Page 8 - Gateways_2019-Summer

News Bites continued
A Donor’s Perspective:
Roots Run Deep for Brookfield Zoo
Testimonial provided by Fran Clark. Fran and her husband, Art,
are members of the Edith Rockefeller McCormick Society.
Brookfield Zoo has always been an important part of
[my husband’s and my] lives. We visit regularly, take
advantage of special programs and trips with zoo staff,
and serve as adoptive “parents” to an American bison and
a bottlenose dolphin. So when we were presented the
task of determining the disposition of our gifts, we didn’t
hesitate to name the Chicago Zoological Society as a
major beneficiary.
My roots with the zoo go deep. My mother worked at
the zoo in the early 1940s, and my grandmother started
taking me to the zoo in the mid-1950s. When we married
in the 1960s, I introduced my husband Art to all the
joys of walking among the animals. The conservation
and educational programs put forward by the Society’s
administration and board have elevated Brookfield Zoo
to a special category; it is a place where visitors and
students can learn and become better citizens of the
world. The animal care staff and volunteers are devoted
to maintaining and exhibiting an animal population that
is diverse and important to our understanding of the
world around us. There have been a lot of changes and
improvements in the past 50 years, and we hope that
our gift will be used to continue on this path.
For details on how you can become part of the
Edith Rockefeller McCormick Society, email us at
EdithRockefellerMcCormickSociety@czs.org
or call (708) 688-8174.
8 GATEWAYS | NEWS BITES
PARK Feeding Your Zoo Baby
UPDATES The Chicago Zoological Society’s staff members are
committed to those in their care. That means the thousands
of animals who make their home at Brookfield Zoo, along with the two
million guests who visit each year.
Many of our guests are nursing moms, and we want their experience
at the zoo to be as comfortable and relaxing as possible, which is why we
continue to offer two private nursing rooms.
The room in Hamill Family Play Zoo is equipped with toys and animal-
themed books, which can entertain older siblings as moms nurse. And in the
restroom area of BZ Red Hots, a privacy door is provided for those mothers
who prefer reduced distractions.
Many thanks go to
for its sponsorship support of the rooms for nursing moms.
Brewing a New Partnership
IMPACT Some things just seem to go together. A smooth, crisp beer
and warm summer’s day are one of those perfect pairs.
What could make this match even better? When enjoying
this combination could help support the Chicago Zoological Society and
Brookfield Zoo!
In 2018, the Society partnered with Wild Onion Brewery, based in Lake
Barrington, Illinois, to develop Hair of the Frog, a blonde ale that debuted
exclusively at Brookfield Zoo last Memorial Day weekend. Not only did
the beer receive a strong positive response, a portion of the proceeds go
directly back to the Society.
The beer is now also sold at the brewery and its sister restaurants, the
Onion Pub in Barrington and the Wild Onion Tied House in Oak Park. The
brewery’s goal is to produce a canned version of this beer, which will be
sold throughout the Chicago area, with a portion of the proceeds still
benefiting the Society.
Mike Kainz, founding brewer of Wild Onion, has strong ties to Brookfield
Zoo—he visited often as a child, and his wife, Jennifer, worked as an animal
care specialist at Brookfield Zoo for several years. Brewing beer while
supporting the Society’s conservation mission combines both of this
family’s passions.
Look for this special beer on your next trip to the zoo, and keep your eye
out for its canned version soon—the label features a highly stylized poison
dart frog. You can’t miss it!