Events

Current Events, Fundraisers, and Public Educational Programs:

Note about education programs: Our one-hour programs will feature some of our amazing non-releasable animal education ambassadors. We’ll share fun stories, teach history, and provide information on how we can help the wonderful wild animals around us! If you or someone you know is interested in an educational program please email the center at education@swvawildlifecenter.org.)

Buffalo Wild Wings Fundraiser – It’s going to be a great night if you’ve got case of the Mondays (or if you just want to support us)! For one day only from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., 15% of your bill (less alcohol) will be donated to our cause (dine in or take out). Come out to Buffalo Wild Wings on Starkey Road to have a great meal, see some of our wildlife ambassadors, and watch 2 different Monday Night Football games (7:15pm, Buffalo Bills @ the Atlanta Falcons and at 8:15pm the Chicago Bears @ the Washington Commanders)! Just show a physical or digital ticket, like the yellow and black one below, to your server and make a difference for wildlife while having a great time and filling your belly. It’s just that simple!

October 13, 2025
4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Bald Eagle Release @ Smith Mountain Lake Community Park

Please come join us and the Wildlife Center of Virginia for this collaborative effort in conversation to see this Bald Eagle take to skies once more at the Smith Mountain Lake Community Park in Franklin County, VA on Tuesday, October 14th @ 1pm!

This majestic eagle came to us on September 5, 2025, from Rocky Mount, VA, after a fierce territorial fight with two younger eagles. When it arrived, it was utterly exhausted, battered, and so weak it could barely lift its head inside the cardboard box it was transported in.

Our team immediately went to work, and after a few days of much-needed rest and recovery, slowly but surely, this eagle began to regain its strength. After several days of intensive care, it stood tall once again, alert and powerful, ready to stretch its wings. It did present with subclinical levels of lead poisoning, something that is quite serious and all too common for Bald Eagles and other raptors.

When the time came for a test flight in our 50-foot flight pen, it soared beautifully — a clear sign that its recovery was well underway. However, eagles require a minimum 100-foot-long flight enclosure to rebuild the endurance and power they need for life back in the wild.

Due to the ongoing lawsuits from 2 of our neighbors since 2018, we have not been able to build our own large aviary to rehab these larger birds of prey at our facility. So, our good friends at the Wildlife Center of Virginia stepped in to provide those final stages of rehabilitation. After several weeks of flight conditioning and chelation to remove lead from its blood, the eagle was ready to return home!

Now, after a long and incredible journey of healing — two rescues, two hospitals, and hundreds of miles later — this magnificent bird is finally ready to reclaim the skies over Smith Mountain Lake where it belongs.

Please join us and our colleagues at the Wildlife Center of Virginia for this collaborative effort in conservation, and an unforgettable moment as we watch this once-weak eagle soar strong and free again!

Smith Mountain Lake Community Park

October 14, 2025 @ 1 p.m.

YMCA of VT Painting Event – Come watch art come to life! Join world-renowned wildlife conservation artist Doug Hiser as he captures the stunning beauty of Captain Jack Sparrowhawk, our charismatic American Kestrel ambassador! This free, family-friendly event takes place at the YMCA Thrift Store in Blacksburg, VA — don’t miss the chance to see creativity, conservation, and community come together in one unforgettable experience!

Learn more about Doug!

More information can be found on their website: YMCA Blacksburg

October 17, 2025
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Hokie BugFest – We’ll be at Squires Student Center at Virginia Tech to participate in BugFest with a few of our education ambassadors. We plan to discuss the vital role bugs play in our ecosystems and how they are also sources of food for much of our native wildlife. Did you know that without healthy insect populations ecosystems would collapse? Hokie BugFest celebrates the fun and exciting science of entomology, and the Virginia Tech tradition of learning and discovery, through outreach and engagement. This event highlights an ongoing youth education program hosted by the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Virginia Cooperative Extension’s 4-H program, and the department’s student-run professional organization, the W. B. Alwood Entomological Society.

More info about BugFest

October 18, 2025
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (9 a.m. to 10 a.m. is for those with special needs)

Rocky Mount, VA Library Educational Program with Ambassador Meet and Greet – Learn about wildlife rehabilitation and conservation and enjoy a visit from some of our formerly wild education ambassadors. Surprise guests may include raptors, reptiles, or mammals. No registration needed, this is a free public event available to all ages!

