Itasca enraptured with raptor program
Itasca's raptor program is back on the table.
Roughly 100 passionate adults and children voiced their support for the Nature Center's raptor program Tuesday night and expressed a desire to do whatever it takes to keep it alive.
As a result, village officials will look into ways to keep the program around. They're also accepting community input on ways to fund and support the program.
"I'm sure the board will discuss and take into consideration extending the program," Mayor Gigi Gruber said. "We appreciate this outpour of support for this program."
The village board last week announced it planned to terminate the raptor program, which costs about $100,000, because it's too costly.
Many residents said the raptor program is the jewel of Itasca.
Wood Dale resident Ronald Skleney thinks the raptor program is a huge asset to the nature center.
"It'd be a terrible loss of Itasca and surrounding communities to end the raptor program," he said. "Spring Brook is unique, and as far as I know, is the only public program that allows people to see raptors."
He said in this day and age when children seem to be glued to TVs and video games, there's no substitute for personal encounters like those involving the raptor program.
"I would ask that you consider charging more for your programs and do grant writing," he said. "But please, don't pull the plug on this program."
Lisa Emmett of Itasca was one of many determined residents.
"How can we come together as a group to save this?" she said. "If the cut is going to be inevitable, is there any way that we could get a commitment from you to continue funding the raptor program for one more year until there's some kind of audit?"
Gruber said the board looks at the nature center as something that's been frozen in time and something that's underutilized.
She said the board would continue further discussions about the raptor program and other programs at the nature center, but while thanking the volunteers, emphasized they need the residents' support.