Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 28, 1985)
Group provides food, care for animals Mill Race fowl get help from Friends By Diana Elliott Of Um Knwrtlrf On any sunny weekend afternoon tha Mill Race ducks just may be tha most well-fed residents of Eugene. But whan the clouds roll in and rain douses the hanks of the pond, the hundreds of waterfowl who fre quent tha area must search for any morsel of bread they can find. It’s a common misconception, said Patt Rollins, founder of friends of the Mill Race Ducks and Goese. Just because ducks get overfed during the good . weather, people think they are well-fed all the time; Rollins said. "In fact, the ducks are overfed during the summer months and are underfed during the rest « of the year." she said. Friends of the Mill' Race, Ducks and Geese is •an- e i g h t - p e m b e.T organization dedicated to feeding the animals'twice a week*- caring,/for -sick' «. “ waterfowl and relocating / . them when Ihe'ppnd gets • overpopulated. . .•’» Rollins ^founded ' the organization in" January * • , 1984. after l-ane. dounty' Animal Regulation sought . volunteers ’ to help the * ducks w4ho were,suffering’ , /during the Icy .woatHer. r Despite irnpiovemehts, main library ranks low By Scott McFetridge ■ f O* lh# Kna*nJd. . ; * ■ A recent report ranks the University library behind most research librarias.ln a number of categories, but the Unlversi • ' • '■ ty librarian said these statistics do not show the.advances that 'have been made in the last several years. • For. the 1983-8.4 academic year the University ljbrary " ranked 90th out of ICS university research libraries in the United States and Canada, according to ah index developed oy the Association of Research Libraries. The index takes ' twelve factors into account.: . The University ranks behind all eight other Pacific-10 Conference universities with research libraries. Oregon State University does not have a research library. But George Shipman, .University librarian, said the cur-. rent banking is much better than three, years ago when the • • University library was ranked .99 out of 101 research libraries. And in the last five years there has been a 50.percent increase in the number of volumes added, he said.1 : ; . • The University.library. added 52,868 volumes in 1983-84, ranking 73rd in volumes added. 5 ' ’ Although the library is purchasing a large number of books, it still.should3 be buying more, Shipman said. Only a sm^Il number of books were bought during the 195ps through 1970s. so the library now must buy retrospective books in ad dition to current bodks, he said. Because the library administration’s emphasis for the last several years lias been oh purchasing books instead of hiring more staff members, the current staff has had ah increased ’ " workload. Shipman said. Many staff members have to do two or.three .jobs, he added. . . Staff members cannot continue at their current workload, so mpney' now being spent on.books will have to be transfer red to-hiring, he said;’ "You can’t just buy books," Shipman said. “Books . •• stored'are useless. We’re not a warehouse yet, but we could ' become one." THE SHOP WHERE IT'S OKAY TO GIGGLE!! Flfthpearl Building 207 E. 5th Ave. 687-9009 UNIQUE CARDS & GIFTS featuring 10-5:30 Mon.-Sal. 12-5 Sun . Photo by |imm Mtrlu Feathered .Mill.Race residents are fed and cared , for by.Friends of the Mili Race Ducks and Geese..a group; devoted to helping the birds. ... 1 ' /’ The weather was so bad that the ducks' feet were ac tually freezing to the ground, Rollins said. That winter, Rollins and her cohorts worked at get ting duck feeders built and at collecting donations for seed. University sororities kicked in $500 for seed money. A Boy Scout troop used Weyerhaeuser Company-donated lumber to build feeding stations. Now members of the Friends take turn's feeding the water fowl twice a week, Rollins said. The animals gob ble up 80 pounds of seed each week, at a cost of $9.20. Now that the animals are well-fed and basically healthy, the group focuses on relocating ducks and eeese when the Dond Bets’ . geese when the pond gets overpopulated, Rollins said, ‘ Dumping unwanted . ducks and' geese at the Mill" Race has increased the overpopulation pro blem, Rollins said;- The problem * not only causes shortages of'food but also creates a. hazard during mating season in the spring,, she said. “Ideally it’s best to have, one male for every five females,” said Joan Walker, Animal Regula tion program manager. "Biit this spring we’ve had one female for every five males."’ When - the ratio o is reversed, the male ducks Here aire highlights of -the Oregon Legislature las.t week-. Divestment The .House approved a bill that could require the state to divest millions of dollars from companies doing business :in South Africa.- " • House .Bill 20.01 would ■ re quire the Oregon Investment Council to order the state treasurer to divest state funds in companies doing business in . South ‘Africa, except . those following the Sullivan Prin ciples, which are anti discrimination standards. The bill now goes to the Senate. Higher Ed House Education Committee heard testimony from political, educational and business leaders seeking a four-year state cq'1 lege in Central Oregon. Backers of tha idea believe it will help the area diversify its economy and attract, high-tech . industry. . . Supporters of the idea are not seeking approval now but are laying groundwork for the next legislative session. Some are considering the possibility of often chase the female ducks until they run onto Franklin Boulevard for refuge. Walker said, adding that most ducks do not make it back safely. Although most people think that leaving an un wanted duck or goose at a pond is acceptable. Walker insists that it’s not. “You wouldn’t abandon a dog or a cat,” Walker said. “And it's just as bad to abandon a duck.” There are regulations against dumping waterfowl in public ponds and those caught doing so may be slap ped with a citation. Rollins said. She encourages anyone who sees someone dumping animals at the pond to report the vehicle license number to Animal Regulation. Rollins does not think people realize they are being cruel to the animals when they abandon them. Most of the time, she said, people get chicks during Easter and find they do not have the facilities to accommodate them. So they get left at the Mill Race and other duck ponds. When Rollins and her group set out to relocate the animals, they take the .sick ones first because those are the ones most likely to be alienated by the others. Rollins has devised a funnel-shaped contraption to trap the "animals. The device,-which is "constructed of net, allows-the ducks to wander in for food. After several days, they get used to"the. structure and when Rdllins-comes to catch the animals, .she can easily shoo them into the cage. • • • ° The group delivers the animals to farmers who use . the ducks and geese as farm pets, Rollins said. They thoroughly check-oiit the homes .before they leave the animals. . • •’ . *• converting Central' Oregon Community College to a four year institution." Miscellaneous A House • committee heard testimony from thbse seeking retail sale of • Coors beer in Oregon. , • Beer distributors and truck drivers supported the sale of Coors, but members of the Women’s Rights. Commission • claimed the company is racist and discriminatory.. * * The House Legislative Rules I and ' Operations-- Committee recommended that the Legislature meet- every; year in- . stead of every other year. The Senate ■'defeated a measure to extend the Oregon Bottle Bill to include wine coolers. Tune-ups • Brakes • Fuel Injection 1917 FVanklln Blvd. Eugene,Or. 9740) 4SS-8X26 J McKay’s Open Pantry Delicatessen FEATURING Broasted Chicken - by the bucket or the piece • Party trays made to order Fresh home-made pizza • Fresh bagels and pocket bread • San Francisco style sourdough bread 31 varieties Imported and Domestic Cheese • 35 varieties lunch meat and sausages Full line salad bar • Hot food to go • Fresh sandwiches made daily Hot or cold. Imported or Domestic foods with old-fashioned service 1960 Franklin Blvd. Kugene 343-6418 Open 8 am to 8 pm daily 655 W. Centennial Blvd. Springfield 747-3023
