Get your tickets now for the Emporia Friends of the Zoo Roundup on March 6 at the Emporia Country Club.
This will be the third year for the Western-themed event, and items to be auctioned are piling up.
There will be a live auction starting at 7 p.m. and a silent auction that will end at 7:30 p.m. There also will be a card auction featuring a 32-inch flat screen TV with built-in DVD player.
Items to be auctioned off include CDs and DVDs, a variety of gift certificates, a selection of food items, original art by local artists, books and a multitude of other choices.
Proceeds raised at the auction benefit education programs at the David Traylor Zoo, 75 Soden Road. Zoo programs include classroom and nursing home visits by Angela Anderson, the zoo’s outreach coordinator, as well as tours and special events.
“One event this year is Spring Forward on March 8,” said Lori Andrews, zoo office manager. “It’s an amphibian event to educate people on the plight of amphibians and how they’re declining.”
According to Cindy Detwiler, auction co-chair, the Western theme is popular with participants.
“People like dressing up in jeans and boots, and if not, just being able to dress casual to come to the country club,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of fun with it.”
The zoo is an important part of the community, and this year is special because it is the zoo’s 75th anniversary.
“We’re very excited,” Detwiler said. “One thing we’re going to do is have a trivia question once a week on KVOE, and the winner will get a zoo T-shirt or a water bottle or something.”
The roundup also will feature a cash bar, light hors d’oeuvres and music by Jane McCoy. Ron Thomas will be the emcee, and the auctioneer will be Paul Hancock.
Tickets for the roundup cost $20 per person and must be purchased in advance from any EFOZ board member or at the zoo office. Board members also are still accepting donations for the auction and cash donations to help with expenses like food.
For more information, call 341-4365.