Zoo Crew Update - Baaad Horseys!

A little Zoo Crew update for you!

Maddy has really been enjoying her 

volunteer gig at the zoo this summer! 

Most of the time, that is!

Looks cute and sweet -- but this horse is one of the biters!

Last Monday, however, a horse (one of the naughty small horses)

bit her on the inside of her arm!

Ouch! 

 While it didn't totally break the skin, it left scratches

and a big bruise.

Then she worked on Wild Wednesday evening

when the zoo is open until 8 pm.

One horse was DONE and ready to head back to the 

stalls when about 5 kids came up and needed rides.

Since the other two horses had already left, Scout (the horse)

was stuck doing all the rides.

Scout was not happy about that.

To show how unhappy he was, he tried to rub Maddy

off on a fence as she led him around on the horse ride

resulting in a huge scrape and sliver on the inside

of her other arm!

Battle scars from the zoo!

She's still enjoying being a part of zoo crew, though it's winding down with

school starting soon.  She has weekend assignments

until the zoo closes in October.

She is definitely watching out for the horses!

Her favorite assignment is the butterfly pavilion -

who doesn't love butterflies! :)

Bonus -- it's right next to the most adorable Wallaby families!

We don't have a huge and fancy zoo like Omaha's, but

we do love our children's zoo!

Going to the Zoo -- Zoo Crew!

Last summer, 

Maddy attempted to participate in our city's local Zoo Crew volunteer program.

However, toe surgeries on both great (big) toes 

prevented her from being able to wear closed-toes shoes - 

a must for Zoo Crew volunteers!

Getting ready for the first day on the job!
Please excuse my messy kitchen counters -- keeping it real!

This year those toes have mostly healed up, 

And when sign-up started,

 she was among the first to complete the form, send it in and become 

one of the 400 volunteer students in grades 7 through 12 in the program.

This volunteer gig provides jr. high and high school students the 

opportunity to  learn about animals, animal

care, service to community and gain important life and job skills 

at the same time.

The student volunteers help out all around the zoo, assisting 

with pony rides, picking up trash, cleaning areas and giving zoo guests close up 

animal experiences by showing animals in the Critter Encounter area and

other areas of our zoo.

Maddy works once or twice a week through September.  

This volunteer program is a good preview of the

work world as the assigned work hours are 8 AM - 5 PM

with 30 minutes for lunch! And no snack breaks!

A great first day!

She's a Monday worker and finished her first Monday this week!

It rained . . . on and off all day - sometimes heavy rain.

I worried all day wondering how it was going.

And yet, she was all smiles when I picked her up after 5 PM!

It was a fabulous day, she enjoyed it all - well, except

that her feet hurt a little bit!

She's already making plans to volunteer again next summer.

Fun Zoo Crew days ahead to be sure!