More information

October 21, 2025
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Kroger Fundraiser in Blacksburg, VA – Get game-day ready with us at the South Main Street Kroger in Blacksburg, VA before the big Friday night matchup against California! Meet our amazing wildlife ambassador animals, grab a hot dog or some delicious baked goods, and support your local wildlife hospital—all before kickoff!

October 24, 2025
12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Roanoke Explore Park, Educational Program on Nocturnal Animals – Join us at the Roanoke Explore Park for an exciting afternoon all about the nocturnal wildlife of our area! Meet some of our incredible ambassador animals who like the night life—Elvhiss the Eastern Kingsnake, PawPaw the Virginia Opossum, and Koda the Big Brown Bat—who will help teach about wildlife at night. This event is free and open to the public, so bring your curiosity and come learn about the world after dark!

October 25, 2025
12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Claytor Lake State Park Nature Center, Educational Program on Nocturnal Animals – We’re heading to Claytor Lake State Park to uncover the wild wonders of the night! From bats to opossums and everything in between, you’ll discover that Virginia’s nocturnal animals aren’t spooky at all—they’re simply spectacular at living life in the dark.

October 31, 2025
5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Eagle Rock Library Educational Program – Come on out to Eagle Rock Library in Botetourt County, VA to learn the importance of wildlife rehabilitation and conservation from our staff and education ambassadors. This educational program is for children and adults so feel free to bring the whole family!

November 1, 2025
11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Twisted Track Pint Night Fundraiser – Come raise a glass for wildlife! Kick back and enjoy a few cold ones at Twisted Track Brewpub, one of Roanoke’s favorite breweries, all while making a difference! For every pint poured, $1 goes straight to our wildlife hospital to help give injured and orphaned wild animals a second chance at life. It’s the perfect combo: great beer, good company, and an even better cause. Plus, you’ll get to meet a few of our incredible ambassador animals up close — you won’t want to miss it!

November 8, 2025
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The Dog Bowl Market @ Black Dog Salvage – We’ll be there with our ambassadors and many other guest vendors, plus over 100 local artisans and vendors featuring locally handmade and vintage goods located inside The Marketplace at Black Dog Salvage.

November 16, 2025
12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Drink and Draw @ Blindhouse Brewery – Come join us for a fun Saturday, November 2nd @blindhousebeer! You’ll get a chance to draw some of our amazing wildlife ambassadors, enjoy some of best beer around, and support our cause all at the same time!

December 6, 2025
2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Cans for Critters – Friendly reminder about our #CansForCritters beverage can drive! Proceeds from the aluminum beverage cans recycled goes directly to our wildlife hospital, so save them up and bring them when you can! Located at 5454 Fallowater Ln in Roanoke, VA. Remember: BEVERAGE CANS ONLY, please! No trash bags, trash, pet food cans, soup cans, or other metals, which will contaminate the batch and reduce the amount of proceeds coming to our center. When does it end? It doesn’t! Bring cans whenever.

WDBJ/CBS 7 Here @ Home – We’ll be on our local channel 7’s Here @ Home segment airing live between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on the 1st Tuesday of the month throughout the rest of the year! We’ll have something new to discuss each time we’re on the air. Whether it’s talking about an upcoming event, where to place your bat box, or what to do if you find an injured animal, you never know what we’ll be discussing.

***Postponed Until Spring 2026*** Wine for Wildlife 4-Miler – Enjoy the beauty of Fables and Feathers vineyards while logging some miles with friends and supporting the furry friends at Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center! This beginner-friendly four-mile route winds in and around the vines and property at Fables and Feathers, and the epic finish line of sipping and socializing awaits you! This event is not timed- rather it is a celebration of fitness, local scenery, socializing, and of course raising money for an amazing cause. Participants are welcome to time themselves along the route, but the focus is FUN, not competition.

All finishers receive a limited-edition Wine 4 Wildlife wine-stopper medal- then present your medal at the tasting room for a free glass of Fables and Feathers wine! Additional tastings and purchases available onsite. Tasting room stays open late just for us, let’s thank our event hosts at Fables and Feathers by supporting their small business! Event merchandise will also be available for purchase as well so bring your trail shoes and your thirst for fun- it’s going to be a great day to walk, jog, run, and have fun for a great cause!

