WILDLIFE CENTER OF VIRGINIA and PLANTERS BANK TO UNVEIL CHILDREN'S PAINTING

The Wildlife Center of Virginia, the nation's leading teaching and research hospital for native wildlife, and Planters Bank will unveil All About Owls - a unique collection of original art by children. The unveiling will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 6 at the Planters Bank branch at 100 Lucy Lane [off of Rosser Avenue] in Waynesboro.

Taking part in the unveiling will be Edward Clark, President and Co-Founder of the Wildlife Center of Virginia, and Robert Harris, Senior Vice President of Planters Bank. Live owls that serve as education animals and are cared for by the Wildlife Center will also be on hand.

All About Owls reflects the impressions of four children who have taken part in Wildlife Center programs and who, as part of that experience, met one of the Wildlife Center's resident owls - non-releasable animals that are an integral part of the Center's educational presentations. All About Owls provides four different perspectives on what an owl looks like.

James T. Huerth, President & CEO of Planters Bank, and Ed Clark, President, Wildlife Center of Virginia with Buzz [Great Horned Owl]		James T. Huerth, President & CEO of Planters Bank, Ed Clark, President, Wildlife Center of Virginia with Buzz [Great Horned Owl], Robert E. Harris, Senior Vice President, Planters Bank, and Mercy McBrayer, Educator, Wildlife Center of Virginia, with Pignoli [Screech Owl]

All About Owls was one of the items featured at the Wildlife Center's 22nd Annual Gala Benefit and Auction, held last month in Staunton. Framing for the art was donated by Augusta Framecrafters of Staunton. Planters Bank, a major financial supporter of the event, purchased All About Owls as part of the evening's live auction. The artwork will be on permanent display at the Lucy Lane branch office.

"Teaching children about wildlife, and underscoring the steps each of us can take to protect the environment, are at the core of the Wildlife Center's education programs," Clark said. "Sometimes children have a way of saying 'thank you' that is more precious than words. All About Owls is a thank-you gift, and we're delighted that the generosity of Planters Bank will allow this unique artwork to be shared with the community."

The Wildlife Center of Virginia is an internationally acclaimed teaching and research hospital for wildlife and conservation medicine. Since its founding in 1982, the nonprofit Center has cared for more than 45,000 wild animals, representing 200 species of native birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. The Center's public education programs share insights gained through the care of injured and orphaned wildlife, in hopes of reducing human damage to wildlife; since 1982, the Center's programs have reached more than 1.4 million children and adults. The Center trains veterinary and conservation professionals from all over the world and is actively involved in comprehensive wildlife health studies and the surveillance of emerging diseases. Additional information about the Wildlife Center is available at www.wildlifecenter.org.

Planters Bank was organized in 1911 by a group of civic-minded individuals to provide banking and trust services to the community. Planters is a local, independent, full-service bank, with 24 locations in Staunton, Waynesboro, Lynchburg, and Augusta, Rockingham, Rockbridge, Allegheny, Franklin, Prince Edward, and Shenandoah Counties. Additional information about Planters Bank is available at www.plantersbank.net.