The Cascades Raptor Center has officially reopened, following extensive damage and unsafe conditions caused by a January ice storm.
The storm caused more than $30,000 worth of damage to the center, staff estimated. Through community donations, the center was able to pass that amount easily. After further deliberation, Julie Collins, executive director of Cascades Raptor Center, said the real cost due to lack of revenue and keeping up with staff payments was probably closer to $75,000.
Collins said the nonprofit got more than 1,400 individual donations. While she didn’t disclose the final dollar amount, she did say the donations were enough to fix the damage incurred by the storm, pay staff and continually operate the Wildlife Hospital despite the loss of revenue while the center was closed for nearly four weeks. Collins called the support “mind-blowing.”
“It was just absolutely amazing, and to know that people cared deeply and want to see us back open again,” Collins said.
Two aviaries were destroyed in the storm. The homes of Lorax the Great Horned Owl and Atticus the Bald Eagle were crushed by two large fallen Douglas fir trees. Thursday, during a soft opening for donors, volunteers and media, the two decimated exhibits could still be seen. Lorax and Atticus were both moved while their aviaries were down.