animal chatter Winter 2012/2013 Oh What a Year! HOLIDAY SHOPPING Guide inside! Everyone can be an animal at the Zoo! OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS LAKE AREA ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY Donna Schoenbeck President Dale Christensen Vice President Steve Hageman Secretary/Treasurer Jeanne Flaherty Board Member Dean Gackstetter Board Member Georgia Fishman Board Member Lorraine Rittmann Board Member Brian DeBoer Board Member Dave Todd Board Member Will Morlock Board Member Mike Vener Board Member Rebecca Hoover Board Member Susan Munger Board Member PARK AND RECREATION DIRECTOR Terry Jorgenson PARK AND RECREATION BOARD Jean Doyen Heidi Stoick Jim Stoudt Mike Danforth Scott Johnston Dennis Murphy Kim Bellum BRAMBLE PARK ZOO STAFF Dan Miller Zoo Director Jim Lloyd General Curator John Gilman Zookeeper LeAnn Stavig Zookeeper Bill Gallagher Zookeeper Michelle Miller Zookeeper zoo hours Joe Jipp Maintenance Winter Hours Kim Konrad Office/Visitor 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Daily Services Manager Jaime Stricker Educator admission fees 2 and under – Free Barb Struwe Roots & Shoots 3-12 years old – $5.00 + tax Coordinator 13 and over – $7.00 + tax Fees are subject to change ACCREDITED BY THE without notice. Call for pricing during special events. 605-882-6269 2 Director’s Report Dear Members, The holiday season often serves as a reminder to offer thanks to all our friends who, in a multitude of ways, support Bramble Park Zoo and all of its programs. This year will welcome over 63,000 visitors to the zoo, which will be an all time record. The 1,500 Lake Area Zoological Society members and their families helped us achieve this exceptional attendance figure. Thank you for your continued support and interest. Volunteers who gave generously of their time, talents, and resources are sincerely thanked. Bramble Park Zoo is fortunate to have seven capable and willing volunteers who serve as Watertown Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Board members. We are also thankful for 13 Lake Area Zoological Society Board members who provide their continued support. Mayor Gary Williams and the City Council give us support for which we are very grateful. We are blessed with the Watertown Community Foundation, United Way, AWC Family Foundation, South Dakota Community Foundation, Lake Area Veterinary Clinic, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System, HyVee, County Fair Foods, Midcontinent Communications, KXLG and all the weekly radio sponsors, Power 106, Watertown Radio, Sharp Chevrolet Pontiac Cadillac & Toyota, Sheehan Cycle, Watertown Ford Chrysler, Cowboy Country Stores, Crawford Funeral Chapel, Watertown Flowers, Watertown Monument Works, Redlin Art Center, Watertown Public Opinion, Plains Commerce Bank, Coca-Cola, Reliabank, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Burger King, Chamber of Commerce, CVB, Glacial Lakes and Prairies Tourism, Proud Angler Bait and Tackle Shop, Hurkes Implement, Barkley Truck Lines, Watertown Volunteer Center, Target, Salvation Army, The Wheel Inn, Express Photo, Charley’s, Makepeace Jewelers, Riddle’s Jewelry, Herberger’s, Lunker’s, Minerva’s Restaurant & Bar, JCPenney, 2nd Street Station, House of Wood, Mahowald’s, Sioux Valley Greenhouse, ProBuild, South Dakota Department of Tourism, Stein Sign Display, Cutting Technologies, Tool Time, Duane Hoffman, LATI, SDSU, Upper Big Sioux River Watershed Project and our many event sponsors. Our zoo staff also deserves heartfelt thanks. All staff, including animal care, maintenance, office, education, part-timers, visitor services, interns, Zoo Crew, Roots & Shoots, Girls Rule, Parks & Forestry, other city departments and all of the rest are appreciated. They work tirelessly to make certain every visitor has a wonderful experience. To each and every one of our friends, THANK YOU! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! “WHO likes the Dan Miller, Zoo Director Zoo? I do!” thank you thank upcoming events Breakfast with santa Santa Claus is coming to town and he is visiting the Bramble Park Zoo! Bring your Christmas wish list and your appetite to Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 15. In addition to the meal provided by Burger King, there will be opportunities to visit with Santa and take free pictures with him. Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras. Other highlights include crafts in Santa’s Workshop, animal encounters, and caroling. Tickets are $4 in advance or $5 at the door. Youth two and under are free. Tickets can be purchased at the Zoo. Tickets are limited to the first 200 people. 