The Brandywine Zoo celebrated its 120th Anniversary with a fundraiser dinner dance, called ZOOBILEE, at the Dupont Country Club on Saturday night, March 22, 2025, sponsored by, DELMARVA POWER – AN EXCELON COMPANY, EVERGREEN WASTE SERVICES, KIZMET STUDIOS, and WSFS BANK, plus many other contributing businesses and individuals. Funds raised will help transform the zoo to benefit the animals, guests, and community. See the plans on our website in the Our Zoo Re-imagined section.
Guests at this sold-out event enjoyed dancing to the fabulous What The Funk band, cocktail hour with silent auction, delicious dinner, an enticing five-item live auction, a message from Dan Ashe, President of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the presentation of The Brandywine Zoo Champion Award to Mr. Verino Pettinaro, a well-known Delaware businessman (retired), for his dedication and support over the years that have made a lasting impact on the Brandywine Zoo.
Delaware Governor, Matt Meyer. ESQ and Lieutenant Governor, Kyle Evans Gay, ESQ made supportive remarks as did William Montgomery, President of the Delaware Zoological Society (DZS) Board of Directors, Mark Shafer, Executive Director of DZS, and Brint Spencer, Director of the Brandywine Zoo. Other officials in attendance included: Secretary Greg Patterson, Delaware Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Control, Delaware State Senator Dan Cruce, Delaware State Senator Nicole Poore, Delaware Representative Krista Griffiths, Delaware Representative Debra Heffernan, and New Castle County Executive, Marcus Henry.
The event was organized by the Delaware Zoological Society Zoobilee Committee under the leadership of Candice Galvis. So many volunteers contributed time and services, and they are greatly appreciated. We wish to thank the underwriters: Nancy Horisk and Scott Sherr, Chief Justice E. Norman Veasey & Suzy Veasey, Barnes and Thornburg LLP, CDA Engineering, Inc., Geo-Technology Associates, Inc., WL Gore, Bruce Miller, Prickett, Jones & Elliott, BPGS Supporters, and the many table sponsors and supporters that attended and contributed to the capital campaign for Our Zoo Re-imagined.
The Delaware Zoological Society raised $112,000 at Zoobilee, but we still need $400,000 to get the projects rolling. Contributions to the Our-Zoo-Re-imagined Capital Campaign are welcome. Please contact Mark Shafer at (302) 407-4413 or email [email protected].
Please enjoy the ZOOBILEE event video created by sponsor Matthew David Silva of Kizmet Studios, www.kizmetstudios.com.
