9-Year-Old Donates Personal Savings To Help Animals

by Charlotte LoBuono

Frank Steinman, a 9-year-old from Portland, Maine, recently donated $50 from his personal savings to the Center for Wildlife in nearby Cape Neddick.

The fourth grader’s generosity marked the first cash donation to help the Center recover from losses incurred during a recent break-in.

Cash, a computer, and two cameras had been stolen from the non-profit organization, and the building was completely ransacked. The break-in had been discovered when the staff arrived for work the next morning.

Steinman has a strong affinity for animals, and a particular sympathy for tigers. He keeps a "Save the Tigers" collection jar in his family’s kitchen.

He has visited the Center for Wildlife several times in the past, bringing rescued baby squirrels or birds for them to rehabilitate, and he plans to serve as a volunteer at the Center.

Technically you have to be at least 13 to volunteer, but Steinman has already helped by feeding some birds there, under the supervision of staff member Sarah Bunker.

The Center’s mission is to rehabilitate sick and injured wildlife, so that they can be returned to the wild, and to promote respect for wildlife and the environment.

The Center works towards this goal by rehabilitating birds, mammals, and reptiles; assisting the public with wildlife-related issues; and providing educational programs to promote knowledge and appreciation of wild animals and their habitats.

The Center for Wildlife, founded in 1986, is the only public facility in southern Maine dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation. It relies entirely on donations and grants for its funding.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.