Posts Tagged With: donor

#WhyIGive: Fostering the next generation of wildlife warriors

Tim and Thom DeWitt meet a Dallas Zoo ambassador penguin up close.

In the 12 months since Tim and Thom DeWitt made a gift to the Dallas Zoological Society to create an endowment for the Dallas Zoo’s College Internship Program, more than 100 students have benefited from their generous donation. The initial gift has helped defray operating costs for the program, and the hope is to grow the endowment so it allows the internship program to become self-sustaining. This funding will ensure that for years to come, students can take part in the immersive internship learning environment at the Dallas Zoo.

“We’re thrilled to see the impact our initial donation is having, supporting the next generation of conservationists and helping college students pursue their interests in related fields,” said Tim DeWitt. “What’s on the horizon, though, is most exciting. Once the endowment is fully funded, the possibilities are limitless in terms of how this intern program can grow and help foster a love of wildlife conservation in students.”

In September 2018, the DeWitts committed a gift to be funded over five years to support the ongoing needs of the Dallas Zoo’s internship program, with a portion of that gift dedicated to creating an endowment to sustain and grow the intern program.

“We are so thankful that the DeWitts saw such potential in our internship program and that they share our same passion for cultivating the conservation champions of tomorrow,” said Julie Bates, Dallas Zoo’s Director of Volunteer Services. “College-aged students represent a critical age for nurturing a spirit of service and empowerment, and our internship program is built to help students understand how they can have an impact in creating a better world for animals, and by extension, creating a better world for all of us.”

Having been raised in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Thom DeWitt was familiar with the Dallas Zoo and came here as a child. And as a former educator, he previously had worked with the Zoo on educational opportunities and curriculum to help connect kids with animals, nature, and conservation. It was their nephew, though, who inspired the DeWitts to support the Dallas Zoo after he participated in the internship program several summers ago.

Colton, Tim & Thom DeWitt’s nephew during his Dallas Zoo internship. (He is second from the right)

“Our nephew was very interested in working at the Zoo, but he wasn’t sure in what capacity,” said Thom DeWitt. “The internship gave him exposure to different parts of the Zoo, and we got to hear him come home every day and talk about the experiences he had, and what he was able to see and learn. We immediately recognized this was a wonderful program and felt we needed to find a way to help expand the internship program to even more students.”

The DeWitts hope the endowment eventually allows the internship program to offer scholarships and helps the program conduct outreach to bring in a diverse socioeconomic mix of students to hone their skills at the Dallas Zoo.

More about the Dallas Zoo’s College Internship Program

Approximately 100 undergraduate or graduate students are selected annually (across fall, spring, and summer semesters) to be a part of the Dallas Zoo’s College Internship Program, following a competitive application and interview process. Interns become actively involved in the Zoo’s animal care departments, conservation and research efforts, operations support, and/or administrative positions, working up to 40 hours per week for 12 weeks. Each placement is designed to help the intern gain experience related to their education.

All Dallas Zoo interns are required to complete an educational project, participate in at least one service learning project, and attend professional development sessions designed especially for zoo interns.

To learn more about the program or to find out when the next application period is, please visit our website for all the details.

Categories: Interns | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Public gets to name Dallas Zoo’s baby giraffe

Mom Chrystal shares a touching moment with her new calf, whose name will be chosen by a public vote, thanks to a generous donor. Cathy Burkey/Dallas Zoo

Mom Chrystal shares a touching moment with her new calf, whose name will be chosen by a public vote, thanks to a generous donor. Cathy Burkey/Dallas Zoo

The donor who paid $50,000 to name the Dallas Zoo’s baby giraffe is opening the choice up for a public vote! Starting Wednesday, Nov. 5, we will launch a voting contest on our website bit.ly/DZName, where participants can select from three names chosen by the donor.

For the first time, we put an animal’s naming rights up for bid during a live auction at our annual fundraising gala, Zoo To Do, last Saturday. After a spirited auction, the winning bidder paid $50,000 to name the male calf, born Oct. 26.

