2006-02-16T05:23:00.000-08:00

It isn't where we've been that's important it's where we're going with
your money.
The Mole Preservation Society founded in 1957 by Bud Smock, Al Fash and Connie Zlock in an abandoned garage in Shamokin certainly has come a long way.
From its humble origins though we haven't forgotten our mission:
To make friends one mole at a time.
It was founding member Connie Zlock after all who coined the now famous phrase:
"It's a mole's world we just live on top of it."
After 5 years of coaxing, pleading and fund raising the Mole Preservation Society was able to purchase an abandoned church and property near the Lil' Lehigh River.
The dreary massive gothic spire had dominated the small town skyline for almost two-hundred years.
After several attempts to use the existing structure a decision was reached. Out with the old in with the new! Boy that was easier said then done. An architect was hired, the old church torn down and land cleared of pesky trees. Finally the big day arrived and the Society was ready to move into its first facility a World War Two inspired quonset hut designed specifically for mole research.
Al was so excited he wore his army fatigues from the Korean War. Unfortunately the day's events were marred by a telephone pole being struck by a somewhat tipsy contributor and we lost a window. It was smooth sailing from there.
It's hard to believe all the changes since then, like Mole Lane. With the go-go ecology craze of the seventies guilty corporations and birkenstock clad hippies turned stockbrokers shoveled money at the Society as if moles were going out of business.
Which they weren't, except for the extremely rare anarctic mole who not only has to compete with the brutal sub-zero elements it also shares a habitat with penguins which are in fact vile nasty creatures despite their annoying propensity to overdress in tuxedos without regard to the occasion.
So why the blog? Why the appeal? Because, that's why. Right now we face our greatest challenge ever. Vanishing habitat, rain forests being cut down and burned at a rate of 5,000 acres per second, pollution, too much salt in our processed food. What does it all mean to the mole? Not much but mix them all together in a stew of guilt and you have the perfect storm of us willing to spend your money in a glut of junk science equalled only by research into global warming.
What do we have planned?
First a giant marina to house our latest department, MOAA (the Mole Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) a breathtaking leap into the unknown. While there isn't a single recorded instance of an aquatic or flying mole there's every expectation that's simply a result of nobody looking very hard in the right direction. Cutting edge science meets 70 foot yachts. Also we've finalized plans for our latest venture the sprawling complex named for our founders the Smock-Fash-Zlock Mole Research Complex. A state of the art research facility dedicated to examing every facet of a creature apparently happy digging holes and not doing much else.
That's where you, the donors who fuel the good work we do, come in. There has to be a reason they dig all these holes and tunnels, we can just feel it in our scientist bones. Won't you help us reach our goal in the relative luxurious comfort we've grown extremely accustomed to?
We won't cure cancer, build a better mousetrap, or even make your teeth whiter but you can be darn sure every dollar you contribute will be spent. That's our pledge to you.