Jungle Party fundraiser a success

Woodland Park Zoo's premier fundraiser, Bank of America Presents: Jungle Party was a roaring success with more than 1,000 civic, community and philanthropic leaders attended the fundraiser, and contributes over $1,965,000 million dollars to support the zoo's animal care, education and wildlife conservation projects.

Proceeds also included more than $575,000 in contributions toward this year's beneficiary of the Fund-Our-Future: Project Northwest, which will enable Woodland Park Zoo to enhance experiences for visitors and help us to realize our role as the premiere institution in the Northwest devoted to conservation education.

Woodland Park Zoo's 31st annual fundraiser was themed Celebrate Our Northwest. It was an unforgettable evening with engaging entertainment, exhibit tours, a gourmet sit-down dinner by Ray's Boathouse Catering, appetizers served by Seattle's top chefs from Ivar's Restaurant, Ponti Seafood Grill, Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar, Waterfront Seafood Grill, Rain Forest Catering by ARAMARK and Ray's Boat House Catering, a Specialty Drink Bar by Restaurant Zo‘, and live and silent auctions consisting of over 500 auction items.

Live auction highlights included: Botswana African Wild Dog trip sold three times for a total of $54,000; the Tom Douglas Dinner at Bill and Jane Lewis's home sold for $16,000; Invitation to the China Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks sold for $16,000; and Dinner with the Jungle Party Co-Chairs, DeLaine and Mark Emmert, sold twice for a total of $28,000.

"This year's unprecedented generosity not only exceeded the zoo's overall fundraising goal, but raised over half-a-million dollars for this year's Fund-Our-Future item," said Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO Dr. Deborah Jensen. "Jungle Party directly supports the zoo's efforts to connect kids with nature and help create a sustainable future for wildlife."

The zoo's fundraiser also helps to ensure this cherished community resource continues to make a difference in the survival of threatened and endangered species in Washington State and around the world. Woodland Park currently partners with 38 field conservation projects in 26 countries across the globe.