Raise your hand if you KNOW winter beats summer. EVERY. TIME. 🙋🏻‍♀️ Snow is just where it’s AT. This Saturday was the kind of sunny winter day that just…shimmered. It was like someone threw a bucket of pearly stars across the whole Earth. The kind of day where soft snow is topped with a layer of crunchy ice. And so, when Scouts of America Troops 88 and 188 visited our Sanctuary, they exited their cars and were immediately sunblind from the vast untouched fields reflecting blue skies and golden sun rays.

Aaaaand the first thing they did? “Penguin!!” Apparently, this is when you take a running leap to sled down a hill…without a sled. Turns out, those slippery snow pants make REALLY good sleds on ice. We were worried they’d stay wet and the kids would freeze all day.

They didn’t. But what they DID do? Was absolutely AH-MAZING, and we are SOOOO grateful.

Scouts from Troop 88 enclosed this area for our flocks, cleaned out the barn, and left it broomswept for our birds. AMAZING.

Right now, a PANDEMIC is sweeping our country. Nope, not Covid. It’s the Avian Flu. Birds across the country are getting this deadly illness from each other. It’s very easy for them to pass to each other. Crowded factory farms have killed entire flocks if just ONE bird had it, to keep the virus from spreading to birds everywhere.

So when the scouts told us they needed to do a service project, the timing couldn’t have been better. In ONE SINGLE DAY, these kids cleaned out a barn filled with about 40 years of tools and other….STUFF. And then?? They built an enclosed outdoor area. Now, our flocks are free to feel the sunshine with no risk of a wild bird landing and transmitting this terrible illness to them. We cannot thank the scouts enough—and neither can our water fowl!

Scouts from Troop 188 who’ve earned their knife safety badges cutting up all the veggies for the soup.

We also hosted a Compassionate Cooking Class, led by Jimie Gibbons. Jimie has worked with @HipHopisGreen and was kind enough to share his expertise with us. The scouts made a two-course lunch of Chickpea Salad Sammies (like chicken salad, but kinder. And better.), and some Vegetable Barley Soup. It REALLY hit the spot on the cold day. We snacked it up with some nooch-covered popcorn, potato chips, and clementines. (AKA, satsumas, which sounds so much prettier). We then rolled back into the kitchen for some fresh outta the oven chocolate chip cookies and cocoa. YUMMO.

With all that, the best part of everyone’s day was still meeting all their new furry friends. One of the patrol leaders even earned himself a new nickname: The Goat Whisperer.

Are you a scout? If your group is anything as amazing as these guys and gals? We’d be THRILLED to welcome you to our Sanctuary for a day-long, badge-earning experience. Let us know.

Oh. And if you’re not a scout? We love you, too. We want you to come meet our rescued friends with OR without badges! More pix below! ⬇️