traders and tantrics clip their feathers rendering them helpless. A number of these birds arrive at Wildlife SOS where they are housed and cared for to the best of the centre's abilities, the primary problem' of course, being of space. Large cages have been built, balconies and terraces have been co-opted and while this works for the Parakeets and Shikras and Barbets and Peafowl etc, it is inadequate for the larger raptors like Rock Eagle Owls and Serpent Eagles. After an initial period of recuperation, these birds need a space where they can fly freely, gain strength and hone their hunting skills so that they can be released with some chance of success. At their Gurgaon shelter, WSOS has some space which would be just perfect - it is large enough with a few high trees and bushes and rocks and it would be possible to introduce prey animals and let the raptors learn to do their own hunting while supplementing their diet if required. Once the birds are capable they can be set free in a sanctuary. Without such a holding area releasing these birds would be tantamount to signing their death warrant and would render the whole rescue pointless. WSOS is willing to use this space for a bird shelter but need funds to build the cage - around Rs. 2 lakh. This is an appeal on behalf of the rescued birds to kindly donate generously and give them a fighting chance at life and freedom again. I will start the ball rolling by putting Rs 10,000 in the kitty. Please contribute whatever you can for our avian friends that have provided us with countless hours of joy without ever asking for anything in return. You can revert back to me for details - This is our chance to give back- For all the birds in need Sheila
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Hi Sheila, Instead of returning (or tearing up) the cheques, I guess it would be a better idea for the NGO to get a 80D (or similar sounding) certificate which allows the donators income tax benefits. If people get IT exemption I'm sure more money will roll in. Please talk to your lawyer friends about this.
Also, since the project is in Gurgaon, there will be at least a few friends working with the IT (this time information technology) industry. Please ask them to speak to their bosses/CEOs/CFOs. This is because every IT company has a budget for social/environmental responsibility. If funds can b etaken in from these groups then you might have to put up a few billboards declaring "This part of the project is sponsored by X company".
If you already know these, then I'm sorry for stating known ideas.
> It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that inflation has caught > up with our project and the cheques and pledges were not anywhere close to > covering the expenses so we have had to cancel it. I want to thank everyone > who came forward so generously - regretably I shall be tearing up your > cheques with the hope that I may someday again call upon you and with more > success. > I really hate to give up on this as the place and opportunity was perfect - > 1) WSOS is willing to let us use their land > 2) The boundary wall fences are already up and all we need to do is make > the roof - only the roof. > 3) They have the vets, the people to care for the animals on a day to day > basis and will scrounge the means to feed and look after the birds > It really could not be better. Unfortunately to cover the entire space - a > structure would have to be built to support the metal mesh on top and ensure > it does not fall due to strong winds, storms, or rains - just for support > and roof would work out to about 17 - 18 lakh. We did not even dream about > that, we thought we would cover about 1/3rd of the area which would have > served our purpose and even for that, the most conservative estimate we > could get was 3.5-3.75 lakhs. Our collection worked out to Rs.80,000. > The place still stands, the birds still wait and the project hopes for some > wealthy generous benefactors to dig deep and save them all. So all of you > out there, take out your begging bowls, pull in favours and ask anyone you > can ( I have a deep, sincere and new found respect for NGOs and realise how > difficult it is for them to function) and if we come anywhere close to > our required figure we will grab this golden opportunity and watch our birds > fly free again -
> Thanking you once again, and still with hope > Sheila
