History

Jeff volunteered to take care of the owls and contacted the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to inquire about permits. He then contacted other wildlife rehabilitators for advice. One of the baby barn owls was badly injured and died, but Jeff successfully raised the other one.

Becky Prewitt met Jeff about this time and was interested in his wildlife rehabilitation work. In 1988 Jeff and Becky took care of 30 animals at Jeff's rented farmhouse. They read everything on animal rehabilitation that they could find and took the Basic Skills course offered by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council.

Soon the influx of creatures needing care surpassed what Jeff and Becky could handle in their limited time. In January 1989, they filed incorporation papers with the state and applied to the IRS for 501 (c) (3) status, making CWC a non-profit corporation. This was approved in March 1989.

Jeff and Becky formed a board of directors and Kay Kanury became the Director of Education and Development. Willamette Veterinary Clinic (Dr. Stan Wood and Dr Steve Callahan) opened their doors to CWC's frequent visits. OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine was (and is) CWC's source for diagnostic help. Mary Eichler, a former animal control officer, took on the care of baby mammals. At this time CWC began accepting volunteers and donations.

Two rooms in Jeff's house were set aside for animal care and several barn stalls were adapted for cages. CWC admitted 320 animals in 1989 and 538 in 1990. In the fall of 1990, Jeff's rented farm was sold and they began searching for a new spot for the Center.

CWC moved to its present location in December of 1990. The short-term plan was to build a movable medical treatment center and a volunteer and membership base. The long-term plan is to build a permanent working nature center, complete with a clinic and an educational facility.

The year after moving to their current location was spent in a flurry of cage building. They used the stable for an exam room and intensive care unit. Some volunteers from that era probably remember chilly winters with no hot running water.

In 1991, CWC admitted 462 wildlife patients, and Jeff and Becky married. With generous donations from Marian Ware, CWC bought a 14- x 70-foot mobile office. Volunteers spent many hours replacing carpet with vinyl, hooking up plumbing, installing electrical wires, and constructing a plywood skirt around the bottom of the building. Master craftsman, Brooks Fahy, donated many hours remodeling the interior of the mobile office, building a handicapped access ramp, and constructing the reception room and office.

Finally, in 1993, the Marian Ware Wildlife Care Clinic was complete. Meanwhile, several chain-link cages were constructed for mammal patients, including one with a seasonal creek bubbling through it. During this busy construction time when the directors were picking up building materials and involved with the construction efforts, a core group of volunteers (specifically: Debbie Davis, Kris Fagin, Carl Jahn, Catherine Kasper, Aly Ottermeier, Jane Powers, and Charlie Powers) saw to the daily care of the Center's patients by working multiple shifts as needed. This core group of people kept the Center together while the building progressed.

In 1993, Eagle Scouts built the 30- x 30-foot songbird cage, the 60- x 30-foot flight cage, and waterfowl cage (complete with a 4-foot deep fiberglass pool that drains out the bottom). In 1995 and early 1996, Eagle Scouts built a pond system for the 30- x 30-foot songbird cage, and a pole barn for orphaned and injured deer.

Over time CWC has upgraded the Clinic to include a radiograph (x-ray) machine and an anesthesia machine so diagnostics and surgery can be performed on site. The laboratory area is equipped with hematocrit centrifuge, microscope, culture incubator, and bacterial strains.