Non-profit Wildlife Inc. seeing increase in need

An animal rescue volunteer creates a card game to benefit Wildlife Inc.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

BRADENTON BEACH - Wildlife Inc. volunteer Kellie Sellin Edland combined two of her passions to create a fundraising tool for the non-profit animal rehabilitation organization.

“I love cards and games and I love animals,” said Edland, a Wildlife Inc. volunteer since 2019. “So I had the idea to create the game called Critter Rescue.”

The concept of the game is based on her experiences at the organization.

“Each player takes six animal cards, and then gets six ailment cards and tries to match up the ailment to a cure,” she said.

Animals can be common - such as rabbits or raccoons - or an uncommon flying squirrel or rare fox. They are then matched up with ailments to cure, such as poisoning, injury, sickness or being orphaned. Cures can include surgery, inducing vomiting, medicine or electrolytes.

“It’s an educational game, but it’s also fun,” Edland said. “It shows people what we do here.”

The game is targeted to ages 14 and up and is for two to five players. The purchase price of the game is $25 and a portion of each sale will be donated to Wildlife Inc.

“After the cost of printing the game, all of the profits go to Wildlife Inc.,” Edland said.

“This game makes a great Valentine’s Day or Easter gift,” Wildlife Inc. cofounder Gail Straight said. “And thinking ahead to Easter I would tell people if they buy a rabbit or a chick, not to gift real live animals. Make sure that baby rabbit or chick is made out of chocolate.”

SATURDAY, FEB. 4

Mornings at the NEST, Robinson Preserve Mosaic Nest, 840 Ninth Ave. N.W., Bradenton, 9 a.m. to noon

Arts and Crafts Show, city field, 5901 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Navigation, Florida Maritime Museum

Folk School, 4415 119th St. W., Cortez, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., $10

Ask a master gardener, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Saturday story time, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m.

Paper crafting for adults, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

SUNDAY, FEB. 5

Arts and Crafts Show, city field, 5901 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

MONDAY, FEB. 6

Non-native and invasive plant and animal species talk with Wildlife Inc., Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11 a.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 7

Farmer’s Market, City Pier Park, 103 N. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Family story time, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 10 a.m. Duplicate bridge, Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, noon

Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island meeting, Slicker’s Eatery, 12012 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, 11:30 a.m.

Mah-jongg for experienced players, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 11:30 a.m.

One-on-one tech help, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2-4 p.m.

Movies in the Park, “How to Steal a Million,” City Pier Park, 103 N. Bay Blvd. Anna Maria, 6:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8

Mah-jongg for beginners, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 1 p.m.

AMI Chamber ribbon cutting, howluckyAMI, 5402 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 5 p.m.

Island Time Book Club: “Verity” by Colleen Hoover, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 9

Homeschool Creature Feature: Mangrove Crab, Neal Preserve, 12301 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 10 a.m.

Sunshine Stitchers knit and crochet, Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, 2 p.m.

Friends of the Island Library Lecture and Travel Series: Florida Maritime Museum, Roser Church fellowship hall, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, 2 p.m.

Thursdays in Paradise Stroll featuring local art, music and food, Bridge Street, Bradenton Beach, 5-8 p.m.