Origami Program To Benefit Black Pine Animal Sanctuary
Origami Program To Benefit Black Pine Animal Sanctuary
Posted
Jackie Gorski-
Origami Program To Benefit Black Pine Animal SanctuaryKendel Josey, a 15-year-old Leesburg girl, is sharing her knowledge of and passion for Black Pine Animal Sanctuary, Albion, through a free origami program from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 22 at the Warsaw Community Public Library.
Kendel will be teaching two origami designs - a tiger face and fox face - during the program.
She said the program is primarily focused on educating people about the sanctuary and the need for it while teaching people origami designs.
People can come and go during the program and stay as long as they want. They can learn to make one or both origami designs and stay and learn more about the sanctuary, said mother Julie. If Kendel is not available, other volunteers from Black Pine will be available.
Kendel said she can teach the designs to people in under 5 minutes. Julie said kids can then color the tiger strips because “no two tigers are the same.”
Origami is also a big passion for Kendel. She had an exhibit at WCPL last year. In an interview about the exhibit, Kendel said she has Asperger’s and origami helps with that.
Kendel is asking for sponsorships for the program in order to raise money for the sanctuary. What the sponsorship involves is a donation directly to Black Pines, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, said mother Julie. The organization’s logo will then appear in advertizement saying they sponsored Kendel’s program. Some area organizations that have sponsored the program so far include The Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation, as well as Alderfer Bergen & Co.
If someone wants to donate to the sanctuary at the program, there will be forms available for that.
Kendel wants all the money raised to go directly toward Black Pine.
She said the main reason she’s so interested in Black Pine is because of its mission and there aren’t many places for the animals the sanctuary takes in to go.
Black Pine is sanctuary that houses exotic animals for the rest of their life. It doesn’t breed, trade or sell animals. A lot of the animals at the sanctuary come from really bad situations. A lot of them were abused, Kendel said. It is the only accredited multi-species sanctuary in the Midwest. Of all the accredited sanctuaries in the world, Black Pine has the most amount of different species, with about 80 animals and just under 40 different species.
Kendel said the sanctuary has had more calls in the past year to house animals than “all of Black Pine.”
Another mission of the sanctuary is educating people on why they shouldn’t have exotic animals as pets.
It is estimated 90% of exotic animals that are kept as pets die within two years, she said. Kendel said one of the bears at the sanctuary that passed away last year came from a house in Warsaw.
Julie said the sanctuary is not a permanent solution. The permanent solution is educating people about the animals’ stories so more animals don’t have to go there.
Kendel said she believes she has such a connection with the sanctuary because she has always been interested in animals and “you’re always welcome” at the sanctuary. She said she appreciates what the volunteers at the sanctuary do.
