Zoo Fair to bring family fun
to park
By Laura Pelner
Summer
Reporter
The Lafayette Columbian Park Zoo is holding Zoo Fair
2000 Saturday afternoon to aid in fundraising for the Junior Zookeeper
Program.
Zoo Fair 2000 is a small carnival-like event on the
zoo grounds. Joan Strother, volunteer coordinator at the zoo and director
of Zoo Fair 2000, said the event is for children of all ages.
Strother added, "It's a wonderful family activity
to come out to the zoo. Not only can you come and see the animals, but
you can play games and help support a good program."
Melissa Krulik, the head zookeeper, agreed that it
will be a family event. "It's a good family thing because the parents
can do it as well as the kids. It's definitely a family activity."
Admission to the zoo is free and tickets to play
games, buy refreshments or buy raffle tickets are 50 cents each.
Strother said that the games are for everyone. There
will be a candywalk, which is a spoof of the more traditional cakewalk.
There will also be water gun targets, a ring toss, a duck pond and face
painting.
Some of the animals will be making guest appearances
throughout the day as well. Krulik said, "We take some of our educational
animals out and our animal ambassadors. We take them out on grounds and
let the kids interact, as far as touching and learning more about them.
It gives them a personal look at the animal, a one-on-one look."
The money raised at Zoo Fair 2000 will go to the
Junior Zookeeper Program. The program is for teenagers 14-17 years old
who are interested in a career working with animals.
Strother said, "They go through training in the spring
and then come in and volunteer twice a week during the summer and work
with the zookeepers. They do so some hands-on work with the animals."
The junior zookeeper's end the summer with a weekend
field trip. "This year we're going to Chicago for a behind the scenes
tour of Lincoln Park Zoo and Shedd Aquarium," said Strother.
Krulik said one reason people should attend Zoo Fair
2000 is because of the fundraising. "I think they should attend because
it's for a great cause, for the junior zookeepers who commit most of the
summer to volunteer at the zoo. It's a way to give back to the kids who
put in hard work."
Another reason to attend is because this is an unusual
event for the zoo. Last year was the first year Columbian Park Zoo had
a zoo fair and Krulik said the event went well. "I think everyone that
came had a good time. We had lots of comments like 'this was really great,
I'm really glad we came to the zoo.'"
Krulik added that those who come this year can see
all the animals and enjoy some entertainment. "It'll be a good time I
think, an extra added bonus to coming to the zoo," she said.
• Zoo Fair 2000 will be from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Saturday afternoon at the Columbian Park Zoo.
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