This picture was taken back in the Fall of 2010, when we first met Luna.
When Telus started their FaceBook campaign earlier this Spring for their next Telus Critter, I jumped on board and voted for the Saw-whet Owl daily. I was delighted when the owl made the top three and eventually won. Little did I know at that time how much closer I was, and about to become with the new face of Telus.
The Muskoka Wildlife Centre is a favorite nature/animal park of ours, giving a home to native wild animals that for one reason or another are not able to be returned to the wild. They also have an educational outreach program and some of the animals are used for that. It's a wonderful place to spend some time and we do, a few times a year.
Luna, an adorable little Saw-whet Owl lives there, and we first met her last Fall. I was happily surprised when I found out Luna was auditioning for the lead in the new Telus TV and print ads and thrilled when she got the role! An owl that I "know" was going to be seen on televisions and billboards all over Canada in the coming months.
I was delighted when the Saw-whet Owl won the Telus campaign!
But our relationship with Luna is even a little closer now. When we decided we were going to sponsor an animal that lives at the Muskoka Wlidlife Centre, Luna was our first choice for a few reasons. One, she's an owl, and we all know I got a thing for owls, and two, her name, Luna, means moon and is also the name of one of my favorite Harry Potter characters.
It was not to be, as Luna was already sponsored. We happily sponsored a female Barn Owl named Silo instead, and will continue to do so. On one of our visits to the centre last year we mentioned that if Luna's sponsor didn't re-sponsor her, that we would like too.
With all the Telus excitement surrounding Luna the last couple months, we were shocked when we recently received and e-mail from the centre asking us if we were still interested in sponsoring her, as she wasn't re-sponsored. I was literally jumping up and down with excitement, you would of thought they were e-mailing to give me money, not ask for it!
Of course we said yes.
Someone asked me recently what we get for sponsoring. Not much, a 8x10 photograph, a sponsorship certificate, and depending on the organization a tax receipt. That's not why I do it. It's the feeling I get and carry with me. We sponsor four owls now at three different organizations, and knowing that I am helping them and a cause that I am so passionate about is worth the sponsorship fees, that and a whole lot more.
Luna doing a photo shoot outside the centre in January 2011. Rob was able to sneak a picture when we came across them.
We're heading up to the Muskoka Wildlife Centre to "visit" Luna on Saturday and get our sponsorship package, and I know that when I see her I will feel a little jolt of excitement, not just because she's so cute, but because in a round about way we're a part of her life, and that makes us very happy.
Look for her Telus ads starting next month.
6 comments:
What a cutie!
Is that where we're going in the fall?
Yes it is Teena. :)
I met Luna when she was brought to a children's education conference in North Bay in October. Saw Whet owls are now my fav bird. She is the cutest thing i ever "saw". I want to visit her soon at the muskoka wildlife centre. I wanted to steal her and keep her bc she is so cute, but when I learned feeding her means cutting a mouse in half I decided they can keep her an I will b satisfied with just visiting. I hope to buy a picture of her for my wall.
I have some excellent photos of Luna taken at the Muskoka centre. I would give one to you free of charge. You can contact me via my web site peterkburian dot com.
Fun fact for you, My mom and I are the ones who brought Luna into the Wild Life Centre! She ended up flying into the side of our house and breaking her wing in Woodville, Ont. My mom spent her entire day off looking for a reserve that would take her. The Muskoka Wild Life Centre is the only one she could find.
By happenstance driving by the Wild Life Centre a couple years after the fact, we stopped in to see how Luna was doing, and thats when the Wild Life employee told me the story about how Ms. Luna became the famous face of television!
That`s amazing! Thanks for sharing.
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