National City Bank Donates $10,000 To Central Florida Zoo For Tiger Exhibit

By Shonna Green

 Sanford, FL - The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens announced today that it received a $10,000 donation from the National City-Harbor Foundation. The donation will help fund Phase I of the Zoo’s $11.5 million “Get Your Wild On” Capital Campaign by supporting the “Tiger Outpost” exhibit.

“The donation from National City enables the Central Florida Zoo to bring the critically endangered Sumatran tiger to the Zoo. Sumatran tigers are on the brink of extinction with only 300 tigers remaining in Sumatra. With so few left in the wild today, zoos will be the only place to see these tigers in the very near future” said Joe Montisano, CEO of the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. “The Association of Zoos and Aquariums is deeply concerned about the fate of tigers in the wild. Ultimately, this will allow the Zoo be a major part of the effort to exhibit and hopefully breed this species to help save it from extinction.”

“We are thrilled that National City has donated to the development of a new exhibit for our Zoo.  We greatly appreciate their vision and philanthropic support of the Zoo.  Their gift will provide a significant boost in our fundraising efforts,” Montisano went on to say. 

 The Central Florida Zoo is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and to engaging and educating our guests by sharing knowledge and celebrating our natural world.  The Zoo is committed to excel as a dynamic regional resource providing a unique interactive experience with the natural world.

 “We are proud to support the construction of the new Tiger Outpost at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens and their mission to provide environmental education for both children and adults living in or visiting Central Florida,” said Hal Roberts, market president of the Central/Northeast Region.

The donation is part of National City’s ongoing efforts to be a contributing member of the community. National City has designated a charitable fund of $2 million to be used and administered exclusively in Central and Northeast Florida.

About National City
National City Corporation (NYSE: NCC), headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is one of the nation's largest financial holding companies. The company operates through an extensive banking network primarily in Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and also serves customers in selected markets nationally. Its core businesses include commercial and retail banking, mortgage financing and servicing, consumer finance and asset management. For more information about National City, visit the company’s Web site at www.nationalcity.com.

About the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is a 116-acre private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and to engaging and educating our guest by sharing knowledge and celebrating our natural world.  For more information regarding the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens visit www.centralfloridazoo.org or call 407.323.4450.  The Zoo is located on I-4 Exit 104 in Sanford and is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.