The Wildlands Conservancy in Lehigh County has established a flood relief and office restoration campaign after its headquarters at the Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Emmaus was flooded by recent heavy rains and overflow from the neighboring Little Lehigh Creek.

Staff and volunteers hustled to relocate the animals and birds to higher ground during the rainstorm on October 8.

Others worked in the Wildlands Conservancy's administrative offices on the lower level of the farmhouse to remove computers, desks, office supplies, and many fragile items to be used in the upcoming dinner auction, the organization's largest fund-raising event on November 18.

The power of rushing water upended animal enclosures, overturned native-plant cold frames and potting tables, and carried tons of stone, gravel, soil, and potted plants away. The Conservancy's heavily used pick-up truck was swamped and ruined.

“We've had floods before, but never this bad – and it happened so quickly,” Conservancy President Tom Kerr said. “Our property damage sustained by the effects of this storm is estimated to be tens of thousands of dollars.”

Contributions will be used to cover the expenses of permanently relocating the education-animal menagerie yard and the native-plant nursery to higher ground at the Pool Wildlife Sanctuary, and to cover costs of office cleaning, carpet restoration, mold remediation, and replacement of damaged stationery and office supplies.

Wildlands Conservancy is accepting donations for flood relief by mail at 3701 Orchid Place, Emmaus, PA 18049. Please make checks payable to “Wildlands Conservancy,” marked “flood relief,” and send to the attention of the Advancement Department.

10/14/2005