Wendy received some very touching news this week that she would like to share and express our condolences to the family and friends of Jody Joval:

Here is the body of the letter:

From: The Victoria Heart Institute Foundation
To: The World Parrot Refuge

Re: Donations in Memory of Jody Joval

Please find enclosed a cheque in memory of a co-worker and more importantly a very good friend.

Jody had a lot of interests and adventures and shared with us her time with you in Coombs. Jody and her fiancé Todd went on a holiday up Island during Jody's illness and just happened to stop into your refuge when driving by. They were so inspired by the kindness that was displayed to the birds and loved hanging out with the parrots.

They ended up going back and visiting your refuge for a second time. Jody was a great storyteller and she told all that would listen about your organization.

We hope this money can help out a little.

The letter is signed by two of Jody's colleagues at the VHI. Jody's obituary is online so I've taken the liberty of pasting it here:

JOVAL, Jody August 29, 1968 - March 17, 2009 Taken away from us much too early. A daughter, sister, aunt, soul mate and great friend.

Jody battled cancer with 'the eye of the tiger' attitude. She was a great person who put others needs in front of her own. Jody was a nurse at RJH and her passion was quite evident in her daily work. Jody enjoyed fast pitch at Heywood Park where she played with the Victoria Athletics. Besides her dedication to the medical field and her love of sports, Jody was an adventurer. Jody excelled with event organization, putting together game plans, and following through on projects to ensure the happiness of others. While the great staff and volunteers of Hospice were taking care of Jody, she was still organizing another 'event'. We believe she is organizing as we speak.

While we mourn the loss of Jody, we also appreciate that she was able to enjoy a special ceremony with her soulmate Todd. It was a celebration with many special 'toasts', the way Jody would have wanted it. A Celebration of Life Reception will be held at the Arbor Reception Centre of Sands Funeral Chapel at 1803 Quadra Street, Victoria, BC, on Friday March 20, 2009 at 1:00 pm. Flowers are gratefully declined. Donations in Jody's memory may be made to The World Parrot Refuge: PO Box 645, Coombs, BC VOR 1MO 5 3 1 8 4 2

The family also has an online guestbook at this link:

On behalf of the World Parrot Refuge, thank you Jody. We are touched by your thoughtfulness and support, and our hearts grieve.

We are proud to present the following video from Nathalie and Michael, who made the decision to give their beloved feathered family member, Teemu, the benefits of a flock lifestyle at the Refuge. This is a beautiful tribute to their love for Teemu, and for his new home. Thank you Nathalie and Michael!

Natalie and Michael write: This video is dedicated to Teemu (aka "Shoelace"), Wendy and the many dedicated workers, volunteers, sponsors and donors. Thank you for your caring contributions. Witnessing the endless work required to maintain the health and well-being of these intelligent creatures can only be appreciated when one sees it with their own eyes. We truly appreciate this sanctuary you are providing for the hundreds of parrots that are in need, in order that they live freely, amongst their natural flock, for the remainder of their lives.

The Refuge is deeply grateful to staff, volunteers, donors and supporters, who have helped us through the rough times and challenges of 2007. We could not have done it without you, and we hope you'll continue to help us in 2008 to secure this important "Home for Life" for all of our special flocks. There are so many people who don't know about us yet - even the locals on Vancouver Island! Please let your friends know about the Refuge so they can support us too, even if it's just by coming out to visit and say hello. Our flocks love visitors, and so do we! Thank you!

Thank You to all our Supporters in 2007!

We owe a big thank you to Dori Tomra of Prince George, who recently undertook a unique collection drive on our behalf. If you have ever shopped at Canadian Tire you will know that you receive Canadian Tire "money" towards future purchases. Many people don't bother to use this "money", so Dori collected $26.15 of it amongst her friends. This donation will help us to buy four new brooms, a mop, and some scrubbers. These are some of the essential cleaning supplies we go through each month at the Refuge, to keep the parrots' residences clean and healthy.

Perhaps others will be inspired by Dori's efforts to take up similar collections -- to have fun while helping our special birds at the same time. Many thanks to Dori for sparking a creative fundraising effort for the Refuge!

Recently, we received a special virtual adoption request. On the occasion of their upcoming wedding on August 25, 2007, Cheryl Rutherford and her fiance, Chris Seath, are sharing their special day with one of our feathered friends. In lieu of the usual wedding favours, Cheryl and Chris are making a donation towards Buster's virtual adoption! They plan to share Buster's picture, his story, and his home at the World Parrot Refuge with their guests. Thank you, Cheryl and Chris, for creating a unique and caring opportunity to help Buster, and for sharing it with your friends. Everyone at the World Parrot Refuge — staff, volunteers, and parrots alike — wish you all the best on your special day and for a happy, healthy and prosperous life together!

So many people have contributed to helping us make the World Parrot Refuge a true "Home for Life" for so many parrots - whether it be by donating time, money, medical equipment and other supplies, food, toys and more. We'd like to say a heartfelt thank you. We can't do this alone and rely on donations to keep the Refuge going. We hope that we can look forward to your support in years to come - even promoting our needs by sharing this website with other concerned people is a huge help. Thank you!