Phillips Park Zoociety to host volunteer open house Saturday

On Saturday, Jan. 21, the Phillips Park Zoociety is hosting an open house for volunteers who want to support the zoo and its animals.

The Phillips Park Zoociety is an independent organization of dedicated volunteers who work to support the mission and the activities of the Phillips Park Zoo. Zoociety members can participate in the life of the zoo in many different ways, from developing creative fundraising campaigns for the animals' environments to actively volunteering in the zoo.

The open house will be 1 to 3 p.m. at the Stover Visitors Center, 1000 Ray Moses Drive in Aurora.

Volunteers will learn more about the impact they can have on the lives of animals at the zoo, meet the new zoo manager and find out about many different volunteer opportunities at the zoo, including:

• Active volunteers, who assist zookeepers in the reptile house, building construction projects, and perform garden and landscaping tasks;

• Special events volunteers who help plan and produce special events;

• Zoociety board members who serve as stewards and decision-makers for the Zoociety.

The Zoociety is particularly looking for volunteers with construction experience who can assist with inventive projects for animal enrichment and improvements around the zoo, and enthusiastic and talented fundraisers, who will have a direct impact on the quality of life for our animals.

Benefits of membership in the Zoociety include a sneak peek of new animals before public viewing, reciprocal membership at other zoos and a quarterly newsletter.

With more than 100 animals representing more than 40 different species of mostly North American wildlife, the Phillips Park Zoo is committed to connecting people to the natural world that lives right in their backyard.

For more information on the open house or on joining the Zoociety, visit www.phillipsparkaurora.com or call the Phillips Park Zoo's main office at (630) 256-3860.