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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Caryn S. Kaufman, Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
(203) 345-3430 / cell: (646) 765-6006
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Diageo Donates $30K And 800 Volunteer Hours to Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
More Than 100 Employees Donate an Entire Day to Work on Eleven Zoo Improvement Projects
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BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - June 5, 2012 - A $30,000 donation from Diageo North America to Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo will kick off the zoo's new Pampas Plains South American Adventure exhibit. To help prepare for the new exhibit, more than 100 Diageo employees spent the day at Connecticut's only zoo on May 24th working on 11 projects, including construction, painting, and gardening. Featuring animals from the Pampas region of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil, the new exhibit will be constructed in four phases with a target completion date of 2017. The total investment for the expansion is projected at $5,000,000.
"The $30,000 donation from Diageo shows their commitment to the state of Connecticut and our community," explained Gregg Dancho, Zoo director. "The money will go far and has given us great momentum to build from for our capital campaign for the Pampas Plains exhibit. More importantly, the efforts and enthusiasm shown by the more than 100 Diageo volunteers are priceless. Their work has built not only new parts of our zoo, but also a critical part of our future that will delight families for years to come."
 "Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is a unique place for families and friends to have fun, learn about our world, and celebrate our community, which fits perfectly with Diageo's mission to celebrate life, everyday, everywhere," said Chris Davies, Chief Financial Officer, Diageo North America. "Beardsley represents the best parts of our community and Diageo is proud to help bring a little bit of South America to our home state of Connecticut."
In addition to Diageo's generous contribution, more than 100 Diageo employees contributed people power, working on nearly a dozen improvement projects. Activities included painting within the carousel building and Hanson Exploration Station, building a pathway through the butterfly gardens, mulching the picnic grove, flowerbeds, the Wild Open Playspace, and front gate areas. As part of the project, Diageo also has committed to match any personal donations its employees make to the zoo.
The new Pampas Plains South American exhibit will feature Chacoan peccaries, Greater rhea, and Giant anteaters, as well as plants and grasses native to this South American region. A raised walkway is planned, which will offer panoramic views as well as a glimpse into the animals' distinctive habitats. Guests will discover Giant anteaters foraging in termite mounds and will learn how different feeding adaptations, like the anteater's long snout and tongue, help animals to thrive in varied environments. Throughout the exhibit artifact nooks and discovery boxes will create new opportunities for visitors to immerse themselves in this wild experience. A tiered amphitheater will offer staff and visitor interactions, educational programs, and wildlife encounters.
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is celebrating its 90th birthday in 2012 and is closer than you think. The zoo is open daily from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Adult admission (ages 12 & older) is $12.00, children (ages 3 -11) and senior admission (62 and older) is just $10.00, and children under 3 years old are free. Zoo members are also admitted free. Parking at the Zoo is free of charge. For information, call: (203) 394-6565. Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is located at 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut.
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About Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo celebrates its 90th birthday in 2012 and is closer than you think! Connecticut's only zoo features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Visitors won't want to miss our Amur (Siberian) tigers, Brazilian ocelots, Red wolves, and Golden Lion tamarins. Other highlights include our South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with "pop-up" viewing areas, the New England Farmyard with goats, cows, pigs, sheep, and other barnyard critters, plus the hoofstock trail featuring bison, pronghorn, deer, and more. Visitors can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove, and enjoy a ride on our colorful carousel. For more information, visit beardsleyzoo.org.
About Diageo
Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Windsor, Buchanan's and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness. Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com. Celebrating life, every day, everywhere. |
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