Fun and freedom
Carolina Wildlife Care sponsors Purple Martin Cruise at Lake Murray to take purple martins home to Bomb Island
By Mimi M.Maddock Mimi@TheColumbiaStar.com

Joanna Weitzel, executive director of Carolina Wildlife Care

Introduction by Carolina Wildlife Care executive director

On July 26, 2007, at exactly 6:30 pm, the Southern Patriot pushed away from the dock at the Lake Murray Marina. Joanna Weitzel, executive director of Carolina Wildlife Care (CWC) welcomed the 100 guests and explained that the boat would get to Bomb Island at 7:30 pm.

Bomb Island and surrounding islands at Lake Murray were used for bombing practice by pilots in WWII. Some of these bomber crews flew with General James H. Doolittle's Raiders on April 18, 1942, when they bombed Tokyo. Now Bomb Island is a bird sanctuary.

Weitzel said that around 7:45 pm purple martins would begin to come from all directions to roost. At their peak in July there are as many as 700,000 to 800,000 martins coming back to the island. As the birds begin to come in, two purple martins, rescued by Carolina Wildlife on June 4, would be released.

Carolina Wildlife Care

The mission of Carolina Wildlife Care is to establish harmony between humans and wildlife while instilling an appreciation for nature.

These Purple martins were rescued by Carolina Wildlife Care June 4, 2007.

One of the missions of Carolina Wildlife is to treat sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife with the intent of returning them in a healthy condition to their original habitat. The two rescued purple martins had to be fed around the clock. Volunteers at Carolina Wildlife spend hours caring for all kinds of wildlife preparing them to return "home." These birds were two examples of the hundreds of animals cared for by CWC each year.

Back to freedom

While the boat headed for the island, guests enjoyed perfect weather, delicious hors d'oeuvres by Miriam Mills, beverages by Total Wine & More, Lake Murray, photo opportunities, and conversation.

Just as expected, the boat arrived near the island at 7:30 pm. At first one or two martins began flying to the island, then more, then thousands. They came from all directions but the destination was the same.

Weitzel gave one of the purple martins to a sponsor, Roe Young of The Roe Young State Farm Agency. She held the other. At the count of three Weitzel took the wire top off the plastic box she was holding and Young did the same. The guests waited. A rescue boat with several people with nets was near by in case the birds could not fly and fell into the water.

Purple Martin Rescue Boat

Flapping began and out flew the birds. At first they seemed a bit disoriented, but then like the amazing birds they are, the two got in step with their fellow martins, and off they flew to the island. Cheers erupted from everyone. After a successful evening, the boat returned to the marina at 9 pm.

Others who made this event possible were Homeowners Mortgage, Jimmy and Ashley Knight, Shirley G. Wright, and The Southern Patriot.

Carolina Wildlife Care plans to have several of these events in the future. The Purple Martin Cruise for next Tyehae rC woliullm bbeia a Sntnarounced in .

For more information about Carolina Wildlife Care, call 803-772-3994 or visit www.carolinawildlife.org.

Betsy Porter Carolyn Thomas Clyde Flanagan Chuck Duvall Allen Robinson Buzz Lewis Flynn Bowie Lee and Rhett Perry Tom and Rose Burgess This purple martin waits for freedom in his cage on the Southern Patriot.