Evening Of Fundraising Raised Over $1.4 Million For Dallas Zoo
By Cynthia Smoot Photography by Thomas Garza and Rob Wythe
THE SETTING: The Dallas Zoo’s largest annual fundraiser, themed Adventure Awaits, was presented by The Eugene McDermott Foundation and Honorary Chair Lyda Hill. As guests embarked upon the Dallas Zoo Entry Plaza, they were met with an impressive display of vehicles from Sewell Automotive Group. After passing through the front gates, they were greeted by beautiful flamingoes mingling with the crowd courtesy of the Dallas Zoo’s Animal Adventures Outreach program, which also served as the perfect backdrop for photos and selfies, as welcome cocktails were served.
Co-chairs Steven J. Roth and Thai-lan Tran greeted guests dressed in festive Safari chic as trams loaded VIPs for private tours. Others chose to indulge in the gourmet offerings at the Gorilla Research Station VIP reception, traveling by trams past the huge animal lanterns lit up for the Dallas Zoo Lights Presented by Reliant holiday event. Arriving at the Giants of the Savanna habitat, a lively scene of bar stations glowing with colorful images of animals from the event’s fabulous invitation and towering balloons lit with sponsors’ names created an exceptional experiential feeling before the robust live auction began.
THE STYLE: Patrons strolled around the silent auction, savoring the culinary delights offered by some of Dallas’ most significant restaurants. Along the way, the Zoo staff was armed with animal encounters, including a boa constrictor, an armadillo, and an owl. The adventurous were also able to indulge in the ultimate fun, as they were welcome to feed the giraffes. Late night was a special treat, with fun desserts and late-night bites from even more outstanding restaurants that were stationed in the Wilds of Africa Plaza.
THE PURPOSE: This event is a major source of funding for the nonprofit Dallas Zoo, bringing in more than $1 million each year to help support the Zoo’s dedication to providing the best animal care, delivering unique educational offerings, and strengthening its wildlife conservation efforts with 37 conservation partners over four continents. The 2024 Zoo To Do will be held on November 2, 2024. For more information, visit DallasZoo.com.
