Program host, Mary Dula, explained her Happiness Experience as she shared what she is doing to create happiness.  She calls her sister, who has severe dementia, talks with her, tells her how much she is loved and prays with her, even though her sister may call her by the wrong name.  Mary says we all need to reach out to someone who needs us.  

 

Mary introduced her great niece, Allison Terlacher, daughter of Annette and Bob Oborn.  Allison earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Akron and her master's degree in Zoology from the University of Miami (Ohio).  She is an educator at Stark Parks, a system of 10 parks with 100 miles of trails.  She primarily works with the park's injured and orphaned native wild animals at the Wildlife Conservation Center (nearly 2,000 animals are cared for each year!).  Allison shared photos of her adventures with ospreys, tortoises and pygmy elephants in her past employment situations and introduced her pet cockatoo, a native of Australia.

 

Allison commented that we live in a super safe place as far as predators (the really wild things do not live here!).  Our area is an exciting place to watch animals get ready for winter.  The fall bird migration is happening now as over 104 million birds will be flying across the United States.  Information regarding real-time predictions of bird migrations can be found at BirdCast.info.  Local animals will either hibernate, migrate or continue to roam their local habitats during the cold months of the year, depending on food sources and their abilities to stay warm.  True hibernators build up fat reserves now; gradually both their body temperatures and heart rates slow down sufficiently to help them manage the winter weather. 

 

Allison, we thank you for spending time with us and offering words of wisdom:  there is no bad weather for humans, just bad clothing.  Loved your presentation!!!