Sponsorship information can be found here!

*We are looking for volunteers to work the event and for sponsorships as well! If you’d like to volunteer please send an email to frontdesk@swvawildlifecenter.org.

Past Events:

Jack Brown’s Renaissance Fair Festival – Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Join us for a legendary day in the realm of beer, burgers, and medieval mayhem! The King & Queen insist you bring thy friends, thy children, and even thy noble beasts (yes, we’re pet-friendly). It’s family-friendly, rowdy in the right ways, and filled with olde-timey fun. Can’t wait to see you there! Jack Brown’s is turning Market Street in downtown Roanoke into a Renaissance bash with:

Petting Zoo (not our education ambassadors though)
Live Celtic Bands
Mead, Booze & Brews
Food Fit for a Knight
Games & Shenanigans
Local Artisan Vendors
Sword Fights (the foam kind)
And MUCH more
Costumes Encouraged!

Buy your tickets!
Adult $10
Child $5

October 12, 2025
12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Eastern Screech Owl Release – Please come join us for an exciting Eastern Screech-Owl release at Starkey Park South this Friday at 6:30 p.m. This patient first came to us back in May after becoming tangled upside down in someone’s patio furniture, which caused serious damage to one of its legs. The injury was severe enough to require an extensive five-month rehabilitation, however, we’re excited to announce that it is ready to take to the skies once more!

October 10, 2025
6:30 p.m.

Our annual online auction is LIVE!!!

Night Owl on the Town Annual Gala:

September 27, 2025 from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. @ The Hotel Roanoke

Join us for an unforgettable evening at the Night Owl on the Town Gala, hosted by the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center!

Each year, we care for over 2,700 wild patients—including threatened and endangered species—and we need your help to continue this vital work. This year’s gala is more than just a night out; it’s a celebration of our shared commitment to wildlife conservation and rehabilitation. Proceeds from the event directly support our efforts to provide expert medical care to injured and orphaned animals, deliver public education programs that inspire coexistence with wildlife, train future conservationists, and conduct critical disease research in partnership with colleges and universities. Your support also helps us promote the protection of Virginia’s wild habitats and biodiversity. As a nonprofit, we rely on compassionate individuals like you to keep this mission alive. Let’s raise a glass—and raise the bar—for wildlife care and conservation.

At the 2025 Night Owl on the Town Gala you will:

Try our signature cocktail and meet our amazing wildlife ambassadors during cocktail hour like a Red-tailed Hawk (Tuskegee), Great Horned Owl (Chessie), American Kestrel (Capt. Jack Sparrowhawk), Big Brown Bats (Beatrice & Koda), or Eastern Kingsnake (Elv-hiss) just to name a few…
Enjoy an elegant chef prepared seated dinner with choice of:
- Lemon Rosemary Statler Chicken with a white wine shallot demiglace (GF, DF)
- Seared Mahi with a garlic dill cream sauce, all day tomato (GF, DF)
- Braised Short Rib with caramelized tomato demiglace, pearl onions (GF)
- Vegetable Paella, roasted pearl onion, red pepper, spring, corn, zucchini, squash, tomato, cannellini beans, brown rice, tahini drizzle (VN, GF)
  
  *All entrees come with a spring garden salad, roasted fingerling potatoes with ginger and mint (VN, GF), oven roasted asparagus shallot and pepitas (VN, GF) and raspberry cheesecake with crushed pistachios and raspberry jam (GF).
Participate in exciting silent and live auctions
Be entertained by special guest WSLS anchor, John Carlin
Featuring lots music and dancing!
You can even discover your spirit animal!
And, as always, a few surprises that you’ll have to come see for yourself!

You don’t want to miss out on this incredible opportunity to make a difference and have a fantastic time. Mark your calendars and join us at this year’s Night Owl on the Town Gala. It’s going to be a hoot!

*(Black tie optional)

2025 Sponsorship Opportunities

Check out the story Virginia Living did about last year’s gala!

American Kestrel Release @ Picnic Mountain Overlook – In the spirit of World Nature Conservation Day the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center will be releasing an American Kestrel at the Picnic Mountain Overlook (just off the Blue Ridge Parkway on the Roanoke River Parkway Rd) Monday, July 28, 2025 at 10:30 a.m.

