      A few Kamsack youngsters, who as Earth Rangers are keen to save endangered animals, are pleased with the response they had for their outdoor iced tea fundraising sale in August.
           Earth Rangers is a kids’ conservation organization dedicated to educating children and families about biodiversity and empowering them to become directly involved in protecting animals and their habitats, Kirk Badger said last week.
There are less than 500 Western Screech Owls alive today, and it was merely 35 years ago when the entire Swift Fox population disappeared from the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan due to trapping and loss of habitat, he said, explaining that his daughter, Brooke, 6, and her cousin Madison Lawson, 12, of Maple Creek are both dedicated Earth Rangers.
“Brooke and Madison took it upon themselves to deliver their message to the Town of Kamsack in August,” he said, adding that the girls had wanted to raise money for the protection of the Western Screech Owls and Swift Fox.
With help from their mother and grandmother, the girls made iced tea, cookies, puffed wheat cake, and hand-made jewellery. They put an umbrella-covered table on the lawn, displayed their goods and conducted a sale during the weekend of August 15 and 16.
“Save Endangered Animals, Western Screech Owl and the Swift Fox,” read a sign the girls had posted on the table. “Ice tea and more available at Lawrence Road Monday and Tuesday.”
The sale raised more than $200, Badger said. “Support from the community was excellent, with many people taking the time to stop and talk with the girls.”
“We moved to Kamsack at the end of June, and I am very impressed with the community,” said Badger who is the commanding officer of the Kamsack RCMP detachment.
“The girls were amazed at how many people took the time to stop and talk to them,” he said. “I have to say it was nice to see the people making the effort to help the sale be a positive experience.
“Not only did the girls raise a significant amount of money, they had a great time doing it. It was so much fun that Brooke's little brother and sister (twins) Luke and Halle Badger, 3, helped out as well.
