Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge and Cheers Wine & Spirits of Voorhees will hold the Wine & Wildlife event at the Community House of Moorestown on Saturday, July 16, the refuge’s largest fundraiser of the year.
The refuge’s director of development and communications, Tracey Bloodworth, said the event will spread awareness of the facility and feature some of Cedar Run’s own Educational Wildlife Ambassadors: trained birds of prey, snakes, vultures or owls.
“It’s another way to reintroduce or introduce some people who may not have been at the refuge before have kind of like a first-touch point,’’ she said. “Our board, our staff members and our volunteers are all getting together for this event, so it’s like a hands-on experience for supporters to come out.”
The refuge, which is dedicated to the preservation of New Jersey’s wildlife and habitats through education, conservation and rehabilitation, does not receive any local, state, or federal funding, so money raised at the Wine & Wildlife event will help Cedar Run continue its mission through the wildlife rehabilitation hospital, which sees more than 6,300 creatures every year, and educational programs.
“Even though it’s not on the refuge to be able to interact with the staff, the board members and the volunteers all have a big hand in the mission, as well as to raise funds and awareness for our mission that go directly towards preserving and protecting our native habitats and wildlife,” Bloodworth explained.
The refuge is also facing its baby season, the period from spring to early summer when it sees an increase in young animals.
The fundraiser will also feature Jacquelyn Giberson, a certified sommelier for Wine & Wildfire’s VIP tasting, which will feature 75 wine and 50 beer options and a raffle.
Hours for the Wine & Wildlife event are 6 to 10 p.m. and tickets are $75 a person for general admission and $85 at the door. For more information, visit https://www.cedarrun.org/event/wineandwildlife2022/
