Honored with a prize

How a Styrian discovered her love of storks

Angelika Meister can often be found in Tillmitsch, where she also raises people's awareness of nature(Bild: Jürgen Radspieler)

Her love for storks is worthy of an award: Angelika Meister lends a hand, for example when it comes to renovating nests, building new ones or helping animals. She was honored with the state's animal welfare award for her efforts.

If Helmut Rosenthaler, who is known far beyond the borders of the country, is the "stork father" - would Angelika Meister be happy with the title "stork mother"? "Not so much," smiles the woman from Judendorf, "'stork auntie', if you must."

It is almost ten years since the logistics expert was infected with the "stork virus". "The first contact was via the webcam in Frohnleiten, where you could watch a pair of storks raising their young, which was incredibly fascinating."

"I just wanted to help"
She then watched the long-legged birds on cameras all over the world, "especially in Poland, there are a lot of people who are totally stork crazy". And finally she wanted to take action herself. "I wanted to help because I was becoming increasingly aware of the problems that storks are facing today."

Helmut Rosenthaler gladly took the Styrian by the hand and immediately asked her for help with the nests, "because there are so few volunteers". But storks need help! Because: due to the increasingly frequent heavy rainfall, the water no longer drains away - the stork babies drown helplessly in the hollows, which relentlessly fill up with water. Or they freeze to death pitifully because the completely soaked parents can no longer keep them warm.

But even more help is needed. "When the young lose their parents, for example through accidents. Or because they are injured. When helpless little ones fall out of the nest or are thrown out for the survival of their stronger siblings, for example due to a lack of food."

Angelika Meister then helps out and lends a hand - on a voluntary basis and free of charge. She has just been awarded the state's animal welfare prize together with the "Krone". Our heartfelt congratulations.

If youwould like to helpthe dedicated Tillmitsch Stork Association
 Account AT98 3820 6000 0003 722