I am so thankful to all of my donors - all 51 of you (technically).  Without your support, I would have had to cover the difference myself.  For those of you not equipped to handle pounds, £1,690.41 = $2,842.08.  With your support, Save the Rhino will be able to do more to help conserve wild rhinoceros.  During my trip to London, I was able to visit their headquarters, meet the dedicated staff (it is a crowded office!) and stay with the Director, Cathy Dean.  It was an unforgettable trip ne'er to be repeated.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The McWilliams Family
Mom & Dad
Judy & Gene Wunder
The Stewards
Uncle Buddy
Anonymous
Lois
KF
Diana & Jack
Buddy & Sheila
Keith & Cathy Zub
Jay & Kendall Duncan
Christy & JJ
Morgan
Kelli
Anne Cervantes
Anna
Susan Shepard
Margi
Nicole
Jason Green
Jules Mastro
Katie & Jay Stutz
Gillian
Carol Nolin
Cydney Peterson
Christine Ramsdell-Pervier
Tom & Karen Mattus
Lara Wunder
Dick & Cheryl Robillard
Katie & Amanda
Phil Hillary
Rhino Joe
Alex
Mandy Shiner
Charlene & Bill Lemoine
Laurin Paradise
Sarah Vitelli
Tad Davenport
Sharon Marszal
Tricia Webster
Rob Yordi
Liz & Gene Farrell
Thomas Berger
Katie Kurec
The Stantons
Alissa Atkinson
Dianne Leblanc
Donna & Bernie Doherty
Kiano & Ayana Black Rhinos - Blank Park Zoo
Lisa Henderson

It's that time of year again!  The 25th Annual Bowling for Rhinos is upon us.  This is American Association of Zoo Keeper's (AAZK) biggest fundraiser of the year and it is a momentous one this year - we are set to surpass $5 million raised since the inception of this event.  We are also aiming to raise $500,000 this year - after the record $485,000 last year.  All the information about the event is at Tampa Bay AAZK's website.

Tampa Bay AAZK is hosting their chapter's Bowling for Rhinos:
Friday, May 30th
Pin Chasers Midtown
4847 North Armenia Ave.
Tampa, FL, 33603

You can bowl in the first crash (6-8pm) or the second crash (8:30-10:30 pm).  We will also have t-shirts for sale (see above image).  You save $5 by pre-registering at the website - it is $30 to bowl and buy a shirt - it is $20 for one or the other.  There will also be a silent auction with many cool items including animal-inspired and created artwork, as well as a raffle with lots of Florida signed sport memorabilia and tickets, the BIGGEST PRIZE we've ever had - four round-trip tickets from Southwest Airlines.  Last year, we raised over $6,300 - a record for us.  As Tampa Bay AAZK's Fundraising Chair, I am the Bowling for Rhinos coordinator as well, so if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail Sean@RunningForRhinos.com.   :)

Wishing a Merry Christmas to all my family, friends, supporters and fellow zookeepers - especially the ones that had to work today.  While I was lucky this year to be home in Massachusetts - it is hard to be away from loved ones on such a special day, but I think I can speak for most of us, that the job is worth every minute.

The black rhino baby above is 'Jabu' - born in 2007 at the Dvur Kralove Zoo in Czech Republic.  He is now at a Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania!  Thanks to my friend and fellow zookeeper, Cycy, for the pic!

It's that time of year - when everyone gives thanks, and I am no exception.  I am very thankful for everyone past and present in my life - they have had an impact on me and I believe have led me to this point in my life - one of great happiness.

I am also thankful to those that do not have the Thanksgiving holiday off from work and spend most of the day away from their families.  There has been a recent backlash against retailers that open on Thanksgiving for early 'Black Friday' sales (and I can understand this), but let us not forget those people that have worked on Thanksgiving for years - police officers, firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, taxi drivers, news anchors/producers, utility workers, and any essential civic personnel - someone needs to plow the roads if it snows!  One should also consider those that enable the parades and sports games to air on television - athletes, celebrities, musicians, dancers, commentators, referees, cameramen...the list goes on.  There are also many places of business open - convenience stores, gas stations, movie theaters, restaurants (fast food or otherwise), hotels, bus/train stations, airports, theme parks and zoos.  There are many people in this country that do not just work Monday-Friday - including me!

