Donation Helps Zookeeper Care for Orphaned Kangaroo
Beth Fedje used her Pay It Forward donation to help a zookeeper take care of an orphaned kangaroo joey.
Bell Employee
Beth Fedje
Fargo, N.D.
Recipient
Amanda Dukard and Chahinkapa Zoo
The Need
Amanda Dukard, a zookeeper and animal trainer for the Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton, N.D., was caring for Barkly, a young kangaroo joey orphaned at four months old when her mother died. Amanda had to bottle feed Barkly multiple times a day and carry her around in a makeshift pouch.
“The chance of survival was really low,” Amanda said.
The Impact
When Beth Fedje, an administrative project support specialist in Bell’s headquarters location, heard about Amanda’s dedication to Barkly, she decided to do what she could to help. Beth donated some of her Pay It Forward dollars to Amanda and some to the Chahinkapa Zoo. Her co-workers, Cindy Lien and Lynette Kehler, both administrative project support specialists at Bell’s Fargo Center branch, also donated some of their Pay It Forward funds to Amanda.
Barkly is thriving, and now lives full time in the kangaroo exhibit.