One year ago, a group of interns at Piedmont Natural Gas helped build the enclosure that would house the young osprey after his right wing had been severely injured by a gunshot and surgically repaired at the Wildlife Center in Espanola, N.M.

In return for its work and financial support, Piedmont earned the right to name the young osprey.

“We want the community to help us name this very special osprey, and hope everyone will log onto our Facebook page and vote beginning this Friday, Aug. 12,” said Ken Valentine, a Piedmont Natural Gas vice president, who is a member of the Carolina Raptor Center board. “Those who vote will have the opportunity to win free passes to the Raptor center – and equally important, will help us name our newest resident.”

The six named under consideration are:

• Altair – Means “the flyer” • Hemingway – Avid fisherman and author of "The Old Man and the Sea" • Kosumi – Means “spear fisher” • Monte – Taken from Piedmont, and means “mountain” • Skye – Taken from sky, and means “the upper atmosphere” • Swoop – Means “to sweep through the air”

Sometimes called sea hawks, osprey are large birds known for their keen fishing abilities.

Voting will take place online at facebook.com/PiedmontNG beginning Friday, Aug. 12 at 12:01 a.m. and ending Sunday, Aug. 21 at midnight.

The winning name will be announced Saturday, Aug. 27 at 4:30 p.m. at the Osprey Observation Deck Dedication as part of the Carolina Raptor Center’s annual friends and family picnic and volunteer appreciation event.

The exhibit will open to the public beginning Sunday, Aug. 28, at noon, and the newly named osprey will be available for viewing in September.