Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary
PHOENIX ZOO AUXILIARY HISTORY
50th Anniversary
In the summer of 1961, a young husband and wife were enjoying a
tropical vacation and discussing the future of the city they
called home. The husband lamented that the city was rapidly
becoming one of the most prominent in the United States, and
yet, it lacked some of the key amenities that would establish it
as a truly “cosmopolitan force”. Knowing her husband enjoyed a
good project, Nancy Maytag challenged her husband Robert (heir
to the Maytag appliance fortune) to succeed where many had
failed; establish a zoo for the City of Phoenix.
And so, the project began. Robert Maytag gathered his friends
and associates, and through influence, perseverance and pluck,
he was able to put into motion a project that had long stalled
as a City funded entity. (At least 3 times prior to the
formation of Robert Maytag’s group, the City fathers had denied
funding for the fledging zoo proposal.) Thus, one of the most
prominent privately funded zoos in North America was born.
The committee located a plot of land and eagerly began planning
exhibits. Fund-raising dinner party guests were often treated to
a visit from Heffalump,a baby Asian elephant or Beau Brummell, a
woolly monkey. Unsuspecting guests opened their hearts and their
checkbooks to such unorthodox measures (often referred to as
“Gorilla Warfare”) and willingly jumped on the bandwagon eager
to recruit more “friends of the Zoo.”
Recognizing that she and her friends could be a powerful asset
to the fledgling zoo, Nancy Maytag asked her friends to assist
her with “a little fund-raising and being helpful wherever we’re
needed”. That motto became the back bone of the Arizona
Zoological Society Ladies’ Auxiliary in October of 1961. The
first four members were Nancy Maytag, Mrs. James Allen, Mrs. Tim
Rodgers and Ann Lee Harris (a successful Broadway and television
actress) and their very first project was the sale of Christmas
cards netting $500.00. Next was a fashion show at the Camelback
Inn that became an annual event well into the 1990s. Actress Ann
Lee Harris used her influence to stage a world premiere for the
movie, “Hatari” at the Kachina Theater on June 7, 1962.Many of
the movers and shakers of the time attended the event, and an
appearance by the film’s star, John Wayne, created even more
buzz.
With Robert Maytag’s premature death in March of 1962, the
project had a setback. But, the 38-year-old Maytag had gathered
a strong committee of leading businessmen, and they took up the
mantel and completed Maytag’s vision.
In March of 1963, the Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary was also growing in
strength and numbers (125 by its second year) with an enviable
waiting list for membership. That March, they mounted their
first Aid to the Zoo National Horse Show at the Arizona Biltmore
with 220 exhibitors. One thousand people attended the opening
day and the five-day project netted $12,000. Over the years, the
show became so prestigious that it moved to the Memorial
Coliseum. Eventually, the Aid to Zoo Horse Show moved to the
Goodyear Equestrian Center where it continued until 1992. After
a glorious 29-year run, the Aid to Zoo Horse Show had earned
over $2 million dollars for the Auxiliary and the Zoo.
Though the Aid to Zoo Horse Show was financially more
successful, the Auxiliary’s Fall Fashion Show and Luncheon,
first held in 1962, was along running staple of the fashion show
season. It earned monies toward many projects until its final
show in 1993.
Other fundraisers included Zoo-B-Que (an Arbor Day event), the
Great Adventure Hunt (a timed scavenger hunt and dinner), Zoo
Sounds (a concert and dinner), Aid to Zoo travel and ZooFari, a
unique new gourmet tasting event started by the Auxiliary, the
Wildest Club in Town and the AZS Board of Directors. ZooFari Zoo
was born in 1988, and the Auxiliary coordinated the event for
the next 10 years working with WCIT, the AZS Board, and many
volunteers.
Looking for a distinctive signature look to set Auxiliary
members apart from guests at their ever popular events, the
membership adopted their distinctive zebra stripe uniform during
the Aid to Zoo Horse Show in 1965. Though the uniform has taken
many forms through the years (from wrap dresses to jumpers,
skirts and the present-day vests, the zebra stripes have
prevailed.
While fund-raising was a cornerstone of the Auxiliary, Nancy
Maytag had said, “Help out wherever we are needed.” And so, they
most certainly did. Some of the members led guided tours of the
Zoo, some assisted in the baby animal nursery, and others
supervised the petting zoo or worked in the office and gift
shop. (Still others housed baby animals at their homes while
they waited for their exhibits to be completed. Duchess, the
Zoo’s51-year-old orangutan, originally lived with Betty Bimson
and her family when she was a youngster.
