MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (SNN) — Ever think you could mini golf your way to saving wildlife? The first-ever “Birdie for the Birdies Putt Putt tournament” plans to do just that.
Mark your calendars for Saturday, Nov. 18 at The Fish Hole in Bradenton. All of the event proceeds go straight to Wildlife Inc. Education & Rehabilitation Center.
Wildlife Inc. has served the community for decades, raising awareness and rehabilitating over 3,000 wild animals every year.
With the rising cost of living, they’re facing some challenges.
They’ve teamed up with Daiquiri Deck in Bradenton Beach to create a wildlife-saving, daiquiri-infused mini golf tournament that will help save animals.
“Prices of all the food, as you can tell when you go to the grocery store, the price of food for us for the animals has gone up too. And we have a lot of sick birds coming in,” said founder of Wildlife Inc. Gail Straight.
Wildlife Inc. said it was slow when they first opened, but now they see somewhere between three and 4,000 animals a year.
“What’s happening is as they keep demolishing the trees and they bulldoze everything, it’s become an issue of where to release anything. More and more things are getting injured because they’re migrating down here and they used to be able to find trees and now they can’t find a place to stop,” said Straight.
The number of animals isn’t the only thing soaring.
“It’s been costing us almost $6,000 on up for the bird of prey food,” said Straight.
Now, they’re looking for private landowners willing to give these critters a safe space to spread their wings.
Wildlife Inc. is teaming up with the Daiquiri Deck in Bradenton Beach for the first annual “Birdie for the Birdies Putt Putt tournament” on Saturday.
There will be a brunch buffet, contests, raffles, and an after party.
“It’s a fun way people get to do mini golf course and it’s a competition at the end. They have some kind of buffet and I’m assuming there will be some daiquiris,” said Straight with a smile.
If you’d like to participate in the mini golf tournament at the Fish Hole in Bradenton Beach on Saturday, general admission is $50.
To register, visit https://www.daiquirideck.com/birdie/Birdie-for-the-Birdies-Putt-Putt-Competition-p591367987.
