Saint Ursula Academy students, moved by the stories of destruction from the Australia wildfires, asked to organize a one-day collection to provide relief. Their goal: to help support those working to save the animals hurt and displaced by the fires.
Juniors Bradlee Danko ’21 of Hyde Park, Kate McGee ’21 of Mt. Lookout, and Annalise Waters ’21 of Montgomery approached the school with the request to collect money for this effort. They were asked to first do some research on the best agencies or organizations to support.
After some exploration and discussion, the students chose WIRES (New South Wales Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc.) WIRES has been rescuing and caring for wildlife for over 30 years and is the largest wildlife rescue organization in Australia. Its mission is to actively rehabilitate and preserve Australian wildlife and inspire others to do the same. With over 2,500 volunteers in 28 branches, WIRES has a dedicated Rescue Office that operates 365 days a year assisting the community to help native animals in distress.
This year’s record breaking wildfires have destroyed unprecedented amounts of habitat, created animal food shortages and lack of suitable habitat, thus creating a significant long-term challenge for surviving wildlife.
The girls asked the school community to support the effort, and in one day, raised over $2500.00 for the WIRES organization in Australia.
“When our students put their minds to something, they know how to get things done,” said Saint Ursula Academy Principal Dr. Mari Thomas. “We are proud of these girls for educating themselves about an issue and choosing to take action. They realize by taking action, they can make a real difference as they help live the Saint Ursula mission to build a better world.”