Local television personality Carol Erickson, a widely known friend to animals of all kinds, has joined Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge’s Board of Directors.
“Carol enthusiastically agreed to join Cedar Run’s Board of Directors, which is a thrilling testimony to how folks are responding in positive ways to the work we’re doing,” said Jeanne Gural, Executive Director of Cedar Run. “The board, staff, volunteers, and I strive for Cedar Run to outlive us all, and having dedicated folks like Carol join us in our efforts is a validation of that work. I am thankful to Carol for what she brings to Cedar Run and our region.”
Erickson is well known to Philadelphia-area residents, having spent more than three decades as a CBS3 reporter, anchor, and meteorologist. She left CBS3 in July 2015 and is now a daily news anchor and show host on BurlingtonCountyTimes.com, BucksCountyCourierTimes.com, and TheIntell.com.
Erickson always has been especially passionate for family pets and other animals. While on CBS3, she included “pet advisories” in her weather forecasts and reported on animal-related stories. She also hosted the popular “ask the vet” segment with Dr. Jerry Geffen for years, which she continues to host on the websites of the newspapers for Calkins Media and Comcast On-Demand. Erickson also earned a diploma in companion animal behavior counseling — canine behavior, from the American Institute for Animal Science, now the American College of Applied Science.
“I am thrilled to be on Cedar Run’s board; it’s a non-profit organization I have tapped into for 30 years for help and advice on the many birds, snakes, and wild animals I have encountered on my own Burlington County property,” said Erickson. “Cedar Run always has helped me, and now it is my turn to help them continue their mission to keep wildlife safe and free, and to educate the public on the importance of native animals and truly open space.”
For her support of animals, Erickson was awarded the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals All-Star Award in 2007, and was an honoree at the PSPCA Good Dogs Gala in 2008. In 2012, she was given the Dog’s Best Friend Award from the Philadelphia Kennel Club, and in 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Lulu’s Rescue.
In 2010, Erickson wrote Not A Used Dog, At All, a book encouraging the adoption of shelter dogs; profits from book sales benefitted local animal shelters and rescue groups. The book won the Best Children’s Book award from the Dog Writers Association of America in 2011.
Erickson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Arizona, and is a certified broadcast meteorologist with the American Meteorological Society, considered the gold standard of accreditation in meteorology. Erickson has been nominated for and received numerous Emmy Awards.
Erickson lives on a farm with pets, including horses, and enjoys watching wild animals cross her property while living in nature. She has a daughter and a grandson.
To learn more about the 171-wooded-acre site surrounding Cedar Run Lake in Medford, including hiking trails, wildlife exhibits, a wildlife rehabilitation hospital, and a Nature Center, visit www.cedarrun.org.
