2025 did not happen like I thought it would, but it’s hard to direct Life into a certain trajectory or vision.
I knew in 2024 that I was burned out, and I had to stop. Overwintering opossums in 2024 meant even though I was burned out I had to keep going until they were released.
My “year off” didn’t start until March and my nervous system didn’t start to relax until August. I do feel ready to tackle 2026 but I’m honestly not fully recovered from 11 years of non-stop rehabbing.
I did do a lot of non-rehab related things in 2025, and ended up doing a lot of rehab related things, anyways.
Accomplishments 2025
- Mentored 4 new potential rehabbers, all of whom achieved their license and will be ready for baby season 2026
- Participated in a research study on SARS-Covid in wildlife
- Created a video tutorial series for new rehabbers on triage and enclosure configuration
- Presented “The Amazing Opossum” for homeschool students
- Attended 6 Zoom programs or classes on topics ranging from Medical Management of Insectivorous Bats to “Top ten tips for taking wildlife calls”
- Kept up with this blog!
- Attended a “Bat Blitz” in October, mist netting and documenting bats in the greater Savannah area
- Still managed to take in 78 animals, starting January 3 with a Brazilian Freetailed bat, all the way through to late November, when I received an injured opossum
- Intakes- 6 bats, 3 rabbits, one squirrel, one pigeon, and 68 opossums. I was able to transfer many of the opossums to the newly licensed rehabbers but most came back here for pre-release
- I applied for and received a scholarship to attend the National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association Symposium in February, 2026
- Started the online class “Wildlife Rehabilitation-Basic Skills” because even though I’ve been doing this a while, new information and best practices come out, and knowing more means I can be a better mentor
- Signed up for “Wildlife Rehabilitation-Advanced Skills” but haven’t started that yet. Both courses are pre-requisite for a hands-on lab at the Symposium
- Continued to fundraise and had vestibules added on to 2 enclosures with plans (and the funding!) for privacy fencing and a new 10’x16′ enclosure
- Commissioned a new logo (stay tuned!)
- Crocheted 50 tiny opossums to sell at my booth at Bear Hollow’s festive Deck the Hollow event. I’m grateful to be able to partner with Bear Hollow, a zoo for non-releasable native wildlife
Things were happening all the time, all year- here is a highlight from each month!
To sum it all up!
There’s so much to look forward to and so many opportunities for growth in 2026. The opportunity to mentor and assist new rehabbers- Josalyn Snyder, Maggie Haden, Kassidy Osborne and Scarlet Lewis showed me my strengths and weaknesses. I’m thankful for their help and my volunteers Kevin Yang, Rich Bergins and Ashley Kennedy who continued to volunteer their time and energy.
I’m especially grateful for the new rehabbers in my area who can now better meet the need for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. It’s not going to be just me, or just me and one other person.
I am indebted to the people who launched birthday fundraisers and other fundraising opportunities during a year where I still had expenses even if I wasn’t open for intakes. I rely solely on donations and my own money to run Primarily ‘Possums and receive no financial support from the state or federal government, despite being licensed by both.
I tried to make the best of my time off and I feel like I did, although taking in 78 animals was definitely breaking my own rules.
I appreciate everyone who spreads the word that there is help for injured and orphaned wildlife, and especially the people who DO something instead of assuming someone else will.
‘Grateful’ and ‘gratitude’ aren’t strong enough words to express everything I feel for my community of friends, finders, donors, transporters, champions, volunteers and colleagues. I am humbled by your continued faith in me and belief in my mission to help and heal our native Georgia wildlife…and the people who care about them.
2025 Sabbatical