The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center is thrilled to announce an exciting release of American Kestrel patient 2025-0728! Kestrel populations are in a steep decline making this a real conservation success story! This will be the first time she has ever flown in the wild and we encourage everyone to come join us and watch this magnificent bird take to the skies for the very first time! Public is encouraged to attend!

This patient came to us as a mere nestling weighing just 86 grams on May 23, 2025. Upon arrival we discovered it was only a couple weeks old, slightly dehydrated, but was in relatively good shape. After recently passing flight school and mouse school with “flying” colors, he is ready to go home. Please come out and join us!

The American Kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America. In the wild, these remarkable raptors have a fairly short lifespan of just under 5 years. This particular release is very important since American Kestrel numbers are plummeting across North America. Some areas are seeing very dramatic population decreases, particularly in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Since 1964, North America has seen a 50% reduction in kestrel populations and another 50% is predicted to disappear by 2075; it is estimated that their overall population is declining at a rate of 1.4%/year!

According to the USGS Breeding Bird Survey, populations of American kestrels have declined more than 88% in the Mid-Atlantic region over the last 50 years, Not only are their populations declining but so are their sizes. Biologists have also noticed a decrease in body weight by as much as 5 grams (that’s a lot for such a small bird) and their wingspan is shortening too. In recent decades, scientists have found a 90% decline in New England pastoral landscapes as well.

This important bird of prey requires highly specialized care and expensive food to train it to hunt. We estimate his food, care, and housing to cost more than $1,000 for the time he has been with us.

BOCO Wild – Botetourt County and the Department of Wildlife Resources are hosting this event at the Buchanon Fairgrounds. We’ll be there with some of our amazing ambassadors to discuss their roles in the environment and things we can do to help our local wildlife. More information about BOCO Wild.

June 14, 2025

GIVELocalNRV: Our final 24-hour giving day of the year is almost here! Traditionally, donations are slow during the summer months and this giving day couldn’t come at a better time! We’ll be joining their live kickoff event at the Lyric Theater in Blacksburg, VA @ 12 p.m. on June 25 with Buzz4Good – an amazing TV and radio show that highlights the work of nonprofits in our area and helps attract donors and volunteers to their causes. Please mark your calendar for this most important day! If you don’t want to wait until the giving day itself, Early Giving starts Monday, June 2, 2025!
Donate to GiveLocalNRV

June 25 – June 26
12 p.m. – 12 p.m.

Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce Shred Event – Get ready for a day of shredding, recycling, and wildlife fun! Join us and the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce at their Shred Event — happening right in the same parking lot as our aluminum recycling bin! Bring your old papers and your aluminum beverage cans, and swing by to meet a few of our amazing wildlife ambassadors up close. It’s the perfect way to protect your privacy, help the planet, and meet some incredible animals all at once. We can’t wait to see you there!

For more info about the different items you can bring: Roanoke Chamber Shred Event

May 3, 2025

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Bubba’s 33 Fundraiser – Come celebrate Be Kind to Animals Week with us! We’ll be at Bubba’s 33 at Valley View with our ambassadors for what will hopefully become a recurring fundraiser. 10% of your check, excluding alcohol, will go directly to us! Guests MUST tell their server they are there specifically to dine for your organization and Bubba’s will take care of the rest!

May 8, 2025

11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Birdies Fore Birdies Golf Tournament – Mark your calendars for the Roanoke area’s most exciting golf tournament! Come join us and our ambassadors for our third annual Birdies Fore Birdies Captain’s Choice Golf Tournament at Hidden Valley Country Club on Saturday May 17th @ 1:30 p.m. It’s going to be an amazing day of golf, games, prizes, food, drinks, and a whole lot more! For more information or to register click HERE!

