Lions, tigers and bears! The wild beasts teamed up with ghosts, goblins, and witches to present Moorpark College’s annual Boo at the Zoo festival and fundraiser for the Exotic Animal Training and Management program, more commonly referred to as EATM.
At Boo at the Zoo, both children and adults enjoyed pictures with the animals, cookie decorating, face painting, pumpkin painting, a scavenger hunt, themed animal shows, and a costume contest. EATM students provided answers to guests’ questions about the specific animals performing in the shows.
“This is a great experience for all of us,” said Linda Kaplan, mother of two. “We get to see the animals up close and the children learn while having fun.”
Boo at the Zoo is an annual event put on by EATM. The Oct. 29 and 30 event had open admission to anyone who wanted to enjoy the festivities. Boo at the Zoo is one of EATM’s largest fundraisers with all proceeds going straight to the EATM program. Admissions were $4 for children and $5 for adults.
“This is a really good fundraiser for us,” said Brittany Wittig, assistant organizer of Boo at the Zoo and an EATM student. “We raise a lot of money that goes straight to keeping our program running and enhancing the animals’ living conditions.”
Wittig, 21, is one of about 25 EATM students who volunteered to plan the day over the last 10 weeks and run the event last weekend.
EATM students say that if guests get a better experience with the animals they will want to come back more frequently.
“It is a great opportunity to get people a more personal look at our animals,” stated Wittig.
The organization is dependent on raising money to stay open and Boo at the Zoo is an important fundraiser. They raised money through admissions, pumpkin painting, and donations put in the donation boxes around the zoo.
EATM’s next large fundraiser will be the Spring Spectacular, which will be held in March. More information about donating and events can be found on the Moorpark College website, or by calling the EATM program office at (805) 378-1441.
