While I-30 was jammed up because of a tipsy truck that blocked two lanes throughout Thursday, June 10’s rush hour, 145 Zoo To Do-ers managed to make it to the Dallas Zoo for the ZTD Kick-Off. This was the second try for the kick-off. The previous one had to be postponed due to May’s stormy weather.
Before the program commenced, Dallas Zoo President/CEO Gregg Hudson reported that May’s torrents of rainfall hadn’t created a problem except for some mud clogging up a system or two. Everything else had not just been fine, it had been great. Gregg attributed it the Giants of the Jurassic, as well the births of Kipenzi the female giraffe and Mateo the male ocelot. When asked about the two male giraffes — Willie and Waylon — born at the Fort Worth Zoo and the possibility of their meeting up with Kipenzi, Gregg wasn’t prepared to play matchmaker.
John Wayne Film Festival Co-Chairs Kara and Randall Goss told friends about their May 26th trip to Austin, where Gov. Greg Abbott made the late Wayne an honorary Texan and declared May 26th to be John Wayne Day in Texas. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had been instrumental in making it all happen. Seems Dan is a huge Duke fan and has the festival on his schedule to attend.
But it was Cindy and Chuck Gummer in flapper-style outfits that had people wondering what was up. With Zoo friends like Diane and Mike Gruber, Diane Brierley and Michael Meadows gathered, ZTD Co-Chairs Cindy and Chuck had their family/co-chairs Alisha and Chris Gummer, Cameron and Jay Gummer and Michelle and Ryan Gummer join them as they told how Cindy had been on the zoo’s board for six years. When she decided to take on the Zoo To Do, Chuck notified her, “I’m retired.” In wifely fashion, she told him, “Not yet!” Within two days of organizing and fundraising, they got 20 yes’es.
Alas, poor Chuck in his black fedora. As he prepared to reveal deets about the October 17th event, eyes were directed at the Giants of Savanna exhibit just behind Chuck. The impalas had upstaged him at that moment by scampering across the Giants of Savanna followed by a couple of lumbering elephants.
As Ruben Esquivel put it, “That’s Mother Nature.”
After the impalas had disappeared, Chuck and Cindy announced the theme would be “The Roaring 20’s” and they were expecting around 700 for the event. Chuck explained that to have an event success, it takes three “legs of the stool.” One leg is good organization. In this case, they had landed Micki and Mayor Mike Rawlings to be co-chairs and Dan Landsberg for the honorary chef presiding over 25 chefs cooking up dishes. After dinner there would be a live auction in the Wilds of Africa plaza for “rare Zoo experiences, travel and more!”
Emerald City’s Party Management will be handling the entertainment “with non-stop music, lights and motion from the moment they hit the stage.”
Second leg of the stool is having a great party. And the third is fundraising. As part of that last leg, Chuck thanked Mike Andereck, who would be handling the underwriting efforts.
Chuck reminded the group that last year’s fundraiser hit the $1M mark. A last minute entry in the live auction helped them achieve that goal. It was the right to name the boy giraffe born just days before the auction that went for $50,000. The winner of that bidding match in turn allowed the name to be decided by a popular vote.
Chuck then said they were trying to be strategic about such a reoccurrence. Unfortunately, there was not enough time left for a baby lion or tiger to be born, but, “if we only have 30 days to raise it, we might name a newborn gerbil!”
With that Chuck concluded, telling guests, “Enjoy!”
In keeping with the theme announcement, the evening’s food reflected just that — “Roaring 20’s Salmon Canapes”, “Welcome to the Waldorf Salad”, “White Castle Burger, Martini Ailoi”, “Fruit And Please Platter Cheese”, “Tini-Potato Bar”, “Bathrub Gin and Juice Sorbet”.
To showcase the educational programs offered by the zoo, the zoo’s ambassadors were literally on hand. Rosie the Owl was nowhere to be seen, though. In her stead was Kruger, the Eurasian eagle owl, who had replaced Rosie. Seems Rosie was now part of the children’s program. On this night Kruger was showing off his “talons” on Robin Ryan’s very thickly gloved hand. It was the first time for many to see a “robin” handling an owl.
At another point Robin traded Kruger in for a demonstration that had Fitz the trumpeter hornbill flying past the giraffes, elephants, zebras and impalas and landing on her arm. After a couple of leaps for grapes, Fitz was on his way back home.
When asked about the flamingos, who have always been more than accommodating for photo opps if the treats are available, officials said the flamingos had sent their regrets. Seems the deck was way too hot for their flat feet.
Tickets are available now, as well as sponsorships and underwriting opportunties.