Hidden Valley Country Club
May 17, 2025
1:30 p.m. Shotgun Start
$1,000,000 Shootout! (Players who are closest to the pin on holes 3, 7, 11, & 15 will each qualify to get 1 shot from 165 yards out from the fairway of hole 18)
Hole-in-one Wins a Car!
$10,000 Putting Contest!
$600/Team, $150/individual
$1,000 Corporate Sponsor Team
- Company name and logo will be displayed on our website and social media for the month of June (500k+ people reached monthly, 66k+ followers. Company logo will also be displayed in our May newsletter, registration flyer, and on signage at the event. Also includes 4 forward tees, 4 red tees, 4 drink tickets, lunch for 2 non-golfers, 1 hole sponsorship, and 2 golf cart sponsorships!
$250/Hole Sponsorship
$50/Golf Cart Sponsorship
Lunch & Drinks Provided (BBQ chicken and pork, potato salad, cole slaw, etc…)
Door prizes for all golfers
Prizes for closest to the pin & longest drive
Special appearance from Miss Virginia!
Registration due by May 1st! (for business sponsorships please register by April 15th)

GIVE Roanoke: This yearly 24-hour giving day, perhaps the most important of the year, will run on April 23rd from 12:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. There will be cash match opportunities where your donation will be doubled to help save double the wildlife. This is the perfect time to make a donation to either help us with our legal fees, rebuilding some of our flight enclosures, or for just general operational support.

April 23, 2025
12:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m.

Earth Day Celebration @ Golden Cactus Brewing – Join us, local businesses, organizations, and nonprofits dedicated to environmental uplift and community outreach for an evening of connection and celebration. This event will feature local vendors, craft beer, and special menu offerings from their neighbors at FoodHut.

April 23, 2025

5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Screamiverse Expo – Indulge your dark side and come visit Roanoke’s first ever Screamiverse Expo!

Presented by Hexed Haunted Attraction and some of the region’s premier artists and creators. Taking place at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia, this first of it’s kind event is accessible to fans all over the region, bringing the horror, sci-fi, and arts communities together under one spooky roof!

There are more than 100 vendors, celebrities, demonstrations, classes, tattooing, and so much more! They have unanimously agreed to select us as their charity beneficiary so come out, get your spook on, support our cause, and see of our ambassadors!

Purchase Tickets!

April 26, 2025

9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

April 27, 2025

9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Red-shouldered Hawk Release – We will be releasing a Red-shouldered Hawk at Mayflower Hills Park on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at 12 p.m. Public is encouraged to attend!

Patient 2025-0022 was admitted on January 15, 2025 after being hit by a vehicle. After spending just over 2 months with us we’re happy to announce that is now healthy enough to return back home!

Red-shouldered Hawks are known for their loud, piercing call, often described as a repeated “kee-aah,” which is commonly heard in wooded areas. Their vocal nature makes them one of the most easily identifiable hawks by sound. Visually, they are striking raptors, with a distinctive rufous (reddish) coloring on their shoulders, black-and-white checkered wings, and a banded tail. Unlike many other hawks that prefer open fields, red-shouldered hawks thrive in forests, especially near wetlands, swamps, and rivers, where they find their favorite prey—small mammals, amphibians, and even crayfish. Interestingly, while hawks and crows are often enemies, Red-shouldered Hawks sometimes form unlikely alliances with American Crows to drive off common predators like Great Horned Owls, which pose a threat to both species. These hawks are monogamous and often return to the same nesting site year after year, aggressively defending their territory from intruders, including other birds of prey. As agile hunters, they use stealth and patience to ambush prey and are even known to hover briefly while scanning for food—a behavior more commonly associated with kestrels and other smaller raptors. While primarily forest dwellers, red-shouldered hawks have also adapted to suburban environments, nesting in wooded neighborhoods and even hunting near backyard bird feeders where small mammals and birds gather.

SML Gives Nonprofit Fair and Early Giving – Come join us and the other nonprofits at Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Moneta, VA to kick off early giving for SML Gives and to see what this special giving day is all about. We’ll be on hand with a few of our ambassadors too!

March 16, 2025

3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Smith Mountain Lake Gives (SML Gives) – Please be sure to MARK YOUR CALENDARS! This is our second year participating in this 24-hour giving day. Last year, we received 541 patients from the Lake and its surrounding communities in Franklin and Bedford counties, and we currently have numerous patients in our care from this area. By donating you’re helping to ensure we can continue to provide care for the patients from this area and beyond. Please share our posts, emails, and good old fashioned word of mouth is still works too.

March 19, 2025

12:00 a.m. – 11:59 p.m.

Yoga with Wildlife @ In-balance Yoga – In-Balance Yoga in Blacksburg, VA will be hosting a yoga session where all proceeds will benefit the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center. This event will showcase our ambassadors and you can come and do some yoga alongside them in the room. This will be be an test all-levels class.

