EAI April eNews

ERNA's Perimeter Fence is Complete!


After four months of non-stop work at Elephant Refuge North America (ERNA), the 30,000 feet of perimeter fence are in! The fence encloses nearly 850 acres of diverse natural habitat, strikingly similar to areas inhabited by wild elephants in Southeast Asia. The rolling hills, pastures, dense woods, lakes and spring-fed streams provide the perfect environment for elephants to be elephants! 
Above: Carol and Java with our Topnotch Construction crew!

Next Up: Fundraising for the Elephant Fence
This specially designed fence will cost $14 per foot, $412,000 in total. The sooner we build the fence, the sooner the elephants will arrive. Select Elephant Refuge North America on the Donate page.

Help Us Make Flat Tires a Thing of the Past!


Clearing overgrown vegetation at ERNA has resulted in continual punctures in our tractor tires. As you can imagine, replacing and repairing huge tractor tires is extremely costly. We cannot go on this way! 
 
So we've decided to do what the big operators do--have the tires filled with foam. Yes--filled with foam. Once the tires are filled, they are PUNCTURE PROOF. 

Unfortunately, it's not cheap. The cost to have both front tires professionally filled with foam will cost $1,767.
 
Click here to help us make flat tires a thing of the past and get Carol back on the tractor clearing pastures! Choose Foam Fill for Tractor Tires on the Donate page. 

Volunteer Days at ERNA:
Three Down, and More to Come!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Volunteer Days at ERNA! Participants traveled from near and far to help us clean up what will soon be an elephant habitat. They tore down old cow fencing and cleaned up debris that was dumped years ago. We're that much closer to being ready to welcome residents to elephant paradise! 


Do you want to volunteer? There's still plenty to do and we'd love your help! Sign up HERE for an upcoming Volunteer Day.
 
If you are unable to volunteer but still want to help, please consider donating items from our Wish List for Volunteer Days. There are many ways to support ERNA and we appreciate them all!


In The News


Local Routes,  a production of WFSU-TV, takes viewers on a weekly journey to interesting sites in northwest Florida and south Georgia. A recent segment of the show went behind-the-scenes at ERNA. Watch it here!

In an article by The Post Searchlight this month, Carol explains why ERNA, like other sanctuaries, will not be open to the public. "It helps eliminate the most negative aspect of a captive elephant's life, which is to be on exhibit," she said. Read the full article here.


Upcoming ERNA Fundraiser


On Sunday, May 21, the Cape Ann Cinema in Massachusetts will sponsor a silent auction fundraiser to benefit Elephant Aid International. A screening of the documentary UNCHAINED will be followed by a Q&A session with Carol Buckley and the film's director Alex Rivera. Tickets are $75 and all proceeds from sales and the silent auction will benefit our Elephant Refuge North America project.  Buy tickets here.
 

UNCHAINED 
Makes the Film Festival Circuit


Thanks to the recent generosity of many, UNCHAINED has been submitted to nine additional film festivals, increasing the chances of the film coming to a location near you! Do you know a festival where you'd like UNCHAINED to be shown? Please send the name of the festival and the application fee to Alex Rivera, the film's director, at alexcrkp@gmail.com. Alex will submit the film and send you a personal acknowledgment of your generosity.

 

Seeking Development Consultant
Elephant Aid International is seeking an experienced development consultant to manage ERNA's fundraising and outreach. You can learn more and apply here.


As always, we greatly appreciate your interest, commitment, and help.
We would not be able to do any of this work without your continued support.