Slated for Saturday, November 6, 2021, and once hosted at the Dallas Zoo, Return To The Wild: Zoo To Do 2021will seean anticipated 450 guests and patrons will stroll through the award-winning Giants of the Savanna habitat, sample exquisite dishes from more than a dozen of Dallas’s premier chefs and restaurants, and enjoy up-close interactive animal demonstrations and musical entertainment. Following dinner, guests will move to the Wilds of Africa Plaza for a live auction featuring rare Zoo experiences, travel and more! Finally, partygoers will dance the night away to music from Manhattan.
On Tuesday, July 20, supporters of the Dallas Zoo gathered at POP! by Snowday inside the Galleria Dallas where the Zoo revealed details for this year’s exciting Zoo To Do fundraising event. Servers wandered through the crowd with bites, while guests enjoyed watching the elephants stroll through the Giants of the Savanna habitat and got up-close and personal with several of the Zoo’s Animal Adventures Outreach ambassador animals including a Eurasian eagle owl, a radiated tortoise, and a friendly pair of flamingos.
Lois Finkelman, Board of Directors Chair for the Dallas Zoo welcomed everyone, then announced Robyn and Chris Chauvin as this year’s Event Chairs for the 30th Anniversary Zoo To Do event. Lois then handed the floor to Rhealyn Carter, Vice President of Advancement at Dallas Zoo who reminded guests that for the past thirty years, Zoo To Do has been the signature fundraiser for Zoo raising over $17 million to support the Zoo’s mission of Engaging People & Saving Wildlife.
The Chauvins excitedly revealed the theme of this year’s ZTD event by unveiling signage showcasing the Return To The Wild artwork, then announced their committee chairs and members: Diane Brierley, Mary McDermott Cook, and Ruth O’Donnell Mutch as Honorary Chairs; Cindy Gummer as Big Board Chair; Alex Arellano, Ryan Gummer, and Steven Roth who will serve on the Underwriting committee; Jared Miller, and Aimee and Royce Ramey on the Live Auction committee; Carol and Don Glendenning as Host Committee Chairs; Chef Dan Landsberg will serve as Honorary Chef Chair; Greg Hext, and Michael Meadows will work on the wine committee, and Brett Krafft will serve as Chef Wrangler.
“The Dallas Zoo is such a special place to our family. Not only because it is our boys’ favorite place to spend a Saturday, but also because of the vital conservation work they do all around the world. When we were asked to chair Zoo To Do we were thrilled at the opportunity to work in tandem with the Dallas Zoo team to ensure the great future of those beloved animals.” said Robyn and Chris Chauvin.
Proceeds from Zoo To Do help support the Zoo’s dedication to providing the best animal care, delivering unique education offerings, and furthering its wildlife conservation efforts. Sponsorships range from $7,500 to $125,000. Individual tickets are $750 each and a VIP ticket is $1,500. For more information, visit the website at DallasZoo.com/ZooToDo or contact Makalah Brown, Events Manager, 469.554.7341, Makalah.Brown@DallasZoo.com.
About the Dallas Zoo: The Dallas Zoo is dedicated to creating a better world for animals. Named one of the nation’s Top 10 Zoos by USA Today, it is the largest zoological experience in Texas. The zoo has been accredited continuously by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums for almost 35 years, and features a 106-acre park, thousands of animals, and an education department that offers programs for all ages. The zoo is located at 650 S. R.L. Thornton Freeway (I-35 at Marsalis) and is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit DallasZoo.com or call 469.554.7500.
