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Vol. 35, No. 12
May ay 2022
www.seniorlifenewspapers.com
St. Joseph Ed Edition dit Reaching South Bend And Surrounding Counties
7H[W DQG 3KRWRV %\ /2,6 720$6=(:6., 6WDII :ULWHU Going to the zoo was always something to look forward to as children. At the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, several seniors reconnect with that same feeling as zoo volunteers or seasonal employees. At 74, Roger Beaver has been volunteering for about a decade. He helps in a variety of ways, including directing visitors through the zoo and sometimes keeping animals safe from visitors. He worked for a time in the Australia exhibit, partly absorbed into the new giraffe encounter which opened this year. “There’s always something to do,” Beaver said. Seniors represent about 20 percent of the zoo’s volunteer force. Volunteers work special events, provide education about the animals on exhibit and teach about conservation. Some work directly with the zoo’s animal ambassadors. Others help with the landscaping and with other tasks as needed. Patty Fowler, 69, has volunteered to work at the zoo for 16 years, one of three who have been there that length of time. A Master Gardener, she started out helping with landscaping, which she still does. But Fowler also shares the knowledge she has gained from the zoo’s animal caretakers with the public as part of the education outreach team. “Our main focus is to interact with the guests,” she said. Along the way, however, volunteers build relationships with other volunteers. It is like a family, Fowler said. Education and Volunteer Manager Amanda Brunson-Cruz said the zoo appreciates their volunteers and hosts events to show that. A volunteer picnic is scheduled in the summer, a Christmas party in December and a volunteer week is set early in the season. “We have several different opportunities, so usually there is a role they can enjoy,” Brunson-Cruz said. “People who are able to talk to the public and have enthusiasm for learning make great volunteers.” Volunteer applications are available online. According to Fowler, volunteering fulfills all the right things for seniors — physical activity, cognitive exercise, social interaction and building friendships. Continued on page 6
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