Community Spotlight: Volunteer Award Recipients, Kerry Sharp and Olivia Yang

As we welcome 2025, we are thrilled to recognize Kerry Sharp and Olivia Yang with the Soaring Volunteer Award for their invaluable contributions to Piedmont Wildlife Center.

Kerry has been a cornerstone of the PWC community for 15 years, dedicating his time to caring for our Ambassador Animals. “Spending a couple of quality hours each week with the Ambassador Animals and providing food, water, and a clean environment for them was a much-needed break from my regular job of meetings, calls, chats, and emails,” Kerry shared. As a busy Project Manager at IBM, volunteering offered him a chance to unwind. "I just feel best when I’m with animals," he said. His weekly animal care shifts, training of new volunteers, and even sheltering animals during severe weather highlight his devotion. “I love getting to know the personalities of each animal and what makes them unique and special,” he added.

Olivia has volunteered with PWC for six years, contributing to animal care, outreach, and volunteer training. Inspired by her love of wildlife and conservationists like Jane Goodall, Olivia enjoys teaching kids about our Ambassadors at outreach events. Volunteering alongside her father, Dr. Yang, has made her experience even more meaningful. She describes him as a mentor, sharing how he often teaches her about animal behavior during their animal care shifts. Together, they’ve explored each animal’s feeding and exercise habits, strengthening her passion for wildlife. Olivia plans to study biology in college, focusing on neuroscience and animal behavior. “This award encourages me to continue making a positive impact,” she said.

We are deeply grateful for Kerry and Olivia. Please join us in congratulating them on their well-deserved recognition!

Warm Wishes and Festive Photos to Brighten Your Day!

This holiday season, we’re celebrating the connections that make life meaningful—the bonds we share with each other, our community, and the natural world.

At Piedmont Wildlife Center, connection is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to connect people with nature, whether it’s through the quiet moments of meeting an Ambassador Animal up close, the excitement of a camper identifying animal tracks in the woods, or the teamwork of our dedicated volunteers who contribute to the care of our raptors, reptiles, and mammals. Every interaction we foster strengthens the bond between people, nature, and community, creating a brighter, more hopeful future for all.

As the holiday season unfolds, we’re sharing a festive scene with a few of our Ambassador Animals—Shelly, Basil, Bob, Wilbur, and Pumpkin—surrounded by a Lego Holiday Village lovingly built by our Executive Director, Nick DiColandrea, and his kids. It’s a joyful reminder that the simplest moments—like spending creative time with loved ones—are often the most special of all.

From all of us at Piedmont Wildlife Center, we wish you a holiday season filled with joy, peace, and the simple pleasures that bring us together!

Community Spotlight: Uliana Gutierrez, Wildlife Conservation Intern

PICTURED: Uliana Gutierrez and Willow, our Red-Shouldered Hawk

As the cool winds of late autumn usher in the winter solstice, we're excited to spotlight Uliana Gutierrez, our Fall 2024 Wildlife Conservation Intern!

Uliana is working toward an associate degree in Science and plans to transfer to NC State University to study Wildlife Conservation. Though she initially completed a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics, her passion for nature inspired her to pursue a career in conservation.

Uliana’s motivation for applying for the internship at PWC stems from her belief in the organization’s mission to connect younger generations with nature. She shares, “Fostering appreciation for wildlife is the key to ensuring a sustainable future for our planet.” Her time at PWC has allowed her to engage directly with North Carolina’s native wildlife, which has been a dream come true for Uliana.

Throughout her internship, Uliana made valuable contributions to the care of our Ambassador Animals. She prepared diets for our reptiles, mammals, and raptors, designed and implemented enrichment projects—including dynamic perches for our raptors—tracked turtles for our ongoing box turtle research study, and more.

Reflecting on her time at PWC, Uliana shares, “I’m proud of how quickly I learned everything and how I’ve been able to pass that knowledge on to our incredible volunteers.”

When asked about her future, Uliana says, “My dream is to specialize in animal care and conservation. As long as my work contributes to conservation efforts, I’ll feel fulfilled.”

We’re incredibly grateful for Uliana’s hard work, compassionate nature, and the lasting impact she’s made during her time with us. We’re confident that wherever her journey takes her, she’ll continue to make remarkable contributions to wildlife conservation!

We Flew By Our Giving Tuesday Goal—Thanks to You!

Each day, we are inspired by the immense generosity and thoughtfulness of our community, and this Giving Tuesday has left us absolutely astounded.

Together, we raised an incredible $10,047.65. We flew by our goal of $7,500 and even exceeded our stretch goal of $10,000! Your overwhelming support fills us with gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead.

What does this mean for Piedmont Wildlife Center?

As you may know, 2024 has brought its share of challenges. From losing our cabin to navigating leadership transitions and managing increased veterinary expenses, it hasn't been an easy year. But your generosity is helping to massively bolster our resources and capacity, enabling us to face these challenges head-on and move forward as an organization.

Thank you for believing in our mission and for showing us, once again, the incredible power of community. Whether you’ve been part of our journey for years or just joined, we are deeply grateful for your commitment to nature education and wildlife conservation.

With overwhelming gratitude,

Piedmont Wildlife Center Staff & Board of Directors

A Thanksgiving Message From Our Team

This Thanksgiving, we’re reflecting on the little things that bring us joy—like a good book on a rainy day, barred owl calls, and the support of an incredible community like you.

We made a short video to share what our staff is grateful for this year. We hope it inspires you to pause and reflect on the things that bring you joy, too.

Watch Our Staff Gratitude Video:

From all of us at Piedmont Wildlife Center, thank you for being part of our journey. We’re so grateful for you!