Friends and Supporters of Romeo the wolf!
The Black Wolf Project needs your support. If you found your way to this link, you are probably familiar with the saga of Romeo, the sociable wolf who for six years interacted with dogs and people near the Mendenhall Glacier. His unique, distinctly Alaskan story has become interwoven with Juneau’s history, part of who we are. Consider that two city streets, a coffee, a beer, and a bar have been named in his honor; and a bronze plaque near the glacier memorializes his time among us. His image hangs in hundreds of homes, and has graced magazine covers. He’s the subject of several books, and each year, tens of thousands of people from around the world hear his story from tour guides.
You may be aware of the project to create a high quality interpretive exhibit inside the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor center. A superb wildlife artist, a top museum exhibit designer, the state of Alaska, the U.S. Forest Service, the Juneau Community Foundation and a committee of citizens are involved in this endeavor. The exhibit will consist of a museum-quality taxidermy mount of the wolf reclining on a rocky outcropping on the northeast wall of the visitor center, in a relaxed, familiar pose. His recorded howls, a bronze imprint of a footprint, and two interpretive panels will be part of the exhibit as well. The installation is scheduled for completion by November 30, 2016, and will be a long-lasting and unique asset, promoting both community pride and tourism. No less important is the symbolic work Romeo has done, and will do, for wolf advocacy, both in Alaska and beyond. Much work for the exhibit has already been completed, but we need to raise enough to fund the work that remains.
Currently, we are more than halfway to our funding goal. We have raised more than $20,000, most of it from private citizens in amounts that average under $50, but with several generous donors pitching in far more. Princess Cruises has donated $2500, and a private citizen has recently pledged an equal amount. Another $15,000 is needed to complete the project. We are hoping that Juneau residents, as well as businesses and corporations doing business in Juneau, will step forward and contribute generously to make this project a reality. The suggested conduit for charitable donations (IRS tax-free documentation provided) is the Juneau Community Foundation (JCF).
While National Forest Service regulations do not allow donor names to be listed at the exhibit, very public and specific thanks will be made to acknowledge significant donors.
In your decision to give, please consider the lasting legacy of Romeo the wolf—both to Juneau residents and to visitors. His time among us was a defining moment in the life of our community, and will be for decades to come.
And the wolf we knew and loved will also live on to help change public perceptions of wolves in Alaska, the U.S., and worldwide.
Sincerely,
Nick Jans—Chairman, Black Wolf Committee
