ETS Employees Lend Hand at Mercer County Wildlife Center

April 18, 2012 - PRLog -- TRENTON, N.J.— Nearly 20 employees from Educational Testing Service in Lawrence rolled up their sleeves and spent the day at the Mercer County Wildlife Center April 12 to mend wooden pens and enclosures, repair perches, and spruce up the grounds at the center, which relies heavily on community partnerships. Led by Tracey Goff, volunteer coordinator at ETS, the volunteers tackled the jobs with enthusiasm.

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes dropped by the Center to personally thank the employees from ETS, and to assist staff in administering feed to several baby squirrels that had been displaced from their nest.

The center, which accepted and treated 2,100 birds, mammals and reptiles in 2011, is always seeking individuals who would like to volunteer their time to care for animals brought to the Hopewell Township facility, but also needs supplies, volunteer clerical staff and teams of people such as those from ETS to help maintain the grounds.

The intensive care and triage units are just a segment of the care at the center. The exterior grounds also house other native wildlife, such as owls, hawks, coyotes, fox, eagles and hawks that are further along in their recuperation.

The center is staffed 365 days a year by one full-time licensed wildlife rehabilitator and two full-time assistants and receives more than 12,000 phone calls annually.

“The volunteers who assist our Wildlife Center are indispensable and help us offset the costs of this unique facility,” Hughes said. “Mercer County is grateful to all the volunteers, especially those from ETS who donated an entire day of service. We welcome donations of time, goods and services of any organizations or businesses.”

The Mercer County Wildlife Center, a facility of the Mercer County Park Commission, is located on Route 29, approximately 3 miles south of Lambertville and 12 miles north of Trenton. For information, call Volunteer Coordinator Jane Rakos-Yates at (609) 883-6606 x103.

Photos: 1. County Executive Brian Hughes, right, meets with ETS volunteers, from left, Marie Quinn, Sally Brecht, LaToya McKoy-Horn, Mary Lauko and James Frey.
2. County Executive Hughes administers feed to a baby squirrel at the Mercer County Wildlife Center.

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As New Jersey’s capital county, Mercer County is a center for commerce and culture in the Garden State. Located midway between New York City and Philadelphia, Mercer County’s 13 municipalities are home to more than 366,000 people.