‘Wild Night Out’ to raise funds for new Wildlife Hospital

The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network cares for a baby possum. The nonprofit is building a new Wildlife Hospital in Goleta.
The Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network will host its annual “Wild Night Out” in person Oct. 15 to benefit its new Wildlife Hospital.
Members of the public 21 and older are invited to attend the event from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Carousel House at Chase Palm Park, 323 E. Cabrillo Blvd. The evening will feature dinner, drinks, music, a live auction and raffle. Tickets for the Santa Barbara event are available for $250 per person online at sbwcn.kindful.com/e/benefit2021.
To attend the event, all ticket holders must show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event.

Sports broadcaster Curt Menefee will serve as the emcee and auctioneer at this year’s benefit. Mr. Menefee is a studio broadcaster who hosts “Fox NFL Sunday” alongside co-host Terry Bradshaw and studio analysts Howie Long, Jimmy Johnson, Tony Gonzalez and Michael Strahan.
“I already work with wild animals every Sunday, so this will be fun,” Mr. Menefee said jokingly in a statement.
All proceeds from the event will benefit the SBWCN Wildlife Hospital, which is under construction in Goleta.
According to a news release, the 5,400-square foot building will be the first of its kind on the South Coast. The new facility will feature a designated surgery room, intensive care unit, facilities to care for wildlife affected by an oil spill and nurseries for baby mammals.
“The Wildlife Hospital is a project that has been years in the making,” Ariana Katovich, SBWCN’s executive director, said in a statement. “It will greatly improve our abilities to save and serve local wildlife for generations to come. We’re so grateful to have the support of our community to make this dream finally become a reality.”
Construction on the new facility began in January and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
For more information on the project or to make a donation, visit sbwcn.org/wildlifehospital.
email: mhirneisen@newspress.com