provided to The Santiva Chronicle

Olivia Hay assists the refuge team with welcoming and educating visitors.

The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island recently welcomed a new intern for the 2024-2025 season. The “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge (DDWS) supports Olivia “Liv” Hay as this year’s Sue Tray Memorial Visitor Services Intern.

Originally from Somerset, Penn., Hay moved to Sanibel Island from St. Petersburg, where she worked in a small, family-owned boutique while earning a double major in animal studies and psychology at Eckerd College.

At “Ding” Darling, she will be assisting Supervisory Refuge Ranger Toni Westland with programs and services for refuge visitors. Former, longtime Sanibel Island resident Hal Tray established her permanently endowed internship in memory of his wife through DDWS. It guarantees ongoing funding for one intern annually to assist the refuge visitor services staff.

“I am excited to work on and develop my weekly program that I will get to do at the refuge as part of our free winter programs,” said Hay, who has been impressed by the warm welcome she received from refuge personnel. “I am not positive on what topic or activity I will plan just yet, but I have a few ideas brewing.”

DDWS provides housing, living stipends, and other benefits for six to eight interns each year. Since Hurricane Ian destroyed onsite intern housing in 2022, DDWS has procured off-site housing with the intent to build on-site in the future.

“We welcome Liv’s energy and enthusiasm,” said Westland. “She brings fresh ideas and perspective to our mission to reach people of all ages with the refuge’s conservation message.”

DDWS currently stewards four named internships for the 2024-2025 year and is accepting donations for future named intern funds at $21,500 for a nine-month internship, $27,000 for a year, which is the cost for supporting one intern including housing, stipends, travel, and other expenses. For information about supporting refuge internship programs, contact DDWS executive director Ann-Marie Wildman at 239-789-8991.

ABOUT DDWS
As a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, DDWS works to support J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge’s mission of conservation, wildlife and habitat protection, research, and public education through charitable donations and Refuge Nature Shop profits. To support DDWS and the refuge with a tax-deductible gift, visit dingdarlingsociety.org or Ann-Marie Wildman at 239-789-8991 or wildman@dingdarlingsociety.org.

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