To the editor:

I have been a Wildcare volunteer for more than 15 years. What has happened to this program over the last year has been unreal. Last spring, a very small group of volunteers tried to pressure the previous board of directors into allowing them to take over the Wildcare program. The board wouldn’t allow it because they didn’t trust them.

Then, those volunteers bombarded the federal and state wildlife agencies with letters containing unproven accusations against the Wildcare organization. They also started a smear campaign against our former executive director, Nancy Schwarting. Nancy has put her heart and soul and most of her life into the Wildcare organization for more than 20 years. She is one of the most experienced wildlife rehabilitators in Kansas. I would trust her advice on any rehab question I would ever have. I would like to extend a warning to Diane Johnson, of Operation WildLife, to be very careful of the volunteers she recruits this summer. They may try to take over her organization next year!

Mary Trybom,

Wildcare board member,

Lawrence