By Sonia Isaacs
BIRD rescue volunteer ‘Twinnie’ Paula Powers was rushed to hospital this morning (Wednesday, July 27) while filming a segment for a current affairs show.
It was the second hospitalisation for Paula this week (pictured), following an earlier scare after she was verbally abused by an anonymous caller accusing her and sister Bridgette’s seabird rescue rehabilitation service, Twinnies, of being a scam.
Paula’s mother, Helen, said she was devastated by the cowardly attack and the effect it had on her daughter, who has spent her life devoted to the cause of rescuing wildlife alongside Bridgette.
“She collapsed because the (abuser) is still worrying her. She is in SCU now and Bridgette went with her because her blood pressure was going up,” Helen said.
Helen added that she expected the abuser to be charged and they were waiting for Paula to improve before police “followed through” with their investigation.
There has been a tsunami of public support, and a flurry of online and media interest following a desperate appeal for assistance posted by the mother of seabird and wildlife rescue legends, Paula, and Bridgette Powers a.k.a. The Twinnies, to ensure the ongoing viability of their Landsborough based 24/7 rescue facility.
Within a week of posting a Facebook request for followers to support the registered charity with their ongoing operational costs, the grassroots not-for-profit organisation was inundated with thousands of positive reactions and hundreds of comments, with supporters rallying behind The Twinnies to raise nearly $80,000 in the first seven days of the appeal.
Mother of The Twinnies, Helen Powers told GC&M News that while costs to continue to care and feed injured birds continued to go up, another pressing concern was the looming possibility that the service that has been running from the Steve Irwin Way premises for the last 12 years may have to relocate with the news the owner of the premises may wish to return or even sell the property.
“I believe the owner has had the site recently valued at around $1.2 million and may wish to return which means we will need to look for another parcel of land within the next two years.
If we can’t find somewhere to relocate to then we may have to close down – which would be just devasting to the Twinnies and terrible for bird rescue services here on the Sunshine Coast,” said Mrs. Powers.
It has been over 21 years since the now 48 year old Twinnies organised their first animal rescue, and since then the sisters supported by their parents Helen and John, have devoted themselves tirelessly to providing a 24-hour, seven day a week rescue and rehabilitation service for sick and injured native animals and birds.
The charity run service is often the first point of call for local bird rescue with local vets and even Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital entrusting injured birds into the care of the sisters for rehabilitation.
Last year alone, nearly $40,000 was spend on food for the birds, and with costs continuing to sky-rocket, the charity hopes to raise as much as possible to keep afloat.
For more information head to www.facebook.com/twinniespelicans