NEDERLAND - Staff, volunteers, and supporters of Wild Bear Nature Center gathered in Chipeta Park on Saturday, October 25, to memorialize the animal ambassadors lost in the Lakeview Fire.

When the Caribou Village Shopping Center burned down on October 9, Wild Bear lost its collection of animals in the center—roly-poly bugs, crickets, the Flintstones family of Madagascar hissing cockroaches, Vinny the vinegaroon, Sal and Sally the tiger salamanders, Luna the ball python, and Westie the Western painted turtle.

The service recognized the contribution of each animal, from its longest-living residents (Westie was donated in 2011) to its most recent (Luna had arrived at the center a few months prior). The service also honored Leo and Penny, two tabby cats who wandered the shopping center.

After gathering in the pavilion, the service moved into a circle in the park’s field. There, attendees shared their gratitude for the animals and community in a musical call-and-response.

Staff and volunteers spoke on behalf of each animal, recognizing their impact on the center and the community.

The service, far from somber, allowed attendees to hold space for each animal while also participating in activities to remember them. Attendees could fold papercraft cubes with designs of each animal, whisper their memories of the animals into leaves provided by the center, and sign posters to leave messages for the animals.

The staff and volunteers invited kids to roll a die and move like the animal it landed on.

To close the service, Shakina Ma performed her song “Listen,” and the attendees joined in a call-and-response to the “Wild Bear Nature” theme song (written by David Williams and frequently used to start each day at the center).

Jill Dreves, founder and Chief Visionary Officer of the center, expressed her gratitude to the staff and volunteers, who continued to lead kids in regular day camps despite the shock from the Lakeview Fire.

She is incredibly grateful for the community built from Wild Bear’s nature programs. The service gave them all a chance to honor its impact on their lives.

For more information about the nature center and to donate directly, head to wildbear.org.

Community members gathered together to pay tribute to the animal ambassadors of Wild Bear Nature Center and the Caribou Village Shopping Center.