“We’re very grateful to this special donor, and are happy to set this up to involve the public and local schools,” said Gregg Hudson, chief executive officer and president of the Dallas Zoo. “There is very high interest in this new calf and we can’t wait to see what his name will be.”

Mom Chrystal nurses her calf in the giraffe barn. Dallas Zoo/Cathy Burkey

Mom Chrystal nurses her calf in the giraffe barn. Dallas Zoo/Cathy Burkey

The generous donor, who is a longtime zoo supporter and animal lover, wishes to remain anonymous, but has requested that the public be involved in the naming of the giraffe. The voting contest also will benefit Dallas/Fort Worth area children. Voters will be asked to nominate a DFW-area school they’d like to win a free animal visit from our Animal Adventures team. The winning school will be randomly selected.

The donor has selected the three following African names:

  1. Kopano – from Botswana, meaning “united”
  2. Usawa – “equality” in Swahili
  3. Shingo – “neck” in Swahili

Voting ends Sunday (Nov. 9), at 5 p.m. The winning name and school will be announced Monday, Nov. 10.

The entire $50,000 will go to conservation groups helping giraffes in the wild. Fewer than 4,700 reticulated giraffes remain in Africa, and the Dallas Zoo has long partnered with various groups to help protect endangered species around the world. The zoo’s animal welfare team is currently working to determine which groups will receive money from the donation.

Born just over a week ago, the Zoo’s energetic 6-foot-tall giraffe calf is doing well. Over the past few days, he’s had brief introductions with the rest of the zoo’s 12-member herd. His first-time mother, Chrystal, is embracing motherhood tremendously, keeping a watchful eye over her calf at all times.

Categories: Africa, Conservation, Giraffe | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Special donor makes unforgettable contributions

We’ve been part of her life — and her budget — since 1989, when Carrollton resident Linda Balkey made her first donation to the Dallas Zoo. And it didn’t stop there! Since 1995, Balkey has donated $25 every single month, and it’s a handwritten check every time.

Balkey holds African penguin, Opus.

Balkey holds African penguin, Opus. Dallas Zoo/Chelsea Stover

She proves that no matter how small, every donation counts. “The Dallas Zoo is just a part of my budget. You don’t have to do a lot. I just felt called to do more, and this $25 I just won’t notice,” she explained.

But we’ve noticed. Each month when we open Balkey’s handwritten check, we wondered, ‘who is this woman?’ We wanted to know more about her, so we invited her out for a special day at the Zoo.

When we greeted her at the front gate, it felt like we had known her for years. “The Dallas Zoo has a soft spot in my heart,” said Linda, a retired second-grade teacher. “You all are like teachers, heroes — people don’t appreciate you enough. But I appreciate you stepping up and taking care of animals when the vast majority of us can’t.”

Her day began with a behind-the-scenes tour of the giraffe barn. Giddy as she fed the giraffes crackers, Balkey acknowledged it’s been too long since she had been to the Dallas Zoo. “I was a member when my kids were young, but that stopped when they grew up and moved away,” she said. “But I’ve kept up with you guys, and I’m so proud of your changes.”

Those changes couldn’t have happened without support such as hers. We visited our African black-footed penguins next, where Balkey got to hold and feed Opus.

Balkey feeds giraffe Auggie. Dallas Zoo/Chelsea Stover

Balkey feeds giraffe Auggie. Dallas Zoo/Chelsea Stover

When we learned tigers were her favorite animal, we knew we had to take her to their off-exhibit home. Her face lit up, and when we entered, it was if the tigers knew how special she was to us. Sumatran tiger Batu showed off, lounging in his pool, rolling over on his back and chuffing loudly (tiger lingo for “talking”).

We are immensely grateful to all of our donors, especially those who stay with us through the years. But we need you, too! On Oct. 1, we’ll launch our Decision/Donate 2014 Annual Fund campaign, where you can make a donation and vote for one of our candidates for our Animal Board of Directors! Stay tuned here on the ZooHoo! blog and on our social media sites for details.

 

Categories: Conservation, Giraffe, Penguins | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brought to you by the Dallas Zoo