Bald Eagle Gets Boost From Girl Scouts & School Kids
Final Countdown in Challenge for 50 Governors to Declare June 20th as "American Eagle Day"

Pigeon Forge, TN, June 7, 2007 - As the deadline approaches, thousands of Girl Scouts and elementary school children are kicking into overdrive with a nationwide letter-writing campaign that challenges all 50 governors - and President Bush - to officially declare June 20th as a permanent annual “American Eagle Day”. As of June 21, these young citizens have persuaded 22 state Governors to give our national bird its very own official day.  The effort was initiated by the not-for-profit American Eagle Foundation (AEF), a national eagle charity

“This is a great civics lesson for kids to write letters to their elected leaders and get a positive response back” said Al Cecere, President and Founder of the AEF.  The award-winning conservation group cares for the world’s largest collection of non-releasable bald eagles at its United States Eagle Center located at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

With 28 states still to sign on, “American Eagle Day” countdown enthusiasm has been fueled by recent raptor-related events - from the U.S. Senate’s and House of Representatives approval of an AEF-proposed resolution recognizing “American Eagle Day” to the bald eagle’s impending “delisting” from Endangered Species Act protection in June 2007. In May, the AEF received a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Conservation Award, for its success in bolstering bald eagle numbers.

 Thousands of schools across the country and numerous patriotic-minded civic groups like the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts - already enjoy a cooperative relationship with the Dollywood-based AEF. The 22-year old not-for-profit has provided classroom study materials that highlight the history and biology of the bald eagle to more than 75,000 elementary schools. Also, hundreds of eagle-mascot schools have participated in AEF’s “Adopt-an-Eagle” program, adopting non-releasable eagles cared for at its Tennessee raptor facility. An eagle can be adopted for a $250 donation or a nesting pairs for $500.

Cecere is quick to add that more funds need to be raised from all Americans, because the national bird isn’t out of the woods just yet.  “The bald eagle will soon be removed from the ESA’s threatened species list, but it will cost millions of dollars to monitor and protect eagle nests on private lands nationally for the remainder of this decade and beyond.”  To that end, the AEF hopes to raise $10 million from corporations, organizations and individuals for its American Eagle Fund by 2009, along with another $10 million anticipated from the US Mint’s 2008 sale of a special commemorative eagle coin set.

For information on “American Eagle Day” letter templates to state governors, classroom materials, the American Eagle Foundation or ways to donate, visit www.eagles.org.  

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About the AEF:

Established in 1985, the AEF is a not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to the recovery, protection and preservation of the bald eagle and its habitat. The Federal and State-licensed organization conducts environmental, ecological and eagle-focused education programs, and operates the world’s largest bald eagle exhibit and breeding facility. Since 1995, the AEF has appeared coast to coast with its trained, free-flying bald eagle "Challenger", including at the White House, U.S. Capitol Building, Pentagon and various high-profile sporting events such as the World Series, Olympics, Men’s Final Four, and NFL Pro-Bowl.