Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Florida Keys are a bird watcher's paradise. Home to such species as the roseate spoonbill, osprey, ibis, pelican and great white heron, the island chain also serves as a critical refueling stop along the hemisphere's great flyways for migrating songbirds and raptors.

But due to the busy waters and roads of the Keys, many of these magnificent creatures can find themselves tangled in discarded fishing line or grounded with broken wings on the side of the highway.

Fortunately, the islands are home to bird rescue and rehabilitation centers, including the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center in Tavernier.

Last October, however, the 25-year-old facility was facing closure due to financial shortfalls.

The center survives off government grants and donations from visitors to the facility's bird-viewing area, both of which have been in short supply in our recessionary times.

Press coverage of the center's plight and a direct plea for donations from center management prompted residents to open their hearts and wallets to the tune of $100,000. Just as important has been the intervention of philanthropist Bob Gintel, an Ocean Reef resident and retired investment adviser, who has led a reorganization of center leadership.

In just over four months, Gintel has taken over as center president, a new veterinary team has been hired and a separate hospital unit has been opened, leading operations manager Bruce Horn to declare recently that the center has not only averted a death sentence, but exceeded past resources for what he describes as a "complete turnaround."

But the work is not done. Gintel is spearheading an effort to establish an endowment and therefore a steady source of revenue for the center so it won't ever again find itself on the brink of closure and begging for help.

After living off a wing and a prayer for so long, this little center has itself been rescued and rehabilitated by a generous public and creative thinking leadership.

-- The Citizen