Asheboro, NC - The North Carolina Zoo Society's Zoo to Do 2012 netted $97,341 for a new outdoor ocelot exhibit and for a facility to keep N.C. Zoo equipment out of the rain.
Dining and dancing Zoo to Do 2012 patrons were kept out of the rain by a huge tent.
A baby giraffe print by Chris Shoenfeld, of ideas2images, raised $3,000 in the event's popular live auction. (A similar elephant print by Shoenfeld raised an unprecedented $20,000 for Zoo to Do 2011.)
Other top-2012 bids were $3,200 for an agate vase by Eck McCanless Pottery; $2,700 for a large, whimsical hummingbird and flower sculpture by Mike Durham; and $2,600 for a 3-piece temple jar pot by Frank Neef.
"Our wonderful artists, donors, sponsors, Randolph Friends, Randolph Telephone and patrons came through again, despite the rains, for our N.C. Zoo," said Cheryl Turner, interim N.C. Zoo Society executive director.
Nan and John Revell co-chaired this year's Randolph Friends of the Zoo annual gala. "Randolph Telephone deserves much credit for the volunteers they added to the event...and for 13 years of signature sponsorships," the Revels pointed out.
Thirty-two live-auction and 245 silent-auction items were purchased by many among the event's 800-plus registered guests.
The North Carolina Zoological Society is a private, non-profit organization that supports the North Carolina Zoo and its conservation and education initiatives. The zoo is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Dee A. Freeman, Secretary; Beverly E. Perdue, Governor.
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