Great Day for promoting the ZOO

Yabba Dabba ZOO! Grand Valley Zoo Quest had a great day at Fruita Fall Festival today.
At least that is what I think.

Hope you were there to see the bed race, the better than your average Parade down main street, and the events, booths and our Petting Zoo.

Tracy did such a great job designing the Bed Race prop and Float design of the GVZQ entries.

More pictures of the entire day coming soon.

"Yabba Dabba Zoo" coming this weekend

     In a town that adores its dinosaurs of course, their Fall Festival theme for the Bed Race and Parade is "Welcome to Bedrock." So the Grand Valley Zoological Quest decorates its bed race/float with a big paper mache head of a "Parrosauris" (pictures coming next week), and a banner proclaiming "Yabba Dabba Zoo."
     Get it? It is a play on Fred Flintstones' famous saying, "Yabba Dabba Doooooo."
     Two local Girl Scout Troops will be marching along side the float, carrying smaller papermache parrot images proclaiming "We want a Zoo. Don't you?"
    The whole Zoo Crew has gotten into the creative mode for this BIG fundraiser on Sept. 29th.
     We are going to have a petting zoo booth; for $5 donation any one can touch a snake or an exotic bird or reptiles.
     Other zoo items will be for sale--trinkets, tee-shirts, zoo-things, and lots of info about how you can join the Zoo Quest.
      Don't forget we will announce Shelledy winners in the "Wild About Reading" program.
     I'll have pictures after next Saturday. Don't forget to "like" us on FaceBook.

Will Shelledy Principal 'kiss a snake' this month?

Come to the Fruita Fall Festival Sept. 29 to see Shelledy Elementary School Principal Steve States “kiss a snake” on the Fruita Fall Festival stage if his students read over 50,000 minutes outside of class by that date.

That’s the big prize offered by the Grand Valley Zoological Quest, the non-profit organization, who kicked off its “Wild About Reading” after-school literacy program last week.

GVZQ Director of Education Tracy Barron and retired District 51 teacher from Shelledy, outlined the plan to students and teachers at a special assembly on Monday, Sept. 10.

Columbine Animal Hospital assistant Alicia
Finch holds Amora, the snake that Shelledy
Elementary Principal Steve States will kiss
at the Fruita Fall Festival on Sept. 29.

“It was an amazing kick-off!  We have such quality people involved as volunteers who brought the ZooQuest animals. And Steve States, the principal, was unbelievably great!” Barron said. 

Principal States says he is a little anxious about kissing a snake, but he explains, “I am anxious to see our students succeed in their reading and to celebrate with them. For that I will be anxious to kiss a snake. “

Two students in each grade level will be named “the wildest” and be awarded an official Zoo Quest tee-shirt from the Grand Valley Zoo Quest. These readers are the ones who read the most minutes

The gym roared with applause as the students were introduced to a few of the GVZQ education animals brought by the Columbine Animal Hospital: Bubbles, the largest tortoise most of the kids ever saw; Amora, a eight-foot long red-tailed boa, and a few exotic birds.

The audience cheered even more when Barron explained how they could become “Wild About Reading” and that their principal would kiss Amora, the boa, when the Shelledy readers completed the month-long reading quest.

After the assembly kicked off, Shelledy supporters were pleased with the first week’s reading results.

“The kids have already started reading and turning in their sheets. There is a cardboard snake in the lobby now to encourage and remind them to keep reading,” said Barron.

“They have read 1,920 minutes in just the first three days,” Principal States announced on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

“Wild About Reading” is Grand Valley Zoological Quest’s way of encouraging Fruita students to practice and have fun with reading while supporting GVZQ’s efforts to build a zoological center in Fruita. “We need a zoo! Won’t you help too?”

Get Ready to go "Wild in Fruita"

September is full of exciting fundraising events for the Grand Valley Zoological Quest.

Come support and help us build a new zoo in Fruita.

Upcoming Zoo Quest events

The Zoo Crew will be visiting Fruita two times soon.

On Sept. 29, Fruita Fall Festival fans can enjoy the exotic petting zoo at the GVZQ booth, and donate toward the new zoo building in various activities.

Show your support of the Grand Valley Zoo Quest when you buy a ticket to “Kiss a Snake.” (Don’t worry, it’s only a python.)

         On Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. join the Zoo Crew at Dinosaur Journey for “Boo at the Zoo.” This is a day we will bring out creepy crawlies & things that go bump in the night.

Dress up in your animal or “bootiful” costumes to get in the mood for having a local community zoological nature center.

         See you at the Fruita Fall Festival and the “Boo at the Zoo.”

Please do--Help us build a local Zoo. Thank you.

Title is a little blunt, but the Grand Valley needs a zoo.
We are a growing community of about 160,000 people with no zoo for 250 miles from us.
We have great museums, ball parks, festivals, schools (including colleges), and people who love children and animals.
So, I'm just saying, "We need a ZOO! The Zoo needs you."
Join our non-profit and donate, volunteer, or support in any way you can, so our community can build an excellent zoological nature center.

  Grand Valley ZooQuest

ZooQuest President's message

GVZQ has a dream. A dream where all children and their families will have the opportunity to explore, learn, and have hands-on-experience with native and exotic species.

GVZQ needs your donations today.

This is the shared dream of the Board of Directors, volunteers, members, donors and participants of our programming. The dream is close to fruition.

The building has been identified. The exhibit sketch models have been completed and the animals have been selected.

The business analysis and projections have been reviewed. The zoological center will be self-sustaining once the funds have been secured for the initial building and exhibit.

 What is needed now is a benefactor or group of benefactors who can invest in the future for many to enjoy. The name of the zoological center is available as a legacy.

Since January 2011, over 7,300 students have participated in GVZQ's educational programs. All of which have been free to local schools.

We are confident that once you review our information you will agree that this is a worthwhile project.

You will see your investment grow in the children as they become more competent stewards of their environment.

DONATE TODAY.