Community creates history at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
By: Rebecca Brosnan
While the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo has developed many traditions throughout its 56-year history, the most important remains community involvement.
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Signs advertising the Wild Zoo Halloween outside the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo.
Ponies waiting to be ridden by children at the "Pony Trail".
Halloween decorations at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo.
Signs advertising the Wild Zoo Halloween outside the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo.
Originally a small nature preserve, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo became one of the top 10 zoos in the nation with the support of the Fort Wayne community.
Dedication which continues today according to Bonnie Kemp, the director of communication at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
“We have over 450 volunteers who give their time and energy here at the Fort Wayne children’s zoo every year,” Kemp said. “Last year they gave us 41 thousand hours. I think that is a big part of what we do and our outreach for community.”
Such volunteer efforts were crucial in early stages of the zoo’s development as in 1963, the FWCZ depended on the generosity of local tradesman who volunteered to install utilities and community groups who sponsored animal exhibits, according to the zoo’s website. Community efforts even went as far as young “zoo boosters” collecting pennies to buy an elephant.
Community involvement throughout the years at the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo according to information found on the zoo's website.
Current volunteer opportunities include greeting guests at the Kids for Nature conservation kiosk, working with animals as a docent, going to education programs or helping hand out candy at the Wild Zoo Halloween, Kemp said.
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A member of this new generation of volunteers is Kate Woenker, a student at Carrol Highschool. Woenker said she enjoyed handing out candy to children at the zoo’s oldest event, the Wild Zoo Halloween, which began in 1979.
“Everyone seems happy around here and is in a good mood,” Woenker said, “so I would definitely volunteer here again.”
Kemp said she attributes this long-running community involvement to the people’s love for animals. To continue the tradition, she said the zoo tries to connect people with animals in many ways.​
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Starting in 1969, the zoo established the Zoomobile program where expert presenters travel to local schools and educate children about wildlife and the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, according to the zoo’s website. This program has grown exponentially since its First year, now educating 31 thousand students in the past year alone, Kemp said.
Kate Woenker (right) and her friend volunteering at Wild Zoo Halloween.
Additional efforts to engage the community this year have involved welcoming 1000 kids to the Kids for Nature summer camp and giving away 15 thousand tickets to the underserved in surrounding counties, Kemp said.
“We try to be as community minded as we can,” Kemp said. “We really want it to be a zoo that anybody can come to.”
While the zoo is closed for the season until April, the community can continue to get involved with the FWCZ by donating to the new Journey to the Heart of the Zoo campaign which will help remodel Monkey Island, build a new North American river otter exhibit and more. Such remodels are important as they help provide the animals with more natural-looking habitats, unlike the ones in 1965 where animals were chained to exhibits, Kemp said.
“Now they have very natural looking habitats and we try to make their home as friendly as we can and as close to natural as they would have if they were in the wild,” Kemp said.
From 1965 to 2018, community involvement continues to play a key role in creating better living conditions for zoo animals, conserving wildlife and helping the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo become the nationally recognized establishment it is today.