Lark for The Arc V

Yes, it's time to take the fifth… the 5th Lark for The Arc, that is. On May 11, David White, Special Project Director at The Arc of the Piedmont, will be wandering in the weeds again counting birds while participating in the local Spring Bird Count here in the Charlottesville area. The information gathered will be used to augment local knowledge regarding the ebb and flow of our various species.

While he will be contributing to local science, he will also be collecting pledges based on the number of species he identifies that day and thus contributing to another passion of his… and that is the people with intellectual disabilities (ID)and developmental disabilities (ID) that are supported by The Arc of the Piedmont, a 58 year-old 501-c-3 charitable organization that is home and family to people with ID and DD who are among our most vulnerable citizens and neighbors.

As each species of bird has its characteristic colors and songs so, too, do the people supported at The Arc have their own feelings, emotions and other unique characteristics which identifies each of them as a person and a personality. Birds have the Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy to represent them; the people that The Arc represent and support have many needs but few advocates working on their behalf. The Arc is the nation's leading agency doing this work, providing direct services and doing advocacy at every level. Funding is always precarious and The Arc depends on public support to augment its efforts.

So White is asking that YOU consider making a tax-deductible donation to The Arc based on his efforts, e.g., $1 for each species identified on Count Day, or any amount of your choosing per species. You should know that, on average, White has identified about 75 species per count over the past five years. Of course, for the non-gamblers amongst you, a flat amount donation of any size is extremely helpful and will be very much appreciated.

Dan, another Arc volunteer, and White will be out in the elements, whatever they might be, counting for a cause. Knowing that they have your support will be their antidote to the ticks, snakes, rain, hail, rabid racoons and other assorted obstacles that they are sure to encounter. We hope that you take some pleasure from their discomfort and actually enjoy making your gift knowing that they are suffering for our friends at The Arc.

If you are so inclined you can send a check made out to The Arc to the address below or you can use your credit card to make a secure on-line donation via PayPal at this website. After the count, and after the last ticks are picked, White will circulate the species count logged for the day. All The folks at The Arc thank you for considering this request for their cause!

For questions or concerns, please contact David White at The Arc, 43-977-4002, ext. 136, or via his Arc email: dwhite@thearcofthepiedmont.org but please do not tweet ☺. Thank you very much.

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