TOPEKA (KSNT) – Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center spokesperson Cynthia McCarvel stopped by the 27 News studio to chat about several upcoming events and a new animal.
The main topic of conversation was the annual “Love Your Zoo Giving Day,” a fundraising event happening on Friday, Oct. 2 with the goal to raise $25,000 in 24 hours.
“The money that we raise goes to help with our animal care, our educational programs, and our conversation initiatives,” McCarvel said.
McCarvel said there were incentives behind donations with $100 or more donors will get their name etched into a brick near the Giraffe Friends Habitat. People who donate $200 or more will receive a customized Topeka Zoo handbag while those who donate $500 or more will get entered into a drawing to win a breakfast for six in the tiger habitat area.
This year, an anonymous donor is contributing a match meaning the donor will match each dollar donated up to $15,000.
In addition to the fundraising day, McCarvel said Founder’s Fest is happening the same weekend.
Kansas lawmakers request help for storm recovery efforts
“Founder’s Fest is a celebration for the Gage family who donated the land to the city of Topeka to create Gage Park,” McCarvel said. “Between Friday and Saturday there are a lot of free events happening. On Saturday we have a free day so people can come visit the zoo.”
The annual “Zoo Lights” were brought up and are able to view next month. McCarvel said they started putting up lights in August and have a new theme this year.
“This year is going to be Joy to the World is our theme and we’re going to have our jade garden as an area and we’re going to have a Mexican area,” McCarvel said. “We will have a cosmetic frontier so a space themed area, a winter wonderland and of course we’re going to have Santa’s forest.”
The last topic of discussion was about the brand-new leopard “Antin” from the Toledo Zoo. McCarvel said he’s out on exhibit and he’s been very active lately.
For more information about the Love Your Zoo Giving Day, click here or to view the full interview, see the video above.
For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
Follow Ben Nash on Facebook : https://tinyurl.com/KSNTBenNash
