The Moraine Ridge Wildlife Rehab Center has broken ground for its long-awaited facility.

Approximately 60 people attended the June 26 groundbreaking ceremony held at Moraine Ridge, located adjacent to a 25-acre State Classified Wildlife Habitat just south of County Road 600 North in Washington Township.

When complete, the new building will be the first wildlife rehab and education center in Porter and Lake counties. The building project includes flight cages, fenced runs, a viewing room and a sitting area for outdoor educational programs.

Speakers at the event included Dr. Laurence Reed of Westchester Animal Clinic, one of the veterinarians involved in the rehab center, and Herbert Read, prominent Northwest Indiana environmentalist and project architect.

Moraine Ridge Board President Kathy Johnson said that a facility of this type is long overdue in Northwest Indiana. Other states, including neighboring Illinois, have similar wildlife centers, but none currently exist in this part of the state. She also noted that Indiana has more stringent rules on wildlife rehabilitation than many other states, so the need is even greater for a regional center to coordinate rehab efforts and provide ongoing training for volunteer rehabbers.

“This center has really been needed for a long time. The rehabbers we have now are so overwhelmed with the animals they’re treating. Our new center will give them added opportunities,” Johnson said.

The new facility will allow wildlife rehabbers additional space and training to treat injured and orphaned wildlife before the animals’ release back into their natural habitat. The center will also greatly expand Moraine Ridge’s environmental education programming and partnerships with the special needs population and youth groups.

With the ceremonial groundbreaking now concluded, actual building construction will start within two weeks. The center is expected to be open and ready for use in the spring of 2006.

Among those recognized at the groundbreaking ceremony were Jean Prebis and Judith Cieslak, Moraine Ridge board members who donated their property for the building site. Also commended was past-president Bonnie Swarner, who has been instrumental in reviving the organization and moving it forward when she became board president nearly four years ago.

Benefit Concert and Silent Auction

On Sunday, August 7, Moraine Ridge will host its second annual Benefit Concert and Silent Auction featuring two well-known area rock bands, The Kliks and Version 3.0.

The event will be held from Noon to 5 p.m. at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve in Chesterton. Advance tickets will be available at the Moraine Ridge booth at the county fair.

Also, the fifth and final in the 2005 workshop series will be at 6:30 p.m. July 13 in the 4-H Building at the Porter County Expo Center. A representative from the Chicago Herptological Society will give a presentation about native turtles.

Moraine Ridge is actively accepting donations toward its building fund. To contribute, write to Moraine Ridge at 570 N. 450 E., Valparaiso, Ind., 46383, or go online at www.mrwildliferehab.org

 or visit the Moraine Ridge booth at the Porter County Fair.

The Moraine Ridge Wildlife Rehab Center is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization. Board members represent all of Porter County and Lake County.

 Posted 7/5/2005