Lions and Ringtails and Bears, Oh My!

Yesterday evening I was honored to be invited to join the Northampton Lions Club at their monthly dinner meeting. The Lions presented DPVHS with a portion of the proceeds from their April 26 Dog Walk benefit (the other beneficiary of the event was our host, Look Park).

This isn't the first time I have joined the Lions at their dinner meeting. A few years ago, the Lions chose to honor the memory of the late Michael Giusto with an annual scholarship in his name for one of our staff to attend the training conference of the New England Federation of Humane Societies. One of the best things about attending the meetings of civic organizations like Lions is that you bear witness to the long tradition of service and volunteerism in even the smallest of communities.
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On my way home from the meeting, I came across a small bear wearing a red radio collar. He was ambling across a street in Florence, stopping only to stare down my car as I pulled to the side of the road. He soon disappeared into the trees at the back of a yard. As I drove on along the backroads to my home in Conway, I encountered two raccoons out for their evening stroll. All of this is a reminder that with spring comes more wildlife. Please remember to slow down, especially at dawn and dusk when they are active along roadways. And don't assume they'll know enough to get out of your way. Give them a brake.