Jennifer Marchigiani of Maine State Rehabbing will address the L-A Rotary at their Aug. 15 meeting.

AUBURN — Jennifer Marchigiani of Maine State Rehabbing will be the featured speaker at the Lewiston-Rotary Lunch Club meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Village Inn, 165 High St.

Marchigiani said animals have always been her passion and it was evident from an early age. She spent her childhood rescuing local wildlife, anything from bees drowning in pools to snakes frightening the neighbors.

Marchigiani was able to turn her dedication into a career when she was trained in birds at the Ruth Melichar Bird Center in Idaho. While in Idaho, she worked at Zoo Boise from 1996 to 1999 where her knowledge was expanded to world wildlife and native wildlife rehabilitation, including the importance of proper nutrition and animal enrichment for all animals, no matter how long they are in captivity.

Marchigiani has since moved back to her hometown of Auburn where she acquired her Maine State Rehabbing license in 2002 and became an official 501(c)3 nonprofit in 2018. She has recently taken on insectivorous bats as her main focus of rehab and specializes in taking in all of Maine wildlife, including triaging birds for Avian Haven.

She said being able to rehab and release animals is an indescribable joy and she looks forward to many more years caring for the local wildlife in the Northeast.

Lunch is available for $14. Guests and visiting Rotarians are always welcome. For more information, go to www.lewistonauburnrotary.org, www.facebook.com/lewistonmainerotary/ or call Club President Celeste Yakawonis, 207-713-7111.


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