Project Perry Sanctuary News
General Description - Caretaker Volunteer Duties.
The role of the caretaker is an important one, ensuring that the parrots are treated properly and receive high-quality care so they may flourish at the Sanctuary. The caretaker must maintain a close working relationship with the Executive Director to ensure they properly complete tasks as assigned by the Executive Director. While these tasks will vary, it may include any combination of the following:
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In the morning, aid in the preparation of the fresh fruit and vegetable mix
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Prepare food trays and dishes
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Clean cages, flighted rooms and food preparation areas
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In the morning, follow protocol to ensure food quantities and placements have been followed, as well as daily cleaning and monitoring procedures
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Special projects as designated by the Executive Director or Senior Staff (RARE)
YOU MUST HAVE YOUR OWN RELIABLE VEHICLE!
If you are interested, send a short note letting me know why you'd like to volunteer caring for our awesome residents here at Project Perry!
2018
The birds now own it all! (The additional 15 acres of the “old sanctuary property”)
From Matt: This summer we have been able to share some pretty awesome news about the Sanctuary and Its growth including the recent funding and start of construction of a new large aviary. We also promised to share a second great news story and the time to do that is now. Thirteen years ago when I made the trip back home to Virginia to start the dream of building a parrot sanctuary for birds in need, there wasn’t a penny to Project Perry’s name. Just a lot of self-determination, drive and a vision for what was to be. Therefore, I needed to put my own name and money to a land & home purchase with of course a mortgage loan. I needed to spend the next many years proving to people that this kind of work and the environments that have been created is enriching to the lives of our residents and valuable to the people who seek us out for help. Since the beginning, a major guiding force in our growth has been to plan for the Sanctuary’s long-term sustainability and perpetuity. Because parrots can live so long and because there’s a strong need for the work that we do, there’s no other way to plan and grow a Sanctuary – this place must be survivable beyond its current group of caregivers despite our young-ish ages. Several different key factors have been put in place in recent years to aid in the future-planning including a strengthened Board of Directors, a budget for committed live on-site staff members, my own large life insurance policy with Project Perry as the sole beneficiary should something unexpected happen to me and a stronger annual stream of funding to properly maintain and care for our population of 230. All that was left was for Project Perry to own all of the land and structures.
Through two more years of very generous grants from Bob Barker’s DJ&T Foundation and through our own efforts of good ol’ fashioned saving up, we can now announce that on August 22nd, it finally happened! Project Perry purchased the property from myself for the remaining amount left on the mortgage note and nothing more (no “profit” was made in the sale). The birds now own all 27 acres including every structure on it. No one person is tied financially to the property and there can never be a dispute of ownership or property usage and continuance. It’s all outlined clearly that this is to always be a Sanctuary for the birds along with those who have dedicated their lives to caring for them.
Please join us in celebrating a major milestone in the growth and perpetuity of this very special place and our commitment to doing the very best job that we can, all for the love of the birds. I also want to thank Charlottesville real estate attorney Chip Royer for his incredibly generous offer to conduct this transaction professionally and skillfully to insure everything has been done legally and properly. Chip has been fantastic throughout the entire process. Also, to Bob Baker and his Foundation for giving amounts that would have otherwise been difficult to raise in a relatively short amount of time as has been done to make this step a reality – he is very special to us. Lastly, to Kirah and Caitlin who work so hard on a daily basis alongside me in the direct care and commitment to the Sanctuary’s operations. Thank you everyone who have helped this place along throughout the years, it means a great deal to me and most of all - to the birds!
-Matt-
From Kirah: some of the residents “beaking” a copy of THEIR House/Land Deed which was sent to Bob Barker!!!
2017
The Macaws have moved into their new home!
2016
Approximately 4 years ago, I was asked to help a fellow board member with the removal of several parrots from a very filthy and dangerous home.
The owner of the home was well known to local police and animal control officers. She has a long history of psychiatric issues. The breeding and sale of the birds was how she supported herself. We had been visiting periodically, whenever we could talk our way in, to try to talk her into letting us provide her birds with new homes. She was about to be foreclosed on, and needed to get the birds and her dog out of the house...
DeKalb County Rescue
Three African Greys came to us from this rescue. It was a horrible situation and sadly, one of the birds passed away during the transfer. The two remaining birds that made it here are doing wonderfully and we hope that they will have a long and wonderful life here! If you are interested in seeing more of these two, please visit our facebook page and look at our video folder for their videos from December 2016. Our page is public, so even if you don't have facebook accounts, you can still view! Thanks!
