My story began a little over a year ago when I met an older man who seemed to have a love for birds. He had opened his property to be used as what I thought was a type of bird sanctuary and rescue. He shared with me how he could no longer keep the place going on his own so I decided to volunteer to run the facility. I spent 60-70 hours a week free of charge rebuilding, recruiting volunteers and donations as well as feeding and caring for the almost 40 birds he had at the time.
As the months went on I got a few steady weekend volunteers and we all became friends. He was a grouchy man with a very foul mouth but we did our best to ignore most of it for the good of the birds. But as things progressed he became more verbally and mentally abusive running off many of the volunteers. He would even curse and yell at young teenagers who were volunteering calling them sorry and lazy with a few other colorful words added in. This became a normal reaction when someone did not know or understand exactly what or how to do what he asked of them. As I began to see his true colors my concern became for the birds, I felt I had to stay so at least I would know they were cared for properly. Many of the birds that had come into the park were because I promised their owners that I would care for them and love them. Our numbers had grown to almost 100 birds and I owed them my time and love regardless of what I was being subjected to.
He then decided we should become a Limited Liability Company so we did. He was listed as manager while myself and two other ladies were listed as managing members. As this progressed I could see His lack of concern for the birds best interest being taken over by what was in his best interested. We were told things like tell people what they want to hear so you can get their bird he would lie to them to gain their trust and obtain their bird. He also began separating bonded birds for display purposes even when he was told they had both stopped eating his reply was oh well, theyll get over it! I became appalled by his desire to make a buck rather than do what was best for the birds. I joined this as a rescue and sanctuary while he began telling us we are not in the bird business, we are in the entertainment business!
In August he announced that he was going to be leaving the park to me and that he was no longer going to be involved. He does own the property that the park sits on but he agreed that as long as we kept it running as a bird park we could stay on the property. After this things seemed good for a few weeks and then he became very abusive and always yelling and cursing at me even in front of other people.By late September things had escalated to the point that during a conversation with one of the LLC members, who also volunteered to be our book keeper. He began yelling and cursing just inches from her face when she questioned him about paying people under the table when we were suppose to be an ALL VOLUNTEER Run facility! He then demanded she leave the property and never come back. Two days later he came to me like nothing had happened and wanted me to be the PR person and he would go back to running the park. My only request was that when he disagreed with me that he waits to talk to me until he could discuss it with me and not yell and curse. He paused and then said well I guess you better leave because I will talk to anybody anyway I want to and if they dont xxxxxxx like it that is too xxx xxxx bad! Although he claims I left on my own as you can see he left me with no other choice.
I come to you asking for help not only for myself but for these birds that so many people trustingly placed in my care. I am not adding this for sympathy but just to make one final point. I have a terminal illness that I live with everyday and the main reason I worked so hard for the park was that I wanted to leave this life feeling like I had done something that mattered, something that my two children would be proud of. I wanted them to be able to remember all the hours we spent there together taking care of the birds and what a wonderful experience it was for us all. And now I am angry that despite all the happy times we had there this man has made things so ugly (even in front of my children) that this will no longer be an experience they can look back on when I am gone and smile about.
Please help me to save the birds and to protect the good names of myself and the two other wonderful women who volunteered so much. We dont have the funds for an attorney yet we need legal help so that this man doesnt do more damage as we are on the LLC and liable for the decisions he is making while we are prohibited from stepping foot on the property! May God Bless You All, Thank You!
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