Grand Valley is Due for a Zoo

For photos of the event type in 4/10/11, the date I posted those photos of the following event. The following is an excerpt from the group's first ever newsletter.

EdZOOcation Day at Dinosaur Journey GVZQ and Dinosaur Journey’s Successful Partnership

Cerise Moran and Janet Gardner

Secretary; Executive Director and Founder

In our first major family science event, we were fortunate enough to receive the support of Fruita, Colorado’s Dinosaur Journey. Museum Executive Director Mike Perry and Museum Curator John Foster were more than accommodating to us during our promotion. Below is a quick synopsis of the day and its outcomes.

EdZOOcation Day Statistics

Our first annual EdZOOcation Day at Dinosaur Journey far exceeded our expectations!

736 participants enjoyed our science related activities which as more than three times the average Saturday attendance for Dinosaur Journey!

Guests enjoyed activities and games involving: parrots of the world, plant & animal life cycles, new scientific evidence that perhaps all dinosaurs wore feathers at some time during their life cycle, new scientific discovery of fossilized color cells leading to the first true color identified feathered dinosaur, basic modes of animal transportation, reptiles, animal behavior research project on Shaping the Bird Brain, and animal camouflage.

We had an amazing 46 volunteers who donated 322 total hours to make our EdZOOcation Day a success. Thirteen local companies provide IN Kind donations valued at $1,446.86. We raised $2,252.81 in cash donations and combined with the In Kind gifts our total for the EdZOOcation event was $3,699.67.

Thank you to all our supporters of this most worthy event, our quest to create an educational zoological facility here in Grand Junction, and our educational programs which are free to local schools.

It's going to happen, a Certified Zoo in the Grand Valley

Dinosaur Journey was the ideal place for the fund raising
event focused on building a "Certified" ZOO in the Grand Valley

PHOTOS OF THE EVENT FOLLOW THE STORY. ENJOY. CLICK AND PRINT IF YOU LIKE.

The parking lot was full at Dinosaur Journey this past Saturday. A big bird dressed in red was holding a sign as it strutted on the sidewalk, which read “Event inside.”

So, curiosity being what it is, I had to turn around and find out for myself.

The event turned out to be a fund raising effort for an organized group hoping to establish a “certified” zoo in our valley.

Remembering the pathetic zoo and the final lion, caged in small quarters at Lincoln Park back in the early 1970s, till his death, I thought, “This I have to see.”

Thanks to the answers to my questions, I found that the group has a great plan and a dream, which would really benefit our area. Raising money to buy land for that zoo and the educational activities centered on this idea has been a rather quiet activity for nearly ten years.

Thinking about the math and science center, which has been a huge positive energy in the community, the idea of a zoo where children and families could come to learn about the many facets of animal life, history, biology and more, is an idea most worth pursuing.

Having incorporated as a non profit several years ago, the group has become more visible in this most worthwhile endeavor. Check out Grand Valley Zoological Quest. Janet Gardner is the Founder and executive Director.   

Dinosaur Journey was the ideal place on that rainy Saturday. Quite a few families came to explore the games, the displays and other activities. Tropical birds held to their perches, observing the people just as the people watched them. A green beauty flew a few yards to land on a shoulder of a surprised lady, who quickly took it in stride and proceeded with her conversation, the bird listening intently.

Another table offered small skeletal dinosaurs plus the added adventure of a clay so kids who spent their tickets there could put a “skin” on that skeleton and add a few feathers to boot since many dinosaurs probably had some type of feathers, at least when hatched.

Which brings up a point one of member the group made when she mentioned that “Yes, many dinosaurs went extinct, but others continued to evolve into what we now see as our birds.”

Now that is food for thought. Check out the photos of the many little faces, expressions of wonderment, as they experienced a step in the learning process on this rainy Saturday morning.

The group always welcomes volunteers and appreciates an passing along of  information about the mission.

"Welcome everyone. Welcome.

"I was just looking for a friendly
shoulder."

"Look at all these humans looking
at me."

"Well now, this is how I see it."

Everyone got involved.

"Look at this."

Moms enjoyed the event also.

This family was adding skin to the skeletal dinosaurs.

"Pretty little bird."

"So, what do we do now?"

"Hey Mom, look where we are."

All kinds of games entertained
the visitors.

And the event ended happily and successfully.