I feel as though I've begun another stage in my life with the virtual end of my volunteer work at the refuge and the beginning of my advocacy for the parrots there. But I don't know how interesting that will be to others. Perhaps I can chronicle my advocacy until I finish a book report on Parrot Culture. That should take long enough to get a feel for the interest level in reading about the advocacy angle. That's what I'll do.
Advocacy 800+
On November 13th, a friend asked me to register with the Aviva Community Fund competition and to vote daily for the North Island Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (NIWRC), a very well-run and important charitable facility in our area. When I went into that website to find out more about this competition, I was immediately struck by the possibility of entering the competition as a competitor instead of as a supporter.
The Aviva Insurance Company will be donating funds up to $1 million dollars to ideas for improving one's community. There are three divisions, up to $50,000, $50,000 to $150,000 and over $150,000. The first two rounds of voting had already been completed and the third round would be closed in two weeks which didn't leave very much time at all to get enough votes to get into the semi-finals. And had I taken the time to read everything thoroughly I'd have realized that only the 10 ideas with the most votes would advance. There were over 400 ideas in the lowest division and already more than 30 with thousands of votes. But in I jumped. I wrote up an idea for a volunteer program for the World Parrot Refuge requiring $50,000. On behalf of The Parrot Coalition, I added photos and a video, set up and linked a Facebook page and got a Broker to sponsor the idea. I contacted everyone I could think of requesting their support, votes and referrals to friends and family. And although we've been eliminated we did well to get over 300 votes in two weeks. Now I'll vote for the NIWRC and help them attempt to become finalists.
The experience with Aviva was worthwhile in another way too. It got the Parrot coalition up and running...or maybe staggering is more accurate. I had been trying to find out if there was any organization charged with monitoring conditions in Refuges and doing something about substandard conditions. On November 2nd I sent a post to Born Free, USA to determine if they have a Canadian counterpart. To my delight, they have a Canadian Representative who replied to my post. I was told that the investigative branch of Born Free, USA was already aware of the World Parrot Refuge. He told me what Born Free, USA was able to do and what they were not able to do. He gave me advice, information and cautions. He told me that trying to effect change at the Refuge would be very difficult because I'm starting from a bad place, a country with few laws that apply.
Armed with the information I received from Barry, I started my research and began reading. I soon knew that my first step would have to be to gather together a like-minded group of people who could and would help me. So, when I entered my idea into the Aviva competition and was asked if I was entering the idea on behalf of a group, the Parrot Coalition with a membership of two, assuming my husband would join, was born. Since then several friends have become members too. But much work is yet to be done.
Next: I reach out to a local parrot club.
The experience with Aviva was worthwhile in another way too. It got the Parrot coalition up and running...or maybe staggering is more accurate. I had been trying to find out if there was any organization charged with monitoring conditions in Refuges and doing something about substandard conditions. On November 2nd I sent a post to Born Free, USA to determine if they have a Canadian counterpart. To my delight, they have a Canadian Representative who replied to my post. I was told that the investigative branch of Born Free, USA was already aware of the World Parrot Refuge. He told me what Born Free, USA was able to do and what they were not able to do. He gave me advice, information and cautions. He told me that trying to effect change at the Refuge would be very difficult because I'm starting from a bad place, a country with few laws that apply.
Armed with the information I received from Barry, I started my research and began reading. I soon knew that my first step would have to be to gather together a like-minded group of people who could and would help me. So, when I entered my idea into the Aviva competition and was asked if I was entering the idea on behalf of a group, the Parrot Coalition with a membership of two, assuming my husband would join, was born. Since then several friends have become members too. But much work is yet to be done.
Next: I reach out to a local parrot club.
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