The Art Club of Zephyrhills has not let the COVID-19 pandemic slow it down, as it continues to stay busy helping others through art projects.
Club members have been hard at work — painting at home — to create animal portraits for the Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary of Punta Gorda. The portraits will be on display around the sanctuary for visitors to enjoy.
The art club presented and donated more than 20 animal portraits to the sanctuary, at its April 12 meeting, at the First Baptist Church, on Fifth Avenue in Zephyrhills. Laurie Caron, sanctuary director; Jacky Krohn, assistant director; and Jim Butz, regional coordinator were there to accept the paintings.
Octagon Wildlife is a nonprofit 501(3) charity that rescues exotic animals and also serves as a learning facility. These animals are no longer needed or wanted, and many times have been mistreated.
For more than 40 years, the sanctuary has been a retirement home for many exotics. Its resident animals include bears, lions, tigers, primates, wolves, macaws, tortoise and others.
There are volunteer opportunities and animal sponsorships available for anyone who would like to help Octagon Wildlife.
The sanctuary also accepts donated materials such as tools and fencing, and cash or gift certificates.
For information, visit OctagonWildlife.org.
Published April 28, 2021
