BY GLENN PUIT gpuit@record-eagle.comTraverse City Record-Eagle
Five years ago, when he was 5, Jonah watched as an eagle
was returned to the wild after rehabilitation for an injury. The event was held
at the Woodlands School
Jonah craned his head skyward, fascinated as the eagle soared
away, and he’s been hooked on birds of prey ever since.
“The long-eared owl is my favorite,” Jonah said. “They are
endangered and are really, really rare, and they are known for their facial
features.”
His interest in birds isn’t just restricted to reading and
observing. The Traverse City
Today, he’s holding his second fundraiser for Wings of
Wonder at the Books-A-Million store off South Airport Road
“I’m so very proud of him,” said Jonah’s mother, Melanie
Villanueva. “He has a great heart. It’s nice to see him doing something for
others as opposed to just himself.”
Jonah’s first fundraiser took place three years ago when
he was 7.
He stopped people on the street in front of his family’s
home and asked strangers for $1 to pet his dog. He brought in a few bucks and
sent the money directly to Wings of Wonder.
“I’d never met this child before, then I get a letter in
the mail with a little note and $12 worth of crumpled $1 bills in it,” said
Wings of Wonder Director Rebecca Lessard. “He did it totally out of the blue,
and that meant so much to me that this child did that.”
Wings of Wonder is an educational organization designed to
foster appreciation, understanding, honor and respect for raptors. It is also a
raptor rehabilitation and release facility.
Jonah said he will be at Books-A-Million today from noon
to 4 p.m. and will speak with anyone who will listen or chat about birds. He’s
hoping to collect donations for his favorite nonprofit.
“We need to learn to live differently,” he said. “It
really helps the birds.”
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