I love my job.  I would not trade it for any other.  But as a zookeeper, I need to care for my animals before anything else and that care needs to happen daily.  I had a great day today - watching the DVRed Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (as I type this) still has magic, but there is something about working on a holiday.  Like I am part of an elite superhero team, ignorant of holidays and committed to saving the world - by taking care of animals.  We made one of our black rhinoceros, Forrest (above), a Thanksgiving treat - a cardboard turkey, stuffed with alfalfa and cantaloupe, spritzed with almond scent and feathered with a molasses-coated dried palm frond with banana feet - and he enjoyed it to say the least.

Thank you to those of you that worked today - and may still be working.  I appreciate all you do for our society.

I am very excited today!  I received the application from Save the Rhino for the Virgin London Marathon 2014 – woo hoo!  I am going to fill it out tonight, scan it at work tomorrow and e-mail it immediately.  I really, really, really hope I am accepted as one of their 50 “Golden Bond places.”   There are a few questions that make me glad I have experienced some  recent events.  One question asks about previous experience with marathons.  Well, I have only run one half marathon, but the director of Save the Rhino (the lovely Cathy Dean) with whom I spoke at the recent International Rhino Keeper Association (IRKA) workshop in San Diego (more to come on that!) knows that London will be my first – it is the Virgin London Marathon after all…hehe.

 “Why do you want to run for Save the Rhino?” is the easiest question on the application – to help save rhinos, of course!  They are a huge part of my life, and treating this planet as gently as I can is something I live every day.  Anything extra I  can do to help wild rhinos is an unfathomable bonus. 
(insert digression here)
I’ve recently applied for a Conservation Ambassadorship at work.  The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund allows several SEA employees the opportunity to apply to travel internationally to one of the Fund's supported projects and help out.  I completed several essays and filmed a two minute video (which ended up being a satirical political advertisement to elect me as Conservation Ambassador)  as part of the application to help Painted Dog Conservation – an organization that deals with educating children about the importance of conservation of animals and their habitat, stopping poaching in Hwange National Park including dismantling snares, and rehabilitating injured painted dogs.  Snares affect rhinos too, so that was a part of my angle.  ;)
(end of digression)

 Lastly, they ask about your previous fundraising experience.  Well…I am the Fundraising Chair of
Tampa Bay AAZK and I just finished coordinating our largest fundraiser of the  year – Bowling for Rhinos!  It raised over $6,300 – a record for our chapter – and while I didn’t do it alone, I did a good deal of work for it, so that should definitely help me out.  Cross your fingers, please...and I’ll keep y’all posted.  :)

Annually, participating chapters of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) hold a fundraiser called Bowling for Rhinos (BFR), the proceeds from which benefit wild rhinos - namely, those at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Action for Cheetah Kenya in Africa, and Ujung Kulon, Way Kambas, and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Parks in Indonesia.  Tampa Bay AAZK  held its 24th Annual Bowling for Rhinos on May 31 at Pin Chasers in Tampa, FL.  While AAZK is an organization focused on professional development, it also cares about conservation.  It is with this in mind that the members of Tampa Bay AAZK volunteered their time, energy, and in some cases, artistry, to make this year's BFR the most successful Tampa has ever had.  We have raised, to this date, over $6,100, surpassing last year's record amount!

As the fundraising chair for Tampa Bay AAZK, I was automatically (and happily) the BFR coordinator this year.  This involved planning the event, negotiating with the bowling alley to secure a good deal and raising awareness.  Most importantly, I did not do this alone.  I had a dedicated cadre of zookeeper-helpers that solicited local businesses for donations for the silent auction and raffle, helped set up the night of the event, got the word out on social media and on local news and radio stations, and worked with their animals to get some paintings to auction off as well.  That's right - animals can paint!  We also had ticket and tour packages from Busch Gardens, Sea World Orlando, Lowry Park Zoo, Adventure Island, Discovery Cove, MOSI, The Dali Museum, and Dinosaur World, signed sports items from the Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Lightning, and lots of animal-related photographs and artwork.

Traditionally, Tampa Bay AAZK hosts Bowling for Rhinos on the last Friday of May every year.  You can go to our website - http://www.tampabayaazk.com - for updated information.  We hope to see you next year!