3 HOLIDAY SHOPPING LAZS Memberships are available with many convenient ways to order. You can order your membership by phone 605-882-6269, by mail at PO Box 484, Watertown, South Dakota, 57201, by fax 605-882-5232, by e-mail “Wake us when [email protected] or stop by the Gift Shop in the Discovery Center daily from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. it’s Christmas!” ANNUAL MEMBERSHIPS: Individual Memberships - $40 per year • Free admission for one person named on membership card to Bramble Park Zoo for 12 months. Family Memberships - $60 per year • Free admission for two adults named on membership card and their dependent children under the age of 18 living in the same household to Bramble Park Zoo for 12 months. Grandparent Memberships - $60 per year • Free admission for two adults named on membership card living in the same household and any three grandchildren under the age of 18 per trip to Bramble Park Zoo for 12 months. • Free or discounted admission to reciprocal zoos and aquariums • A one-year subscription to the Lake Area Zoological Society’s quarterly newsletter • Occasional specials for members only • An invitation to the Lake Area Zoological Society annual picnic • Not available for businesses Donor Memberships - $100 per year • Same as Individual, Family or Grandparent, plus five free passes to Bramble Park Zoo for the guests of your choice. Sustaining Memberships - $150 per year • Same as Individual, Family, Grandparent or if purchased for a business, free admission for one corporate, business or club member and four Memberships make guests at one time to Bramble Park Zoo for 12 months. • Ten free passes to Bramble Park Zoo for the guests of your choice. • A sustaining plaque for home or office, and name noted on a sustaining plaque at Bramble Park Zoo. great gifts! 4 “Wake us when it’s Christmas!” Memberships make great gifts! 5 more behind the scenes tours HOLIDAY SHOPPING PERPETUAL MEMBERSHIPS: Life Memberships - One time donation of $1,000 or more • Life Memberships are limited to private individuals and their families. A Life Member will be considered a member for the remainder of their natural life. Includes all the benefits of an annual membership. • Same as Individual, Family, or Grandparent, plus ten free passes to Bramble Park Zoo for the guests of your choice, a lifetime plaque for home or office, and name noted on a lifetime plaque at Bramble Park Zoo. Patron Memberships - One time donation of $2,000 or more • Same as Individual, Family, Grandparent or if purchased for a business, free admission for one corporate, business or club member and four guests at one time to Bramble Park Zoo, plus ten free passes to Bramble Park Zoo for the guests of your choice, a patron plaque for home or office, and name noted on a patron plaque at Bramble Park Zoo. Benefactor Memberships - One time donation of $5,000 or more • Same as Individual, Family, Grandparent or if purchased for a business, free admission for one corporate, business or club member and four guests at one time to Bramble Park Zoo, plus ten free passes to Bramble Park Zoo for the guests of your choice, a benefactor plaque for home or office, and name noted on a benefactor plaque at Bramble Park Zoo. • Patron and Benefactor Memberships may be held by individuals, corporations, businesses, and/or fraternal, social or service clubs and includes all benefits of an annual membership listed on the previous page. One-time use passes & Gift Shop merchandise BRAMBLE PARK ZOO GIFT SHOP Shop our gift shop for the perfect stocking stuffers and gifts. We have everything from clothing to toys, stationary to jewelry, magnets to games, books to figurines. We ordered extra inventory this year just for the holidays and are open 10:00 am - 4:00 pm daily! DAILY ADMISSION TICKETS GREAT Adults (13 and over)....$7 +tax Youth (3-12 years).......$5 +tax stocking STUFFERS! 6 behind the scenes tours Penguin Encounter – Your mission: call to schedule a private one hour tour in which you will learn about the daily adventures of the penguins living in Watertown’s Bramble Park Zoo. Fee: $10.00 per person Behind the Scenes – Enjoy this unique 1 ½ hour program in which visitors spend time touring with a zoo biologist. This tour allows participants (minimum of four, maximum of eight people) to go behind HOLIDAY SHOPPING the scenes, get face-to-face with exotic animals in off-exhibit areas, prepare meals and feed the animals at Bramble Park Zoo. Fee: $15.00 per person Breakfast with the Beasts – Enjoy this unique two hour program in which visitors will have breakfast amongst the prairie gardens or inside the Terry Redlin Environmental Center and then spend time touring the zoo with a zoo staff member. This tour allows participants (minimum of four, maximum of ten) to go behind the scenes, get face-to-face with exotic animals in off-exhibit areas, prepare meals and feed the animals at Bramble Park Zoo. Fee: $20.00 per person For any of these packages, you will receive a certificate with payment which can be presented to the recipient during the holidays. When scheduling the program, Bramble Park Zoo must have at least two weeks advance notice and tours are subject to staff Sponsor availability. This program is appropriate for ages 4 and up and all participants under 16 must be accompanied by a paid adult.