March 1, 2025
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Regal Movie Theaters Fundraising Campaign – From now through New Year’s Day, purchase a Regal Movie Bundle (2 tickets) and 25% of each bundle you order is donated back to our Center! These tickets are redeemable at ANY Regal theater nationwide! Click the photos below or Get your movie tickets here! These make for excellent Christmas gifts too!

Buffalo Wild Wings Fundraiser – It’s going to be a great night if you’ve got case of the Mondays! For one day only from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., 15% of your bill (less alcohol) will be donated to our cause (dine in or take out). Come out to Buffalo Wild Wings on Starkey to have a great meal, see some of our wildlife ambassadors, and watch 2 different Monday Night Football games (Chicago @ Minnesota and Atlanta @ Las Vegas)! Just show a physical or digital ticket, like the yellow and black one here, to your server and make a difference for wildlife!

December 16, 2024 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Pints for a Purpose @ Parkway Brewing Company – Levi, our outreach coordinator, will be there with some of our amazing wildlife ambassadors and $1 from every pint sold will go directly to our wildlife hospital! So, come have a beer while doing some good for our native wildlife!

November 6, 2024 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Pint Night & Blood Drive @ Twisted Track Brewpub – Come see some of our ambassadors at one of the Roanoke area’s most popular breweries and for every beer sold, $1 is donated to our wildlife hospital! If you’re not having a beer you can make a blood donation and $10 will be donated!

November 9, 2024 from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. (pint night runs all day)

November 2, 2024 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Eat, Drink & Meet Wildlife @ Treehouse Tavern – Join us and some of our wildlife ambassadors at Treehouse Tavern on Bent Mountain! Enjoy some of the best food around and have a relaxing beverage while getting to meet our wildlife ambassadors like Captain Jack Sparrow an American Kestrel or Zombie our Eastern Screech Owl just to name a few!

A Night Owl on the Town – The Night Owl on the Town Gala, hosted by the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center, is thrilled to invite over 150 influential philanthropic community leaders to come together for a memorable evening in support of the medical services for the more than 2,700 patients that we see each year including threatened and endangered species. This year’s gala aims to raise funds for wildlife conservation and rehabilitation, furthering our mission to protect and preserve our local wildlife.

Join us for the 2024 Night Owl on the Town Gala where you will:

Meet our amazing wildlife ambassadors during cocktail hour like a Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, or American Kestrel just to name a few…
Enjoy a delightful chef prepared seated dinner with choice of filet mignon, chicken, fish, or vegetarian dishes
Participate in exciting silent and live auctions
Be entertained by special guest WSLS anchor, John Carlin
To top it all off, we have an unforgettable After Party planned, featuring live music by The Kings!
And, as always, a few surprises that you’ll have to come see for yourself!

*(Black tie optional)

September 28, 2024
6 p.m. – 11 p.m.

Jacktoberfest – Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint is donating $1 for every seasonal Sierra Nevada beer sold during the month of September! We’ll also be there with some of our education ambassadors on the 21st so you can get an up close experience with some amazing wildlife!

The entire month of September & September 21st @ 4 p.m.

August 17, 2024
4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

GiveLocalNRV – Our final giving day of the year, focuses on the work we do in Montgomery, Floyd, and Giles, Pulaski, and Radford! Did you know ~1/3 of all our patients come from this area?!?!
Early giving begins June 1
Donate Today!

Wildlife Education Program @ Salem Public Library – Come meet some of our wildlife education ambassadors, learn about the important roles they plan in the environment, and the importance of wildlife conservation.

July 13, 2024
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Join us for a Gander Reveal Party! Seven ducklings from the Virginia Tech Duck Pond arrived at our doorstep this spring and are now big enough to fend for themselves and go HOME. This event also serves as a kick-off to #GiveLocalNRV, a 24-hour virtual giving day that celebrates non-profits serving Montgomery, Floyd, Giles, Pulaski, and Radford! Donate Today!

12 p.m. June 26 – 12 p.m. June 27

Birdies Fore Birdies – Come join us and our ambassadors for our second annual Birdies Fore Birdies Captain’s Choice Golf Tournament at Hidden Valley Country Club on Friday, June 14th @ 1 p.m. It’s going to be an amazing day of golf, games, prizes, food, drinks, and a whole lot more! For more information or to register click HERE!

