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Year End Ask Letter |
Greetings from ZooMontana!
It’s the purrrr...fect time to give!
As many of you may know this past year has been a year of change and growth for ZooMontana, from the completion of the paving of the trails, refurbishing the otter exhibit, construction of the Bear Meadows exhibit to the newest addition of a baby pygmy marmoset.
None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the generosity of donors like you and the tireless efforts of zoo staff, volunteers and the community.
The completion of the trails shows true community spirit. This was possible due to the efforts and generosity of the Rotary Club, zoo staff, JTL, ExxonMobil, Tractor & Equipment and the Sample Foundation. These wonderful individuals, businesses and organizations have made it possible for elderly and handicapped visitors as well as those with small children to truly enjoy the zoo.
Bear Meadows, the new brown bear exhibit sponsored by Stillwater Mining Company, is well under way and expected to be completed this winter with hopes to have our first bears in late spring or early summer. High Tech Construction, the general contractor for this exhibit, has also helped the zoo with various maintenance needs. Now entering its fifteenth year, the zoo is starting to show its age. Taking care of the animals and maintaining their exhibits is of utmost importance. The zoo is extremely grateful to High Tech for their help in this area.
Education is priority at the zoo. The EdZoo has been working tirelessly to get their conservation message out to schools in our area as well as the outlying areas. They educate our future generations on the four R’s, loss of our precious rain forests, rapid decline of amphibian species around the world and protection of our fresh water resources. They reach roughly 3,000 students annually.
The zoo also offers a full time pre-school program which provides traditional education in a nontraditional environment. These children get the opportunity to learn their ABC’s as well as experience nature. The education department is one of the best and our hope for the future is to build an education center that truly connects people of all ages with wildlife and inspires the conservationist in everyone.
Looking to the future we hope to have current exhibits adopted such as Fran and Gary Oakland did with the North American River Otters. Their generosity will allow us to bring this exhibit back to the quality exhibit it was 15 years ago and provide a more suitable habitat for the otters. For the first time the otters have grass in their exhibit thanks to the Oaklands and Floating Islands International.
Program costs along with the feeding, care, and housing of animals are considerable. In addition, the zoo has building and grounds maintenance costs. Without your ongoing dedication, these valuable programs simply would not exist.
It takes a community to build a quality zoo that truly connects individuals with wildlife and motivates them to care. While admissions, events and educational programs generate revenue, a significant portion of our funding is directly from generous donors like you providing for the longevity of ZooMontana.
Please support ZooMontana with a generous contribution today. Your tax deductible gift will help sustain ZooMontana for generations to come.
We are proud to invest in ZooMontana, and would be pleased to count you among those who join us in strengthening this valuable community resource. Thank you for considering our request.
Sincerely,
ZooMontana Staff & Board of Directors
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