Additional free online educational programming offered by the International Wolf Center
Free WolfLink programs, webinars, storytimes and reading resources are part of the efforts undertaken by the Center, which will remain closed through April
Contact: Chad Richardson, Communications Director
Email: chad@wolf.org
Phone: 763-233-7138
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Additional free educational programming about wolves is being offered by the International Wolf Center. These programs come as more students from across the United States find themselves at home instead of the classroom to fight the spread of COVID-19.
Efforts include free webinars, complete lists of resources and even morning preschool storytimes on Facebook Live.
“We know there’s great demand for opportunities to learn from home,” said the Center’s Executive Director, Grant Spickelmier. “We’re excited we can step up to help. It’s because of our support from members and donors across the world that we’re able to offer these programs at no charge.”
The programs are vital to the Center’s efforts to spread science-based wolf information during the current pandemic. The Center’s location in Ely, Minnesota, will remain closed to the public until about May 8 in accordance with recommendations from the state’s governor.
The Center will continue to monitor the situation and will post updates to its website at wolf.org.
“Our staff is eager to keep teaching the world about wolves, even as our facility in Ely is closed,” Spickelmier said.
Friday pack update webinar
After a successful launch last week, the International Wolf Center will be offering another free Wolf Care webinar this Friday at 9 a.m. Central Time and every Friday this spring.
To watch the weekly webinars, watch wolf.org for the most recent link. Links for these webinars are posted near the top of the homepage.
A free download of Zoom software may be required.
These webinars feature updates on the Center’s pack of ambassador wolves.
Books and videos list
Want your kids to stop playing video games for a while? The Center’s outreach department compiled a complete list of age-appropriate videos and books. That list can be found on the Center’s website at https://bit.ly/wolfbooks.
Included are publicly available videos on PBS and YouTube, plus book recommendations for preschoolers, elementary school students and middle school students through adults.
Wolf storytime
For our youngest pack members – the Center’s education staff will be holding a weekly preschool storytime featuring an appropriate wolf book. These broadcasts will be held on Mondays at 10 a.m. Central Time with the first one on Monday, March 30. These will be shown on the Center’s Facebook page through Facebook Live. That page can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalWolfCenter/.
Closing update
The International Wolf Center’s location in Ely, Minnesota, will remain closed until June 1 in accordance with recommendations from the state’s governor.
The Center will continue to monitor the situation and will post updates to its website at wolf.org.
Wolf Care
A small team of dedicated staff members are continuing to provide care for the Center’s ambassador wolves even during the closing.
How can you help?
Additional programming efforts such as these come with considerable expense. While the Center takes on these efforts, it is doing so as its interpretive center in Ely, Minnesota, which is closed to the public because of the coronavirus. The interpretive center accounts for a significant share of the Center’s revenue every year and its indefinite closing presents a unique challenge.
“We are looking for additional supporters to join us now as we continue to push out free programming to those who need it,” Spickelmier said. “We need our whole pack working together to face these challenges.”
To make a one-time donation, or a recurring gift, visit https://wolf.org/support/donate-options/.
Membership in the Center is also available and includes a number of benefits, including an annual subscription to International Wolf magazine. To learn more about membership, visit https://wolf.org/support/membership/.
