M&T Charitable Foundation continues Raptors Up Close sponsorship
Posted on October 11, 2018 in Giving
M&T Bank has awarded Hawk Mountain Sanctuary a $5,000 grant from the M&T Charitable Foundation to support the world-famous Sanctuary and its premier weekend program, Raptors Up Close!
"M&T's support for Hawk Mountain dates back to the 1980s, and M&T Charitable Foundation has been a major sponsor of Raptors Up Close for over 15 years," says Director of Development Mary Linkevich.
The popular live raptor show is presented free to the public every Saturday and Sunday during the autumn migration season, when fall foliage and large numbers of migrating hawks, eagles, and falcons draw thousands of visitors from across the state and beyond.
From September through early November, programs are held at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. During spring, the program is held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. from April through June. Each presentation is designed to teach people of all ages about birds of prey and their special conservation needs, and to give visitors the chance to see a live raptor up-close, whether birds are flying at the lookout or not.
"M&T Bank's support helps Hawk Mountain attract new visitors and provide a high-quality outdoor recreation and learning opportunity for the local community,” Linkevich adds.
Recognized as the first refuge for birds of prey, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is the world’s oldest and largest, member-support raptor conservation organization in the world. Its scenic overlooks, mountaintop trails and Visitor Center are open to the public year-round as a nature-tourism site, and Hawk Mountain is well-known as a prime observation point to watch than annual migration of hawks, eagles and falcons. Trail fees, membership dues, gifts and grants support the Sanctuary's global raptor conservation mission, which includes scientific research, professional training, and conservation education programs.
The Hawk Mountain mission is to conserve birds of prey worldwide by providing leadership in raptor conservation science, and by maintaining Hawk Mountain Sanctuary as a model observation, research and education facility. For more information on Hawk Mountain, visit www.hawkmountain.org or call 610-756-6961.