Speaker for the Month

The speaker for December is Debbie Helsel. Due to a scheduling conflict, Debbie was not able to speak at the November meeting. We are fortunate to have Debbie speak at our December meeting.

Debbie is originally from Columbia, Pennsylvania moved to Florida at the age of 5. Always knowing she wanted to work with animals, especially wild animals, she found her calling after the Exxon Valdex Oil spill. Following a newspaper article about the spill and the local heroes who specialized in wildlife rehabilitation going to Alaska to help, she found her way to Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge, found her calling and never looked back.

With almost 22 years of dedication to the refuge, and only half of it as a paid staff person, Debbie is the Executive Director and Curator of the facility.

Photo to the Right ( RICARDO RAMIREZ BUXEDA, ORLANDO SENTINEL / February 24, 2011 )

Debbie Helsel, curator of Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge, handles a rehabilitated red-shouldered hawk in Bithlo, on Thursday, February 24, 2011. The hawk had a broken wing and four bb-gun wounds when they rescued it. The hawk was rehabilitated at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey.

 Last Updated 16 November 2011