| |
Internet Use Helps
Rehabilitate Local Wildlife
|
Imagine every time you did a search on
the internet you helped an injured
wildling. Sounds too good to be true,
but it is true. With each search you
make on
GoodSearch.com , one cent goes to a
registered school or nonprofit, one of
which is Wildlife Works Inc., a local
wildlife rehabilitation organization.
It may not sound like much, but those
pennies add up quickly. “With 50
individuals doing five searches/day for
a year, we can raise nearly $1,000,”
stated Beth Shoaf, senior rehabilitator
of WWI. WWI volunteers have treated more
than 7,200 wildlings since its inception
in 1993. With an average release rate of
56%, well above the national average,
more than 4,000 wildlings have been
released locally.
For WWI every penny counts. Volunteers
puts a lot of effort into raising funds
– dances, ticket sales, walks, mail
appeals, newsletters, and speaking
engagements. “It’s hard work, and much
of the work falls on already over-worked
animal care volunteers,” shares Shoaf.
“Raising money without spending a cent
or a minute of effort is just mind
boggling. All we need to do is get the
word out.”
“The good thing about Goodsearch is you
don’t have to sacrifice service for
charity,” explains Shoaf. GoodSearch.com
is powered by Yahoo! and raises money
for charities using a model similar to
paid searches on Yahoo or Google:
Advertisers pay a fee whenever Internet
users click on a given link. According
to Fortune Small Business, last year
search engines generated almost $6
billion through such searches.
Search engines reportedly collect up to
$50 each time somebody clicks on an ad
next to the search results – sometimes
more. Only a few “searchers” actually
click on an advertisement and thus
generate income for the site. GoodSearch
averages only about two cents in revenue
for each search conducted and donates
half to charity.
GoodSearch was founded by Internet gurus
Ken Ramberg and his sister, JJ. When
their mother struggled with cancer they
saw the need health organizations had
for funds to continue their research.
They combined their professional
experience with the need and came up
with GoodSearch.com.
GoodSearch users need not worry about
the site collecting potentially
sensitive information about their
charitable endeavors, because the
company does not require users to
register or otherwise identify
themselves.
Wildlife Works Inc. is asking everyone
who values local wildlife to use
GoodSearch.com as their default search
engine with the selection of Wildlife
Works (Youngwood). The goal is $1000
this year but could be much more
depending upon the public’s response.
“It’s a great fundraiser. People can
give just by changing a default on their
computers,” adds Shoaf.
WWI is also in need of animal care
volunteers. Animal care volunteers must
be at least 18 years of age, receive a
minimum of 16 hours of training, and
commit to a four hour shift each week.
For more info, call 724-925-6862.
|
|
 |
Articles
|
|
|
|
