Support Us

RIP Hydraulic Post Driver

ENewsletter

April 4, 2017

Raising Funds On Arkansas Gives Day To Replace Vital Equipment That Built Turpentine Creek

Ending of an era, RIP Yellow Hydraulic Post Driver

After 22 years and countless posts, our beloved yellow hydraulic post driver has passed into that junkyard in the sky. The machine that built big cat dreams is finally beyond repair.

For 22 years the beautiful yellow post driver built numerous habitats, benches, and safety barriers. Each time it broke our team worked hard to fix it, we did everything we could to make it last. This post driver built ALL of the habitats and fencing currently at Turpentine Creek; we would not be where we are today without the help of our yellow post driver.

When it broke in March, we called the company to order parts and were informed that they stopped making parts for our post driver model in 2006! Our only option was to search for used parts. It was with a heavy heart that we decided to retire the old girl and look into purchasing a new replacement.

Our search found the HD-10, a lovely red post driver that is more powerful, versatile, and should last just as long as the old driver. The HD-10 will cost us $6,000 but will save us thousands of dollars on man hours, labor costs, and save our team member the aches and pains of manually driving hundreds of posts.

On Arkansas Gives Day, Thursday, April 6, 2017, from 8 am until 8 pm Central Time; we will be raising the $6,000 needed to purchase the HD-10.

Arkansas Gives offers the opportunity for your donations to go further. Donations made on Arkansasgives.org are eligible for Bonus Dollars and Prize money for Turpentine Creek. You do not have to live in Arkansas to participate, Arkansas Gives Day is about donating to your favorite Arkansas-based nonprofit. No matter where you live in the world, you can participate in Arkansas Gives Day and support Turpentine Creek.

Without this machine, we cannot finish building the two new bear habitats. These habitats still have hundreds of posts to be driven in hard, rocky, Arkansas soil and it will take too long for us to hand drive the posts.

We can focus on raising funds for a new Post Driver thanks to the generosity of Cindy F. who donated $5,000 last week for Arkansas Gives, fulfilling our original Arkansas Gives Goal all at once. Now it is up to the rest of our supporters to help us get this important piece of equipment so we can complete our new bear habitats and continue building habitats for the next 20+ years.

Click Here To Learn More About Arkansas Gives
Click Here On Thursday, April 6, 2017 from 8a-8p CST To Donate To Turpentine Creek

 

Turpentine Creek Honored At Arkansas Governor’s Conference

At the 2017 Arkansas Governor’s Conference, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge was awarded this year’s Henry “Bootstrap” Award.

The Bootstrap Award is given to an individual, organization or community that has achieved significant success “on a shoestring,” having limited means to work with, either in resources or finances.

Turpentine Creek is honored to be given this award. We do our best to utilize the donations of our sponsors to provide care for all the animals that call Turpentine Creek home. Getting this award is recognition for all our hard work and dedication. We thank all of our supporters for helping us care for the furry residents at Turpentine Creek.

Click Here To Donate Now And Help Us Help Them

 

Cat Of The Week: Whistler

Our newest rescue Whistler, an 8-year-old serval, arrived in Colorado on January 22, 2017, during our Colorado Project. He was privately owned before being rescued by the Colorado Game and Fish Commission. This timid serval, along with two other servals, was released into the wild by his former owners who felt they could no longer care for the cats.

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, two of the servals would later be found dead. Whistler was luckier, having found a helpful neighbor who was willing to feed him for a short time. Eventually, Whistler would be transported to the Game and Fish Commission’s rehabilitation facility, where he stayed for several weeks before being picked up by the TCWR team.

Arriving at the Colorado Facility where we were finalizing the largest big cat and bear rescue in U.S. history, Whistler spent two weeks at the facility until he could be safely transported back to Arkansas.

On February 8, 2017, he arrived at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and was placed in a night house neighboring servals, Giselle and Bowden. Shortly after that, Whistler was released into his new habitat, although admittedly, he is still a little too shy to venture far.

This handsome serval will, for now, be on a rotating habitat schedule with Bowden and Giselle, until the time in which we will be able to introduce the three servals.

Whistler and many of the other animals that came to us during the Colorado Project are still in need of adopters. If you would like to adopt Whistler or any of the other animals that call Turpentine Creek home please visit our website to learn more.

Click Here To Learn About Our Adoption And Sponsorship Programs

 

Recent Posts

Categories