First Friday Update – August Edition
Hi Fabulous Volunteer Team, Brittany here! If we haven’t met yet, I am the (recently hired) Volunteer Relations Coordinator and I will be your tour guide to all things Volunteer Related! I plan to use this site to keep all our volunteers updated on a regular basis! Remember to check in on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month for Volunteer Updates!
A Special Thank You to All Volunteers. This last year and a half has been a wild ride and incredibly difficult but you have all stepped up to the plate in a VERY BIG way! You’ve done everything from scanning tickets, wiping down tables to helping from home, and so much more! From the ENTIRE Zoo I want to extend a very heartfelt Thank You for everything you’ve done! We appreciate each and every one of you!
Zoo Updates:
The Olympics have been a Summer Highlight and the Zoo has joined in on the Fun!
Take a look around the Zoo and find some of our Animals who have Olympic Gold Medal Worthy abilities! Check Out Rico on his Skateboard and our Gold Medal Girl!
MVP Update:
Please take a moment to log into MVP and check your contact information. If we need to get ahold of you, this is where we find your information, don’t be left out of the loop!
August is Asian Elephant Awareness Month!!
This is the Perfect time for you to engage visitors and talk about Elephant Trek! For the Latest information on The More Home to Roam campaign and Elephant Trek Click Here
COVID-19 Policies & Procedures Update:
Please keep an eye on your E-mail for COVID Updates. Updates will be sent out as they are received. At this time (Zoo Wide Announcement on 8/3-If you did not get a copy of the guidelines this week and would like one, please let me know) Masks are not Mandatory Zoo Wide, but there are certain departments who have mandated Masks. Please make sure to check with your supervisor if you are unsure. For the safety of all of our Fabulous Volunteers, I am strongly encouraging everyone to wear their masks indoor and in congested areas!
DID YOU KNOW:
- Did you know that our Amazing Animal Care Team has been preparing our At-Risk Animals for Voluntary Vaccinations? Click Here to Learn More
- Have you heard about CREW’s New Project? Click Here to Learn More
- After a Wild Ocelot’s Tragic Demise, He will Live On to Be a Father with CREW’s Help! Click Here to Learn More
Plant & Animal Updates:
- We are on Baby Watch! – Moe (21) and Lightning (8), Our adorable two-toed Sloth couple, are expecting their first ever newborn sloth. This is will also be the Zoo’s First baby Sloth!
- We have a New Baby Red Panda! By performing regular ultrasounds on super mom Lin, they were able to detect that she was pregnant in April of this year, but sadly the pregnancy was lost in May. Since red pandas are seasonal breeders, the team assumed that Lin would not be giving birth this year. But, two weeks ago, she did! Click Here for More Information
- The Newest Addition to our “Flamboyance” of Flamingos has a name! Meet “Twiggy”
- Why has Sammy the Cockatoo taken over the former “Mueller’s Island” in Jungle Trails? Click Here to Learn More
- Have you heard about the Impact we are having in our own backyard? The Rockdale Urban Learning Garden has TRANSFORMED and even more projects are in the works! Click Here to Learn More
- We Celebrated some BIG Birthdays last month!
- Nia, Cheetah, turned 12 on July 2nd
- Kris, our Cheetah and Remus’ best Buddy, entered her “Terrible Twos” on July 7th
- Jomo, Silverback Gorilla, turned the big 3-0 on July 18th
- Amali, our sweet little Bonobo, had her 1st Birthday on July 23rd
Opportunities:
- FC Cincinnati Tickets
With FC Cincinnati’s move to the MLS, their ticket pricing and discount options changed dramatically. They were willing to offer 2 discounted games to our employees & volunteers, and have set up dedicated links to purchase tickets. Tickets are available in sections 229 & 230. Which will allow for Zoo employees, families, etc. to sit near each other.
Click Here to Buy 9/11 Tickets
Click Here to Buy 10/2 Tickets
Friendly Faces
We all know Shae, our wonderful Manager of Wild Encounters, but I wanted to share a little bit about the other members of the Wild Encounters Leadership Team. If you see them around the Zoo, please don’t hesitate to say a quick “Hello” and let them know they are doing a great job!
Andrew Blodgett – Supervisor of Wild Encounters – Andrew Started with the Zoo in 2019 in the Visitor Experience department and had just started with Education Overnight Adventures when COVID started. Prior to the Zoo, Andrew has had a career spanning 10 years in museum work, outdoor education, and formal education. He has coordinated Education programs, directed camps and has even helped to excavate and preserve mammoths! Andrew has a degree in Geosciences from the University of Iowa and has held a research position at the University of Nebraska. Andrew’s expertise in education and SUPER COOL background is invaluable to our group of interpreters!
Kelly Markle – Supervisor of Wild Encounters – Kelly started with the Zoo in 2016 (She was “hatched” here) She has had multiple roles in the Visitor Experience department as an Adventure Guide, Wild Pack Lead and a VE Supervisor. Kelly graduated from UC in December of 2020 and switched over to Wild encounters in March of 2021! Kelly is SO fun loving and had a deep passion for leadership and staff support. She has spent her entire adult life here at the Zoo and has tremendous appreciation for the work we do here.
Eli Thiele – Supervisor of Wild Encounters – Eli was hired in the Wild Encounters department in the beginning of 2020. His last day of Training was the last day before the Zoo closed due to the Pandemic. Eli was one of the first team members that returned to help us get giraffe feedings and Roo Valley operations underway during the reopening of the Zoo. He started as a Supervisor in March of 2021. Eli graduated from the University of Dayton and spent a semester studying in Hawaii. (Fun Fact: Eli was a character performer at Disney World during his participation in the Disney College Program!) When Eli is not at the Zoo, he is tending to his huge houseplant collection or working on a feature-length film he is directing!
Zach Niswonger – Behind the Scenes Experience Lead Tour Guide – While Zach started with the Wild Encounters team this year, he comes from a background of designing and leading tours for the Centerville Washington Township Park District. While his main focus is the Behind-the-Scenes Program, you will see him around as he’ll also be supporting the Wild Encounters team in various capacities.
Upcoming Events:
- August 7th – Nutella Sampling (Outside Insect world)
- August 10th – World Lion Day
- August 12th – World Elephant Day
- August 12th – SOLD OUT – Bourbon Flights
- August 14th – Quaker Sampling (Outside Insect World)
- August 19th – World Orangutan Day
- August 21st – Ajani Jo’s First Birthday