Acorn Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation, located in Millersville, is about to make history. In May, Acorn Acres' founder and executive director, Betsy Shank, announced a new campaign to secure funding for a major expansion. In addition to enhancing Acorn Acres' level of care and capacity for animals, the project will make the organization Lancaster County's first commercial wildlife facility.

Acorn Acres' expansion will include an additional facility that will be equipped with advanced diagnostic tools such as fluoroscopy and X-ray machines, as well as an on-site laboratory. The new facility, which is approximately 2,000 square feet, was formerly used as a veterinary office building, and it will allow Acorn Acres to bring in more volunteers, more animals and members of the public who wish to take a look at the many ways it serves the community.

Shank said she initially spoke with Ryan and Ashley Tuma, the owners of the new facility, roughly one year ago about using the space for Acorn Acres. After discussing the potential expansion while Shank was teaching in North Carolina, Ashley suggested the two women meet in person on Feb. 28, unaware that it was the one-year anniversary of the passing of Acorn Acres' late mascot, Poppy the groundhog. "I said, 'I hear you, Poppy. I'll go,'" added Shank. Once the details were squared away, Shank officially partnered with Ryan and Ashley to rent the new space and launch the Capacity Campaign.

"I've had to turn away animals from Acorn Acres every year because we literally run out of room," Shank said. "This new facility will allow us to take a higher number of animals, welcome additional volunteers and bring in additional species." Currently, Acorn Acres specializes in rehabilitating squirrels, rabbits and woodchucks; the expansion will enable the organization to extend its care to bats and Pennsylvania's only native marsupial, the Virginia opossum.

Once the new facility is officially up and running, Shank plans to offer tours to members of the public. Due to regulations, wildlife centers are not able to exhibit animals in rehabilitation to prevent them from growing accustomed to human contact. The examination rooms in the new building are equipped with one-sided windows, which will allow guests to see the animals while avoiding direct contact.

Acorn Acres' primary goal is now to secure funding for the move into the facility and its continued operation. To make a donation online, visit https://tinyurl.com/AcornAcresExpansion. For more information or to view other donations options, visit http://www.acornacreswr.com/capacity_campaign.