February 2015
Terry came to us very angry, depressed, and defeated. Who could blame him after the life he had? He lived happy and even flew in the Special Needs Aviary for about a week... before his heart couldn't handle "freedom" and he died. We had so many hopes for this guy... We were so sad for this loss. R.I.P. Terry.
Here is Terry with a very old wild caught named Robert. Perhaps they shared stories of their life before humans took everything from them and stuck them in a cage to breed.
We removed his shackle before laying him to rest.
... oh yes... he is a very happy bird now. :-)
AJ flies around the aviary now and he is unstoppable. :-)
Simon has come a long way. He comes closer to us now than he once did. His sight in one eye is really bad, and as long as there is good light, he can see out of his other...
Sam has come a long way and even ventures to the outside area of the aviary now to explore.
ever fearful in the beginning
Annesy can not fly. She plays non stop though by hooking those little stubbies of hers through the bars and swings while singing, playing, and making kissing sounds. She is a joy.
Let us start with the rescue of 8 Wild Greys. Taken from the wild many years ago and put into boxes to small and made to breed. Lack of sunshine, lack of proper food, and lack of freedom. It was quite a ride up to New Jersey and a long ride home. We had to unload these little guys from the back of the van and into the quarentine room in the dark. We got everyone comfortable in their new cage with fresh food filled with everything a bird could want. They settled in and the next day they greeted the day with the sun shining through the skylights and two sets of glass doors. There was a long road ahead of them, but they greeted the start of that road head on. Read about their journey here on the page that was set up for them early in 2015.
February- October 2015
At 525 square feet, it was time for an upgrade. The aviary came down as a snow storm decided to move in. It was a rush against mother nature to get the aviary down and out of the sanctuary before the driveway became unusable.
the concrete to fill the footers was ready to be poured in preparation for the bricklayers.
The perimeter will keep the birds secure from predators that might try to find a way in by digging.
We're ready to mulch!
the worms will break down the bird poops and the wasted food to keep the aviary sanitary.
The small bird aviary was in need of a serious upgrade. It was the first aviary built at Project Perry by Matt many years ago. Our population of small birds grew and therefore the accomidations needed to grow as well. Fundraising began in the cold winter months and we were blessed with a large donation by Bob Barker which made it possible to build a new 1,250 square foot aviary "full speed ahead". Things moved very fast between land clearing, Macaw Aviary, Caretaker Cabin Construction, and this paradise for the small birds.
Summer 2015
Macaw Aviary Construction
Getting prepared for the wall that will have the Macaw Frame set on it
Gratitude for our package sent to him showing the construction
The Macaw Aviary is 3,900 square feet. Construction will resume in Spring of 2016. Like all of the aviaries already here, it will be climate controlled as well as open where the birds will be able to enjoy the forest that surrounds the aviary. We are hoping to move the first residents that are already living here into the aviary in Fall of 2016. New applications for Lifetime of Care will hopefully be able to start in Spring of 2017.
Caretaker Cabin
The caretaker cabin is being built for our on site caretaker. Caretakers will be living on site to help us care for the birds living here at Project Perry. The cabin exceeded our expectaions. It is the perfect little home in the woods. 506 sq ft of space is perfect for one person. We are so thankful to Bob Barker and the Pat Palmer Foundation for making this possible.
Hello Everyone! April 14, 2015
Matt and I have wanted to share this news publicly for about 3 weeks, but we needed to be sure that we were allowed to publicly acknowledge the foundation and the person(s) behind the foundation’s generosity. Around a year ago, contact with a foundation was made and a month and a half ago, a phone call came in. After 2 hours of Matt speaking on the phone… we waited. Two weeks later, Matt received a phone call with some of the m...ost amazing news ever.
Bob Barker has donated $200,000 to Project Perry. Can you believe it? With this donation, Project Perry will purchase the additional land needed for expansion. The Small Bird Aviary is covered, and sometime in the next 1.5 or 2 years, a 4,000 sq ft Macaw Aviary will be built and named after Bob Barker. We can not express our gratitude to Bob Barker, his foundation, and his foundation representatives who have been a part of this.
Matt has created a sanctuary for parrots that is without doubt an amazing facility and a paradise for parrots in need of sanctuary. Matt has worked so hard, and I cannot even begin to express how proud I am of him. Thank you to Bob Barker for your generosity and faith in this amazing facility that was started with a dream…
-Kirah
OMG... I didn't mention... BOB BARKER himself called to talk to Matt! LOL. Matt was star struck! lol