Wildlife Rescue Series!

In 2001, I became a volunteer with the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC. That’s where I met Jackie Ward, team leader extraordinaire. Through Jackie, I met her friend and my fellow volunteer, Christa Duttchen. A few weeks ago, I received an out-of-the-blue email from Christa asking if I’d be interested in presenting about Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series at her school.

Would I?!!

So Ms. Duttchen put me in touch with teacher-librarian Lina D’Onofrio, and today, I visited Champlain Heights. Small world.
Three classes of grade 6 and 7 students gathered in a downstairs media room. Many of the students were dressed in something pink, to show their Zero Tolerance for bullying. I was impressed by all the students willing to make a public statement about their stance. I’d also heard in advance that many of the students were studying ecosystems and the environment, so I knew they’d have some great questions about the oil spill I experienced, and the environment-related plots of Flight or Fight and Crow Medicine.

The presentation went really well — the initial technology glitches got sorted out (THANKS Rick!) and as I’d suspected, students had some amazingly thoughtful questions.

One thing I realized afterward that I forgot to mention was just how prominently guys figure in Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series. Sure, the protagonist is female, but there are lots of guys in the books — many of whom carry through from one book to the next — and guys are also heavily involved in the intrigue and the animal rescue adventures.

I was presenting at a Victoria school once, and asked the guys in the class whether having a female protagonist in a book would make them lose interest in that book. I’d heard that line of thinking from more than one marketing “expert.” The answer was, “That’s a bunch of crap! Of course we’d still read it!” I took heart from that, because the environment is definitely a gender-neutral issue, and involves us all, and I think we all have lots to learn from one another.

As one of the teachers said today at the end of the presentation, there are lots of ways to make a difference. Sure, you can rescue animals or work in the environment yourself. But you can also write books; keep a blog; start a school project; raise money for the SPCA or the wildlife rescue centre; plant a garden that attracts wildlife; donate old blankets and towels and equipment to an animal shelter; ride your bike to soccer practice. The list goes on.

I had a great time at Champlain Heights, and want to say a big thank you to all the students and staff who made my visit so special! (Extra thanks to Jade and Kendra for helping me pack up all my gear!)
Enjoy the books, and watch for Gaia Wild this fall!

On Tuesday evening of this week, I was the guest of a Vancouver chapter of the organization known as Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG). DKG is an international group of women educators, some retired and some still working, all of whom are committed to education and to providing education opportunities for disadvantaged children all over the world.

Chapters raise money to support international education initiatives. They also meet each month to discuss business and plan activities, and each month they host a guest presenter. Last night, that was yours truly!

My mom is a DKG member in a Burnaby chapter — she taught primary students for 40 years! — so that was my initial contact with the group. But when I arrived last night, I discovered a few other familiar faces. I spoke at the Northwest Regional Conference for DKG last summer, and recognized a few members from that event. Also in the crowd was Mizue Mori, the woman who conducted the marriage ceremonies for my sister and for one of my best friends! So I felt like I was among friends.

I told stories about how I became a writer, and how I came to write about animals, and showed some slides and a DVD. I also sent members home with hawk silhouette stencils for their windows, and instructions on how to make their own animal rescue kits. Several members bought books for children and grandchildren and classrooms, and one is planning to invite me to her school!

My thanks to DKG for the warm reception, and for all your support!

P.S. Special thanks to Claude for making sure I didn’t have any “technical difficulties!”

Don Christian Elementary School Mural

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

Last Friday, I was the guest of teacher-librarian Emiline Downs and the students of Don Christian Elementary School in Surrey. And what a school! They’re celebrating “We love to read!” month, and it’s obvious! For starters, this is the mural I saw when I pulled up outside the front doors of the school. I’d definitely come to the right place. Mrs. Downs said when she first took the position of teacher-librarian at Don Christian, she thought the same thing: I’m in the right place.

Mrs. Downs had created a beautiful display, all about Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series, in the display case outside the library, and the whole school was gearing up for the Scholastic Book Fair.

Two hundred and fifty students packed the gym, and asked some fantastic questions about animal rescue and the life of a professional writer.

Two library monitors stayed behind after my presentation to help me pack up all my gear, and all in all, the students made me feel very welcome.

Thank you, Don Christian Elementary!