Founding members Betty Bimson and her children raked and cleaned
cages and cared for animals. While Auxiliary member Millie
Chambers worked with the orangutans for over 10 years. (There’s
a story about Millie walking into the orangutan night house one
day with Ben hanging upside-down from the ceiling. Apparently,
he playfully lifted her off the floor and a startled Millie
scolded him with a firm, “Put me down!”)
Headlines from the 1960’s through the 1980’s told of the efforts
of the Zoo striving to be among the “world class zoos.” Reaching
out to local and national celebrities to help tell the Auxiliary
and the Zoo’s story played a part. Amanda Blake, animal lover
and star of the TV series ”Gunsmoke,” used her influence to help
bring out the crowds to the many Auxiliary fundraisers. Even
Hugh Hefner, of Playboy fame, helped out by allowing the Zoo to
fly gorilla Baltimore Jack (a potential mate to Hazel) to
Phoenix on the Playboy bunny jet.
From its first days as a service organization to the Zoo, the
Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary members have volunteered in many
capacities whether it’s at the Zoo itself, at the Parada del
Sol, Fiesta Bowl, helping with the down and dirty work of
renovating Ruby’s House, donating gifts to needy families,
hosting school groups of homeless children or fulfilling the
Zoo’s Wish List, the Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary members have proudly
embodied Nancy Maytag’s first description, “doing a little
fundraising and being helpful wherever we’re needed”.
The Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary continues to make important
contributions to the Zoo as exhibits become larger in scale and
more costly to fund exclusively. As we enter our 50th year in
existence, the Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary is proud of the more than
$3 million dollars contributed to exhibits and improvements for
the Zoo.
Some of our current projects and programs include:
• Hosting a homemade chili luncheon for the entire Zoo staff
• Serving countless hours as active volunteers for Zoo programs
• Conducting school tours
• Acting as greeters and hostesses for Zoo events
Our current fundraising projects include:
• Inkjet cartridge recycling and sales program
• Zoo Charity Charms
• Fundraising program at the Rock the Zoo event
• Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary Cookbooks
• Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary signature zebra print aprons
A timeline of the contributions made by the Phoenix Zoo
Auxiliary over the past 50 years:
1962
$2,100.00 Contact area
$8,400 Two giraffes and 2 wallabies
$11,000 ELKA – the elephant
The Children’s Zoo was the first area built and opened at the
Phoenix Zoo in1962 and some people still remember the
distinctive “bunny bridge” that welcomed guests.
1963
$5,621 Drinking fountains, trees, shrubs, general maintenance
1964
$2,000 Zebra
$2,780 Enclosure for ELKA the elephant
1965
$14,500 the Giraffe and Zebra exhibits (this is when we adopted
our distinctive zebra print clothing)
$ 831 General landscaping
$3,959 Arizona Zoological Society (AZS)
1966
$5,500 Zebra and giraffe exhibit
$9,163 Paved roads and walkways and purchased picnic tables
$ 772 AZS
1967
$8,499 Remodeled the animal nursery
$1,039 sprinklers & picnic area near jaguars
1968
$86,000 Built the gorilla exhibit
1969
$68,000 Animal care center
$1,351 AZS
1970
$5,000 Baltimore Jack the gorilla
$6,555 Matari II – giraffe
$3,092 Master plan study for the Zoo
$3,650 Office equipment, landscaping, ditch digging, etc.
$1,893 AZS
$1,156 Books
Expanded the alligator exhibit and purchased a male giraffe and
gorilla, Baltimore Jack. Also funded the long-range planning
study that would determine the direction of the Zoo’s growth
over the next decade.
1971
$1,129 Books
$ 254 public address system
$3,516 Office and grounds (truck, grass seed, etc.)
$15,000 Alligator exhibit remodeling
1972
$15,000 Extensive remodeling of the lion/tiger exhibit
$30,000 Restrooms
$ 200 Books
$ 819 Education department
$57,991 AZS
1973
$ 803 Books
$ 183 Education department
$7,350 Office and grounds equipment
Auxiliary assumed responsibility for all education programs.
Over 70,000 school children a year visit the Zoo on field trips.
