Hello Parrot Lovers:

Wow! What a year it was for me last year. After crushing my arm in a fall from a ladder, I had to have a metal piece put in to heal it. The recuperation was long and painful, but now, I’m almost as good as new. The toughest part was being in bed and on pain pills while the birds were outside calling me. I had to completely let everything go and realize that the world would have to go on without me.

Being an overachiever by nature, it was hard. I had just accepted responsibility for two more macaws, which were heading for being “put to sleep.” The purpose of a call to the lady who owned them, and subsequently every further call was to only beg her not to kill them, but to keep trying to find them a home because I had no idea when I would be better. The doctor told me he didn’t know if I’d ever be able to use that hand again (naturally, my right hand). About a month later, expecting her to tell me that she had “done the deed,” the lady told me she found a beautiful place for her birds to live with a family that was always home and just loved the birds, kept them out of their cages most of the time, and she could even visit! What a relief!!!!

The realization came with great force that I had not built a sanctuary for these birds and that if not for me, they could end up somewhere in cages. My resolve is greater than ever to do something special for these birds. My stepmother passed on in November. That was also a reminder that life is short, many times, shorter than we expect. Then, my hero, and probably one of yours, too: Steve Irwin. I have never cried over a celebrity before, but to me he was so much more than a celebrity. The one thing that stuck in my brain was the interview where he said that he was put on Earth to make people love wildlife because people save what they love. I believe he accomplished his mission.

I took our Umbrella Cockatoo, Gabriella over to the nursing home today. She was a total ham and loved the special attention and did all her little things that endear her to whoever sees her. At the end of our hour together, I asked if there were any questions. Only one hand went up. “Who are you bringing next week?” was all they wanted to know. Rusty went last week and Myriah went the week before. We’re visiting weekly now and will start spending time at our headquarters at MM99.1 Bayside (at Captain’s Imports) on Thursdays starting in February. Because I can’t pick up anything heavy, I will be bringing two different birds with me each week, not all nine together. This will give those two birds a chance to have some very special time with me and the people who visit us.

World Parrot Mission meetings will start on the first Monday in February, the 5th, we will be meeting at Coral Isles Church in Tavernier, MM90 on the ocean side. The meeting starts at 7 pm, no birds allowed at this meeting, but we will have social outings where the birds can come. I hope to see you there, we need your support.

It’s “Birdies for Charity” time again, our big fundraiser for the year. It is now a World Golf Championship, which means the top 72 players in the world are expected to participate. If you guess the correct number of birdies made by the players in the four days, you could win a prize of $1,000 cash. There are also random prizes of spa packages at Doral, gift certificates, golf equipment, a TV, among them. The number of birdies made this year should be between 800 – 1200. This means that if you pledge .02 per birdie, you will be pledging about $16 - $24. Not bad for a chance to win $1,000! Donations of checks, instead of a pledge must be $25.00 or more. If you would like to donate, please send a check made out to South Florida Golf Foundation – make sure you put on your check: World Parrot Mission, #54 and send it to the World Parrot Mission at 99150 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037. Your donations, as always are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

BONUS: This year, by getting a $25.00 membership to the World Parrot Mission, you have the bonus of getting a guess for the number of birdies made at the tournament and winning $1,000! When you send your check, send a note that you’d like to join for the year. You’ll also need to guess the number of birdies the pros will make. Thanks for your support.

We will be talking about this at our meeting, along with other subjects, like bird behavior classes, “get togethers” with our birds, etc.


I’m so glad to be getting back to life and the parrots. I hope you’ll join us to learn, share and grow! Parrots need us. Our mission is to give parrots a better life and educate the public as to the true nature of these wonderful, intelligent, emotional beings that live as long as we do.

I know it’s a bit late, but HAPPY NEW YEAR! I feel like this will be a great year and I hope you do, too.

Thanks for reading this. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. www.WorldParrotMission.org is our website. My cell phone is 305-393-2808.

Until next time, kiss those birdies for me! Jenifer Dermer

“We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do …. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it.” - Albert Schweitzer: The Philosophy of Civilization.