A major attribute of the true "parrot head" is a love of environment and wildlife. We as members of the Parrot Heads of Puget Sound (PHOPS) participate in a variety of environmental and community service projects geared at preserving our environment and wildlife habitats. We have provided support in grounds keeping out at the wolf preserve known as Wolf Haven International in Tenino, WA, participated in Stream Team clean-ups, Adopt-A-Highway programs, and Beach Clean-ups located around the Puget Sound area. We have provided support for Nancy’s Secret Garden located in Key West, FL… this preserved acre in Key West is home to natural flora, fauna and a parrot rescue/adoption program. Our PHOPS MOTM goers had the opportunity to see this ‘garden’ and personally interact with the birds of the Secret Garden and 24 parrots brought from Pinellas Park, FL (compliments of Parrot Celebrations, e-mail: kpickron@tampabay.rr.com) for the purpose of educating all of us about parrots.

We also support the environmental education of our 'keets through interactive learning programs while camping or through other programs offered by wildlife adoption groups. Currently, we have officially adopted an endangered West Indian Manatee located around the Tampa Bay, FL area, and a Killer Whale, aka Orca Whale, here in the Puget Sound area of the San Juan Islands, WA. To view the profiles of our adoptees, please click on the links.

Pediatric Interim Care Center
233 South 2nd Ave
Kent, WA 98032
(253) 852-5253

http://www.oz.net/~picc/

Pediatric Interim Care Center, or PICC, is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1990 in response to the growing number of drug affected, medically fragile infants born in the State of Washington. This need prompted the medical and social welfare communities to seek a medically safe interim care center for these infants.

PICC offers a homelike, loving atmosphere for these babies. Our 24-hour, medically supervised care for each baby is customized and personalized depending on the specific drugs the mother used. The baby’s condition at birth and other health factors, such as prematurity also factor in. PICC has developed state-of-art medical and therapeutic handling techniques to ease the suffering of the little one.

Additionally, PICC works with the caregivers (parents, relatives and foster parents), training them on baby care and how to manage the home environment once the baby leaves the center, usually after 32 days. A 24-hour support phone line and private family visiting area is also available.

To date, PICC still remains the only center of its kind in the United States! This past year we treated babies mostly affected by cocaine, amphetamines and heroin. Since opening our doors, PICC has cared for over 1,400 drug-affected infants. The center is very cost effective. We are able to care for our babies for about $145.00 per day compared to hospital stays which can average $2,700.00 to $3,700.00 per day. To date, we have saved the taxpayers of Washington State nearly 23 million dollars!

Make A Wish
107 Cherry Street, Suite 305
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 623-5300

http://www.makeawishwa.org

The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America was founded in 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. A small group of people helped a young boy with cancer achieve his wish - to be a state trooper for a day. Since that time, the Foundation has grown into the largest and most professional wish granting organization in the world with 80 chapters in the United States and its territories, and 20 international affiliates on five continents. Nationally, more than 73,000 wishes have been fulfilled for children with life-threatening illnesses and is supported by over 18,000 volunteers

Nancy’s Secret Garden
One Free-School Lane
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 294-0015

http://www.hurricanecenter.com/SecretGarden/HTML/frameset1.htm

In 1994, Nancy Forrester opened her garden, the last acre of undeveloped land in Key West, to the public. Here the Visual Artist provides a home to an extensive tropical horticultural collection, including more than 150 different species of Palm Trees as well as a refuge for more than a dozen Exotic Birds, most of whom were previously pets who could no longer be cared for appropriately. The garden is also home to several cats, reptiles & frogs.

The beautiful garden is nestled between Elizabeth and Simonton streets to the east and west and Fleming and Southard to the north and south in the heart of Key West, Florida and is open to the public from 10:00am – 5:00pm each day. Our support helps Nancy to care for the birds and to maintain this last little slice of paradise.

Starlight Foundation:
4536 150th Avenue N.E.
Redmond, WA 98052
(866) 236-6379 (toll free)

http://www.starlight-washington.org

Founded in 1983 by actress Emma Samms and motion film producer Peter Samuelson, Starlight Children's Foundation has touched the lives of hundred of thousands of seriously ill children and their families in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia by enhancing their ability to cope with the stress of illness and treatment by:

- Minimizing the child's feelings of fear and isolation in the hospital setting through innovative entertainment therapies, such as placing Starlight Fun Centers in area hospitals.
- Providing opportunities for the child and family to gain a sense of renewal through shared family activities, by way of wish granting experiences that include family vacations, special gifts and celebrity visits.
- Helping families reconnect with the everyday joy of life through recreational activities such as special events and community programs.

On October 8th 2001, PHoPS sponsored a party that was organized by The Starlight Foundation and thrown at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma. PhoPS Phriend Scott Bryan played Buffett tunes to a large group of kids and parents in the lobby area, and then went room to room playing for the kids who couldn't be moved, including the Intensive Care Unit. Scott's music brought smiles to so many little faces that evening.

KCTS
401 Mercer Street
Seattle, WA 98109
(206)728-6463

http://www.kcts.org

Wolf Haven International
3111 Offut Lake Road
Tenino WA 98589
(360) 264-4695

http://www.wolfhaven.org

Wolf Haven International is known throughout the world as a premier wolf facility and educational center, providing lifelong sanctuary for captive-born gray wolves. Each year, over 25,000 visitors tour their beautifully landscaped wolf sanctuary and are educated about these truly magnificent animals. Wolf Haven is also a pre-release facility for the federal Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program. Wolf Haven is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is supported entirely by private contributions.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centers
100 Fairview Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
(206)667-5000

http://www.fhcrc.org

One in two American women, and one in three American men will be diagnosed with cancer. The Hutchinson Center is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a cause for human suffering and death.

Northwest Harvest
P.O. Box 12272
Seattle, WA 98102
1 (800) 722-6924

http://www.northwestharvest.org

Northwest Harvest collects and distributes food to approximately 300 hunger programs in Washington State without tax dollars or fees of any kind. In an average month, over 434,000 services are provided to individuals and families in need. Nearly half of these services go to children.

911 Fireman’s Fund
International Association of Fire Fighters

Set up by the International Association of Firefighters (Recommended by Dave Monahan - this is PHoPS charity of choice for the 9/11 tragedy).

http://www.iaff.org/

Toys For Tots

http://www.toysfortots.org

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is the Marine Corps' premier community action program and the only charitable endeavor within the Department of Defense which reaches outside the military establishment to give something back to the communities from which the nation draws the young men and women who wear the uniforms of the armed services of the United States.
Over the past 53 years, the U.S. Marines have distributed over 272,000,000 toys to 133,000,000 needy children throughout the nation.

Artificial Reefs of the Keys (A.R.K.)

http://www.bigshipwrecks.com

ARK is committed to sinking the Vandenberg off the coast of Key West, FL to create the largest artificial reef in the world.
This new artificial reef will be used as an underwater classroom, a fish haven, and a fantastic recreational scuba diving site for all divers