Kohl's Donates $500.00 And Volunteers To Potter Park Zoo

By Billie Harris 

Lansing, MI - The Potter Park Zoological Society announced today that it received a $500 donation as well as many volunteer service hours from the Kohl’s A-Team volunteers located at the West Saginaw branch in Lansing. The donation will help fund some of the many educational programs at the zoo. 

Each year thousands of area children are able to experience some of the great education programs available at the zoo thanks to the support the zoo society receives from generous donations and from the many volunteers who work to make these programs possible.

Due to the popularity of the educational programs at the zoo many of the zoo’s current programs are being expanded to accommodate for the high demand. Including the distance learning opportunities available, were the use of state of the art video conferencing equipment allows students unable to visit the zoo in person to experience “virtual fieldtrips”.

Through the education programming provided at the zoo, the Zoological Society aims to increase students’ understanding and appreciation of wildlife by taking science outside of the classroom with hands on learning and innovative inquiry based projects.

Such programs include the Zookambi summer school, VEZU (Vets, Education, Zoos and You) a new pilot program that teams zoo docents with MSU vet students to do educational programs in the classroom for grades K-12, The BIG Zoo Lesson a unique program that allows elementary classes in grades 2-6 to spend a full week at the zoo using it as their classroom, as well as many other exceptional programs.

“We are very grateful to all of the Kohl’s A-Team volunteers for the great work they did here at the zoo,” said McNeil. “Not only did these volunteers donate many hours of service to the zoo but through their work we received a grant to help support our education and conservation goals for 2009. What great community partners!”

Through the Kohl’s A-Team program associates are encouraged to volunteer their time to nonprofit activities focused on enriching the lives of children. In 2007 alone, Kohl’s donated more than $3.25 million in grants to youth-serving nonprofit organizations.

Potter Park Zoo is located at 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave. within Potter Park along the Red Cedar River in Lansing, Michigan. The zoo is open daily year-round, winter hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (517) 483-4222 or visit www.potterparkzoo.org.