MILFORD, PA — On January 8, a fire broke out in the Delaware Valley Raptor Center and the director’s personal residence at 416 Cummins Hill Rd. Executive Director Bill Streeter said, “I was thawing a frozen pipe and accidently ignited a piece of insulation paper backing which got swept up in a draft behind the wall. It was my fault. Stephanie and I got out OK and we saved the birds being treated indoors as well as our dog. Fire damage was limited to three rooms, but smoke damage has made the home unlivable for at least three months while we rebuild. He continued, “We are insured well, but there will still be losses that we cannot recoup the cost of, including lost program revenue. We are trying to keep doing as many education programs as we can, but everything is much harder because I am no longer on site at Cummins Hill.”

Streeter wrote that he normally does not request extra donations during the year, but this time he is making an exception. He wrote, “Any donations to help us get back up and running as soon as possible will be greatly appreciated. Please write ‘Fire Fund’ on your check made out to DVRC and mail it to 416 Cummins Hill Rd., Milford, PA 18337. If your donation is not acknowledged immediately, be patient... Living in a hotel and commuting back and forth twice a day to feed birds and check on them as well as beginning to coordinate contents removal, demolition, cleaning and reconstruction can be exhausting.”