Recognize World Penguin Day & Earth Day Efforts
By Cindy Himes
Springtime in Pittsburgh is the season of new beginnings, when birds are singing, courting, and nesting; leaves return to bare trees, and colorful flowers start to bloom…it’s a grand celebration of nature!
It’s also the time of year when the Pittsburgh Penguins organization celebrates and supports World Penguin Day that is observed across the globe on April 25 to recognize penguins as amazing creatures and to educate the public about these unique birds and their habitat.
The team is also proud to recognize Earth Day on April 22, as it promotes clean living and a healthy, sustainable environment for people and wildlife alike. The Penguins and Penguins Foundation will highlight both on social media from April 22-25 to demonstrate support for environmental protection.
Pittsburgh is a wonderful city and we are especially grateful to have the National Aviary as part of our community. As a long-time community partner, the Penguins and the Penguins Foundation are honored again this season to team up with the National Aviary to celebrate the team’s namesake.
Since 2015, the Penguins Foundation has awarded $30,000 in grants to the National Aviary; and over the past year, during the pandemic, Penguins players’ wives and girlfriends donated $5,000 to the National Aviary to provide food and care for the penguins’ habitat.
National Aviary penguins have made special guest appearances at a variety of Penguins team events over the years, including the 2020 Night of Assists Gala, the Penguins Foundation’s 10th Anniversary game in 2019, the 2016 Wine Tasting Gala, and the Stanley Cup Celebration events in 2016 and 2017. Throughout the years, Penguins players and coaches have also enjoyed visiting the National Aviary with their families.
One-of-a-kind Animal Encounters, School and Group Programs, Virtual Classes, Birdwatching, and both in-person and virtual Summer Camps are all offered at the National Aviary. For more information, visit www.aviary.org.
The Penguins observance of both Earth Day and World Penguin Day coincide with the League-wide NHL Green program, which emphasizes the need to keep the outdoors and water both habitable, sustainable, and usable. The NHL has opted to make NHL Green one of its signature social responsibility platforms showcasing its commitment to environmental sustainability.
Join our team as we support Earth Day efforts in our community, making Pittsburgh environmentally sustainable for generations to come; and, by recognizing World Penguin Day to support our fine feathered friends – some of the most unique birds on this planet – the National Aviary Penguins!
Join the Pittsburgh Penguins by Supporting the National Aviary …
Opportunities are now available for fans to symbolically adopt a penguin from the National Aviary’s African penguin colony, including a new baby penguin named Marge! Support the National Aviary’s high standards of animal care with an adoption, and either keep it for yourself, or give it as a gift to someone special.
Adoption levels start at just $25 and include a personalized letter, adoption certificate, a beautiful photo of the animal you adopted, and a species fact sheet…also, an adorable penguin plush for anyone who chooses to adopt baby Marge for $75. Visit https://www.aviary.org/support-our-work/adopt-a-bird/. All proceeds from adoptions directly support animal care efforts.
Fun Fact: Two of the African penguins at the National Aviary are named Stanley and Sidney, in honor of Pittsburgh’s NHL Penguins.