Those flaunty flamingos were in fine feather (many apologies for the pun) to greet guests as they arrived at the Dallas Zoo for the Zoo To Do fundraiser, Jewels of the Kalahari, on Saturday, November 1. There is a real difference between the ones that are “stuck” in front yards and the Zoo’s flock. This group is definitely not static. As one group of guests headed to the trams bound for the main festivities, the pink birds with the scrawny legs followed along until their handlers reminded them of their duties of greeting all 670 guests including Honorary Co-Chairs Lynn and Allan McBee, Brandy and Will Taylor, Ruth O’Donnell Mutch, Connie and Denny Carreker, Mary McDermott Cook, Diane and Hal Brierley, Barbara and Don Daseke and Diane and Dallas Zoo Chairman of the Board Mike Gruber.
Allan and Lynn McBee, Craig Glatthaar and Brandy and Will Taylor
Mike Gruber and Sharon and Gregg Hudson
And while the chill may have been a wee bit brisk for some, the penguins were in seventh heaven. Even the snakes rose to the occasion, slithering on the arms of their handlers. While some guests recoiled (dadgummit, another pun) at the offer to touch the boa constrictor across the way from the registration desk, other guests took a chance and were amazed at the uniquely smooth feel of the scales.
Laura and lesser anteater
Angela and armadillo
Chispa the two-year-old lesser anteater showed her dexterity clutching the limb, while slurping up goodies from a cup held by handler Laura. On the other hand, the nearby armadillo was bored with the whole affair and curled up for a good snooze, looking more like a textured bowling ball in handler Angela’s hands.
Jennifer Houser, Ruth O’Donnell Mutch and Tiffany Divis
Co-Chair Jennifer Houser reported that the evening’s goal was to beat last year’s total of $918K. It would depend on the outcome of the live auction. Co-Chair Tiffany Divis said that a late addition to the live auction was the right to name the newborn giraffe.
In the Gorilla Lounge (aka Jewel Lounge), a mammoth light wall featuring a gorilla towered behind the bar. Zoo ambassador vet Rosie the owl had a “been-there-before” blasé attitude. On the other hand (sorry about that), Kimye the ball python was more than accommodating to be stroked in the hands of handler Cassie.
Gorilla bending tree
At one point the guests gathered at the lounge windows overlooking the gorilla compound to watch the gorillas make a brief showing. One even decided to effortlessly bend a small tree over to nibble at a tasty leaf. Well, after all, it was the cocktail hour. After they had made their personal appearance, the apes returned to their enclosure. Too chilly for them and nobody was going to debate their staying to entertain the gawking humans.
Afterwards came a strolling dinner provided by Abacus, Asador, Barter, Becks Prime, Blosa, Casa Rubia, Dallas Zoo Catering, Dragonfly at Hotel Zaza, Empire Baking Company, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, Margaux’s, Meso Maya, Mozzarella Company, Neiman Marcus, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Parigi, Savor Gastropub, SER Steak + Spirits, Sevy’s Grill, Sissy’s Southern Kitchen and Bar, Suze, Tillman’s Roadhouse and Two Sisters Catering.
As for the live auction, it was a gangbuster making national headlines. Seems that the last-minute addition of naming rights for the baby giraffe went to an anonymous donor for a cool $50,000. Even big spenders slowed down their paddle-raising when that number neared. The donor’s generosity only was heightened when it was announced that s/he would allow the final decision of the naming to be left to the public via an online vote. The outcome? The vote named him “Kopano”, meaning “united” in Botswana. And that’s exactly what happened at Zoo to Do as people united to raise $1.085M for one of the country’s leading zoos in one night.