Hidden Valley Country Club
June 14th, 2024 @ 1 p.m. shotgun start
$1,000,000 Shootout! (3 players from the field will automatically qualify for a chance to take 1 swing at winning 1 million dollars by being the closest to the pin on the 1 of the 3 par 3s that don’t have a car as a prize)
Hole-in-one Wins a Car!
$10k Putting Contest!
$600/Team, $150/individual
$1,000 Corporate Sponsor Team
- Company name and logo will be displayed on our website and social media for the month of June (200k+ people reached monthly, 55k+ followers. Company logo will also be displayed in our June newsletter, registration flyer, and on signage at the event. Also includes 4 forward tees, 4 red tees, 4 drink tickets, lunch for 2 nongolfers, 1 hole sponsorship, and 2 golf cart sponsorships!
$200/Hole Sponsorship
$50/Golf Cart Sponsorship
Lunch & Drinks Provided (BBQ chicken and pork, potato salad, cole slaw, etc…)
Door prizes for all golfers
Prizes for closest to the pin & longest drive
Special appearance from Miss Virginia!
Registration due by June 1st! (for business sponsorships please register by May 15th)

Great Horned Owl Release @ the Roanoke Star –

Please come join us at the Roanoke Star to watch us release this nationally recognized Great Horned Owl!

A Roanoke City police officer brought us this patient all the way back on March 14, 2023! Several unsuccessful attempts were made to locate the nest (owls at this age can often be renested with great success), and since it was far too young to fend for itself we had no choice but to admit it into our care. Owls at this age are highly susceptible to imprinting and for this reason staff had to wear an owl mask when interacting with the patient.

This patient underwent surgery over the weekend to repair some damaged feathers – owls make no sound when flying and if their feathers aren’t just right they lose their stealth advantage when hunting which significantly impacts their ability to find food and sustain themselves. For this reason It’s imperative that this owl be released within a couple of days after the surgery (imping procedure). Now, after more than a year in our care, it’s a healthy adult and ready to finally spread its wings in the wild for the first time!

April 16, 2024
7 p.m.

Owls!!! – Join us at the Roanoke County Explore Park to learn some interesting facts about these fascinating and somewhat mysterious birds of prey. Find out which owls live in the Roanoke area and how to identify them by sight and sound. Learn how and why they raise their young in the winter. Discover the secrets of these intriguing birds, dissect an owl pellet to learn even more, and meet one or two of our owl education ambassadors! Cost is $7 and goes to the Explore Park.

March 2, 2024
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

*POSTPONED* – Buzz on Buzzards! – Come meet Sable, our Black Vulture at Roanoke County Explore Park and learn about the wildly interesting and often misunderstood world of these birds.

March 16, 2024
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Walmart Meet & Greet – Come see what we’re all about and meet the dedicated individuals behind our successes and some of our wildlife ambassadors!

April 6, 2024

12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

March 30th, 2024
4:30pm – 5:30pm

Red-Tailed Hawk Release – To celebrate SML Gives we just so happen to have a Red-tailed Hawk from Bedford County that’s ready to go back home! When this patient arrived back in September (2023) its chances at making a full recovery were pretty slim. Given the nature and location of the break, and it’s associated wound, we almost never see this type of injury heal. However, our staff was unwavering in their determination to see this hawk fly again. After months and months of attending to its wounds, countless bandaging, medicating, and physical therapy we slowly introduced flying in a controlled environment to gradually build up the strength necessary to withstand the forces of flight. After nearly 6 months in our care, we are thrilled to announce that this hawk has made a remarkable recovery and we’d like for you to come join us Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest to watch this beautiful bird makes it’s glorious return to the wild!

March 13, 2024
4:30 p.m.

Smith Mountain Lake Gives (SML Gives) –

“Baby Shower!!!” – Hosted by the Wildlife Warriors for the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center, we invite you to attend this wonderful 2-day event to help us get ready for the spring baby rush. We’ll be at Nature’s Emporium accepting donations from our many wish lists with a variety of our wildlife ambassadors and there will be even be face painting for the kids! Every year we are blown away by the support we receive during this donation drive and the significant difference it makes in our ability to save wildlife. So, please come out and see what we’re all about! Wish lists can be found on our website HERE and at Henry’s Pets!

February 24th, 2024
11am – 3pm
February 25th, 2024
12pm – 4pm

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