I volunteer at Wildlife in Crisis every Wednesday to care for the raptors and raccoons and to help in any way I can. Every week, I see firsthand the exceptional work being done there.
The legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden rightly said that the true test of our character is what we do when no one is watching. Dara and Peter set the bar higher than anyone I have ever met and instill those values in all who volunteer beside them. When no one is watching, someone feeds the hummingbirds every 20 minutes. When no one is watching, Dara drives six hours to consult with another vet about a fawn that other vets considered beyond help (In the end, Dara was right, and the fawn is thriving). When no one is watching, Peter patiently returns more than a hundred calls a day, treating each one as if it were the only one that day. When no one is watching, volunteer interns spend hours brainstorming how to cheer a suddenly reclusive beloved duck, how to teach an owl to perch, how to feed a fox that won’t eat. When no one is watching, someone checks on the animals multiple times every night to make sure all is well. When no one is watching, the team continues its work in the freezing rain, sweltering heat, and deep snow. It is a privilege to give money and time to this rarest of places, and I am grateful for the opportunity to partner with a team whose humble, committed character inspires me each time I visit.
