Naperville neighborhood creates stuffed animal 'zoofari'

Kids aren't able to go to the zoo, but a Naperville neighborhood is doing its best to bring the zoo to kids.

Residents in the Wiloway subdivision are putting out myriad stuffed zoo animals on their porches to make family walks a little more entertaining in the neighborhood, which straddles River Road and Jefferson Avenue, about a mile west of downtown.

Julie Arnold read about the effort in a neighborhood Facebook post and decided to tap in to her daughter Rylie's deep supply of stuffed animals. "We wanted to bring some joy to the neighborhood," Arnold said. "It's been hard for all of us just sitting inside."

The "zoofari" follows previous hunts in the neighborhood during the recent shelter-at-home order that have included a shamrock hunt on St. Patrick's Day, followed by silly faces and a bear hunt (inspired by Michael Rosen's "We're Going on a Bear Hunt").

The neighborhood also has a Chalk your Walk event in the works and plans to participate in the Let There Be Light movement at 7 p.m. Wednesday, when people are asked to put a light in their windows to show support for health care workers, first responders and others during the pandemic.