Welcome to the new GNS community newsletter!

Spring is just around the corner, and as the seasons change, so does the vibrant life within our sanctuary. Here's a peek at what's been happening and what's to come.

In this newsletter: A heartfelt thanks to volunteers and donors, new coops, Emma the emu laid an egg, Fall Festival memories, and how to stay connected!

💖 Heartfelt thanks to volunteers and donors

This month, we've been overwhelmed by the generosity of our community. Volunteers and donors are the core of our success.

A special shoutout this month to the Michael O'Bannon Foundation for their $5,000 contribution, Sherwin Williams for donating $700 worth of paint for our main building, and Alpha Graphics owner Nathan Emens (pictured with his son) for gifting us the first new informational sign in a very long time. Thanks also to Sancho Van Ryan for the sign design. Your support brings life to our mission!

🐦 New coops!

We're excited to announce the addition of new chicken, turkey, and peafowl coops! These new homes are just the beginning of expanding our sanctuary to provide the best care for our feathered friends. Many thanks to San Tan Valley Coops for the new coops and pens.

Did you know? The real names for female and male peafowl are peahen for females and peacock for males. Peafowl refers to both.

🥚Emma the emu laid an egg

As a sanctuary, our mission is to home animals that are surrendered or rescued, so animals that can breed are not kept in the same space. As a result, the egg is not fertile, and it's only the 2nd egg Emma has ever laid, so it will be preserved.

Fun fact! Emus, the second-largest birds by height after ostriches, can lay anywhere from 5 to 15 eggs. These large, dark green eggs each weigh about 1 pound. After laying, it's actually the male emu who takes on the responsibility of incubating the eggs for about eight weeks, without eating, drinking, or leaving the nest.

📸 Fall Festival memories

We hope everyone enjoyed the Fall Festival as much as we did. The memories are still vivid, and we've got some wonderful pictures to prove it! Stay tuned for details about what we're planning for the spring – you won't want to miss it.

🔄 Stay connected

Have you followed our new social media accounts yet? Sign up to get the latest updates, behind-the-scenes looks, and heartwarming stories from the sanctuary. Your support means the world to us and the animals we care for.

As we move forward, your continued support inspires us to make Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary a haven for our animals, as well as a place that our entire community loves to spend time. We're looking forward to sharing more beautiful moments with you!