1974
$5,000 Orangutan exhibit (Architect fee)
$13,500 Arizona exhibit
$67,000 Orangutan exhibit
$9,144 Butler building (storage)
$ 82 Books
$ 485 Education department
1975
$22 Books
1976
$80 Books
$122,829 Arizona exhibit
$105 Rose garden
$587 Duplicate board plans
$4,850 Coati Mundi
1977
$1,658 Arizona exhibit - Built memorial ramada on Arizona Trail
$93 Books
$529 Repair old commissary bldg
$2,000 Elephant exhibit (research funds)
$1,584 Memorial ramada
$1,510 Marmoset exhibit
$ 346 Education depar
$2,034 Mower
1978
$176 Books
$1,139 Memorial ramada
$250 Education depar
1979
$83 Books
$182 Education depart
$80,000 Bobcat exhibit
$10,536 Taliesin architects
1980
$364 Books
$16,505 Taliesin architects
$177,863 Elephant exhibit
$67,126 J R Porter construction company
$3,646 Nocturnal exhibit
$3,017 AZS
1981
$232 Books
$11,303 Storage building and concrete slab
$720 Education department
$4,191Nocturnal exhibit --Phoenix Zoo Auxiliary dedicated a
novel nocturnal exhibit featuring Southwestern desert animals
normally only active at night
$250 Education department
$57,153AZS
1982
$379 Books
$722 Nocturnal exhibit
$37 Books
$97,128 Cheetah exhibit
$353 Education department
$1,995 African veldt
1983
$114 Books
$53,265 African veldt
$ 96 Rain forest
1984
$432 Books
$50 Zoo committee (volunteers)
$274,283 African veldt
$1,294 Rain forest
1985
$289 Books
$331 Zoo committee
$87,561 African veldt
$67 Rain forest
$40,000 Children’s Zoo
1986
$712 Books
$40,000 Master plan
$15,000 Children’s Zoo
$20,000 Baboon exhibit
1987
$271 Books
$2,257 Education department
$250 Zoo committee
$82,697 AZ exhibit
1988
$48 Books
$250 Zoo committee
$5,873 Education department
$100,448 AZ exhibit
$500 AZAD Conference (sent volunteers)
1989
$250 Books
$158 Books
$750 Education department
$1,534 Professional advancement (volunteers)
$109,385 AZ exhibit
1990
$500 Education dept
$500 AZAD conference
$3,570 Professional advancement
$3,500”Watchcam” camera
$2,127 RUBY supplies and studies
$116,331 AZ exhibit
1991
$700 Professional advancement
$300 AZAD conference
$51,667 Reptile exhibit
$10,000 Reptile exhibit
1992
$000000000000? Thick billed parrot exhibit
1993
$100,250.00 ---Arizona Trail Reptile Exhibit
10/1996
membership agreed to allow the Zoo to use the $278,000 raised
for reptiles to be used for a squeeze for the elephants (project
completed in 10/97)
3/1998
$10,000 Elephant facility
$10,000 Children's Trail Farm
$ 600 to Mike Demlong for Leopard Frog Project
12/1998
$11,000 to Jeff Williamson - money raised from elephant pin
sales
2/ $ 6,000 Harmony Farms
10/1999
$24,000 Ruby's House
11/2000
$40,000 Dr. Eng for the Animal CareCenter
11/2001
$71,000 Animal Care Center
3/2002
$5,000 Animal Care Center
10/2005
$2,500 Maricopa Arts and Culture
10/2005
$13,726 Elephant Sanctuary
8/2006
$2,500 for Head Start program
2/2007
$135 Ceiling fans for bears
4/2007
$20,000 Price of 2 vehicles for the Animal Care Center
5/2007
$2,500 Head start program
9/2007
$4,500 Elephant misting fans
9/2007
$3,700 Behavioral enrichment items for Zoo animals
4/2008
$20,000 towards Capital Campaign Pledge
5/2008
$4,000 fans for elephant exhibit
6/2008
$8,800 for behavioral enrichment items
12/2008
$20,000 for orangutan exhibit/ Capital Campaign Pledge
12/2008
$1,100 frame and hang Ruby paintings in Pavilion
6/2009
$20,000 for Capital Campaign Pledge
11/2009
$1,000 for camera for bear night house
12/2009
$905 for Christmas wish list
1/2010
$1,500 for lumber & supplies for Auxiliary office ramp and
stairs
1/2010
$20,000 for Capital Campaign Pledge
5/2010
$100 for Bowling for Rhinos donation