close

Chance to win an original painting of Ozzie the bald eagle offered by CROW

3 min read
article image -
Darrin Grotrian of Bank of the Islands and CROW Executive Director Alison Charney Hussey stand with the painting of Ozzie. PHOTO PROVIDED

Five years ago, Ozzie, the bald eagle, star of the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam and Harriett’s first partner, passed away. In rememberance, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife is holding raffle for a one-of-a-kind Myra Roberts’ painting of Ozzie soaring above Sanibel.

Through the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, Ozzie and Harriett shared their lives and their nest with viewers from around the world. In March 2015, Ozzie was admitted to CROW after suffering a trauma that left him with a broken coracoid, one of the bones in a bird’s shoulder essential for flight. After three months of rehabilitation, he was released back to the wild. In September of the same year, Ozzie was again found unable to fly, presumably from a fight with another eagle, and admitted to CROW. Sadly, infection had already taken hold and despite efforts to save him, he passed away.

To honor the beloved Ozzie, the public can help CROW provide care for bald eagles and all wildlife of Southwest Florida through this fundraising raffle.

Entries to win a 24″x36″ one-of-kind, original painting of Ozzie soaring over Sanibel generously donated by locally-based and nationally-known artist Myra Roberts are now being accepted. The raffle is limited to one entry per person and is $100 per entry. Only 250 entries will be sold and all funds raised will directly benefit CROW’s mission.

“This year has been quite a challenge for so many nonprofits and CROW is no exception. We were forced to cancel two of our fundraisers, Southern Comfort in April and our golf tournament in October, but our patient numbers in the hospital have actually increased,” said Alison Charney Hussey, executive director for CROW, in a prepared statement. “Proceeds from this raffle of Myra’s painting will actually be life-saving funds to our local wildlife. We hope to completely sell out of tickets.”

The drawing will be held on Sept. 29 at 2 p.m. and the winner will be contacted directly and shared on CROW’s social media. The painting is currently on display at Bank of the Islands at the corner of Periwinkle Way and Casa Ybel Road on Sanibel.

To enter the drawing, visit bit.ly/OzzieRaffle. A full list of contest rules can be viewed at crowclinic.org/articles/official-contest-rules.

Established in 1968, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife is a teaching hospital saving the sick, injured and orphaned native and migratory wildlife of Southwest Florida and beyond. Through state-of-the-art veterinary care, public education programs and an engaging visitor center, CROW works to improve the health of the environment, humans and our animals through wildlife medicine. For more information, or to plan your visit, go to www.crowclinic.org. If you find an animal that is in need of help, call 239-472-3644 ext. #222.