Winner Announced for Firefighter Statue
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The circumstances of Joe buying that ticket started with his wife Arlene winning a Fossil Rim membership through signing up for the February e—newsletter. In speaking with her I found out she was with the Como Zoo in St. Paul MN and was about to bring about 28 people who either worked or volunteered for their zoo down to Texas to tour several zoos in our state, including Fossil Rim. We arranged for them to take one of our behind-the-scenes tours and it was during this time that we detoured into the Nature Store and Joe saw the bust of the Firefighter. He told me he usually didn’t spend money in gift shops but was really moved by this statue and was making an exception. Arlene said that Joe was thrilled with the notification that he actually held the winning ticket.

Arlene has been involved in the Como zoo for approximately 40 years now, and their children have grown up with the zoo as a major part of their life. Joe just claims he's married to the zoo. She helped their Director start a Docent organization in 1969, was a volunteer forever, as well as a member of the Design Committee, working with Architects to build new exhibits, etc. The Primate Bldg. was dedicated to her when it was built back in 1985. She has raised a number of baby animals in her home over the years - - ones that required special care (& there wasn’t a zoo nursery). Among them were two gorillas and 10 orangutans - - each of them lived in Arlene and Joe’s home for over a year, at which time they were gradually re-introduced to their own kind. Arlene also raised approx. 150 tigers, lions, jaguars, cougars, etc. until they could manage on their own - - approx. 3 - 4 mo. (Never wanting them to get "hung up" on humans.)

One of their daughters, Terri, has managed the Como Zoo’s gift shop for the past 20 years and is manager of the combined Zoo & Conservatory Gift Shop (Garden Safari Gifts) in their new multi million dollar Education Center, Their other daughter, Vicki, has been up to her ears in the Education Dept. (as a volunteer) and chairs and works on a number of Zoo fundraisers. Of course, they all go on all the Zoohops (trips Arlene has planned for the past 17 years).

We are happy to have Joe and Arlene both as Fossil Rim Winners!