Diane Haynes

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

The CWILL Writing for Children panel happens tonight, Monday February 18, at the Vancouver Public Library from 7-9 pm. Be there … I will!

CWILL stands for the Children’s Writers and Illustrators of BC, and a panel of us will be speaking to an audience of about 100 people (one of them could be you!) about how we got started as authors and illustrators, how our careers progressed, what quirky little ins and outs helped us and might help you. There will be time for questions and to speak with individual authors and illustrators afterward.

That’s the Vancouver Public Library, downtown branch, from 7pm to 9pm, likely downstairs (but watch for signs).

** The VPL will also be announcing a new teen book program!

Hope to see you there!

Animal Testing: The Beginning of the End

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

It is estimated that anywhere from 50 to 100 million vertebrate animals worldwide — from zebrafish to non-human primates — are used annually in animal experimentation, and are killed during or after the experiments.

In North America, at least, this is about to change.

For an overview of animal experimentation, click here.

For the best news I’ve ever heard about this gut-wrenching subject, see my related post, below.

It’s the best news I could possibly have received this Valentine’s Day: the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Toxicology Program and the National Institutes of Health have signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” to work toward the end of animal testing and begin developing new methods of evaluating the safety of new chemicals and drugs.

The conversion could take up to 10 years because of the need for scientific validation of the new approaches. But Martin Stephens of the Humane Society of the United States says, “We believe this is the beginning of the end for animal testing.”

Amen.

Click here to read the full story on USA Today!

Sadie

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself ensconced in bed, feeling beaten by some insidious winter virus, with Sadie snuggled next to me, and trying — and failing miserably — to write my book outline, a press release, my January column for the Burnaby NOW. The truth is, I wasn’t writing at all. And I didn’t want to! It was snowing outside, I had a cat on the bed with me, and I just wanted to read.

And then it came to me … that’s what I’d write my column about!

Here’s how it starts:

“I’m reading today. I should be writing, working on my next book, but I’m reading. It’s a good day to read. I’m sure my publisher would understand.

There are 15 centimetres of snow on the ground, with more to come tonight. Schools and even some workplaces are closed. The sky is grey and the world is quiet, forced to rest. Sadie is curled like a fiddlehead next to me on the blanket, sleeping, and I am reading.”

Click here to read the rest!

Caulfeild Elementary–Family Literacy Night 2008

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

Wow.

Caulfeild Elementary is a school that reads!

I arrived at Caulfeild on a blustery, snowy January night to find myself in a cosy, vault-ceilinged library filled to brimming with books about animals! Librarian Louise Biggar and her parent and student helpers had pulled every animal-related book from the shelves and displayed them around the room, alongside artwork and origami depicting animal migration and other animal-related themes. I felt the warm welcome even before any of the students arrived!

And when they did arrive, they showed up in droves! This is a community that really supports reading and literacy. Because it was an evening event, students arrived in their pajamas, robes and slippers, and many were carrying their favourite stuffed animal — in keeping with the night’s theme. Parents came, too, many also in pajamas. It was a cosy event from start to finish.

Mrs. Biggar and her parent helper extraordinaire, Mrs. Strang, devised an ice-breaker game consisting of a sheet covered in squares, and in each square was an activity to do with animals. Every student had to find someone in the room who had done that activity, and then write their name in the square. I was surprised to discover that I was not the only person in the room who had ridden an elephant! In fact, about 8 people raised their hands, and one parent even told me later that she had ridden elephants professionally with Ringling Bros. Circus in the United States!

Once students had completed the game, Principal Lund introduced me, and my presentation got underway. I told listeners the story of Mouse, and of how I became a writer. I showed a series of slides of animal photos — wild animals that had been patients at the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC (photos by Devin Manky); a series of shots taken at Grouse Mountain during the activities of the Hummingbird Monitoring Network; and a few of my very own Frances, Sadie and Mousie.

I read from Flight or Fight, and told listeners about Crow Medicine as well as a little about Gaia Wild (coming this fall). Many guests bought books to take home and read; we even sold out of Flight or Fight!

I was so impressed by all the support for reading at this school, and by all the help Mrs. Biggar received from students and parents alike. I felt very welcome, and thoroughly enjoyed the evening!

Thank you, Caulfeild! Until we meet again …