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Country Club safari gala to benefit zoo
BLOOMINGTON -- Maybe it's the allure of wearing a pith helmet and going safari casual to a gala held at the Bloomington Country Club. Or maybe it's the possibility of enjoying hors d'oeuvres with a meerkat. Either way, organizers say the annual event to support Miller Park Zoo will be a fun time that helps support a community gem. The gala, hosted by the Miller Park Zoological Society, is set for Sept. 8. Tickets are $75 and can be obtained by calling the zoo at (309) 434-2250. Deadline for reservations is 5 p.m. today (Friday). Money raised will go toward equipping the animal hospital under construction at the zoo. The $400,000 hospital is being paid for by the zoo's Operation Roar fundraising campaign. Operation Roar also will renovate the Katthoefer animal building. Zoological Society President Jennifer Percy Lowrance said the gala typically raises $20,000 to $25,000. Money raised at previous galas has gone toward the zoo's building project. "You can't just say you need a new building and not do it correctly," Lowrance said. "And we owe it to our animals to give them the best possible care and facilities." The zoo needs $25,000 to $50,000 to finish equipping the hospital, said zoo Superintendent John Tobias. Veterinarians can care for animals at the hospital instead of zookeepers transporting animals to local clinics. An exam room in the basement of the Katthoefer building is outdated. Once the hospital building is completed, Tobias said the zoo can turn its attention to the second phase of Operation Roar. Katthoefer is one of the original zoo structures and was built in 1915. Renovations could cost about $2 million, Tobias estimated. Tobias said hopes to have a renovated building that will be suitable to bring a breeding pair of Sumatran tigers to zoo. The Sumatran is the smallest of the tiger species; there are roughly 400 of the tigers left in the wild. "We really believe we have a great gem in this town," Lowrance said. "The zoo is such a great thing for the community and we believe it is worth supporting." GO!What: Miller Park Zoological Society's Annual Zoo Gala and fundraiser for Operation Roar. When: Sept. 8 Where: Bloomington Country Club Tickets: $75 each; call (309) 434-2250. Deadline for reservations is 5 p.m. today (Friday). How to helpTo donate to Operation Roar, a two-phase project for an animal hospital and renovations to the Katthoefer Animal Building, call (309) 434-2250 or send checks to Miller Park Zoo, 1020 S. Morris Ave., Bloomington, IL 61701. Put "Operation Roar" in the memo line. On the Net: www.millerparkzoo.org E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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