Meeting Minutes: January 2017

NYC AAZK Meeting – January 30, 2017

In attendance: Carolyn Rezkalla, Leela Samaroo, Michelle Blatz, Brent Atkinson, Leah Simoncek, Joe Borsellino, Tim Mohl, Nyssa Turner, Elizabeth Mills, Alyssa May, Amy Golden, Maryellen Constantino, Heather Tassler, Vanessa Jones, Taylor Ritz, Lauren DelGrosso, Bill Doyle, Lisa Walker, Joe Nappi

2017 NYC AAZK Exec Team:
Joe Nappi – President, Lisa Walker – New Vice President, Avi Shuter – Secretary, Amy Golden – Treasurer

2016 Year in Review:

March Ice Skating Conservation Fundraiser: $777 Trees for You and Me reforestation project
May Cinco de Rhino: $670 (put towards Bowling for Rhinos fund)
May Rented out private theatre at the Alamo Drafthouse
National Zoo Keeper Week Silent Auction: $1,600 (successful keeper chats, social media presence)
August Bronx River Alliance volunteering to clean up river
August Bowling for Rhinos: $7,000, 175 people attended
September Paint Night Fundraiser: $300 Baton Rouge Zoo keeper flood relief
Croctoberfest: $1,300 raised WCS Crocodilian conservation projects. Over 70 people attended

Dues: $15 members of AAZK National, $25 for non-national members 
- Benefits: Access to $1000 annual Travel Grant, discounts for AAZK events, voting on AAZK business, 
  priority reservations for upcoming Regional Symposium

Participation:
- We would like to make AAZK as inclusive as possible, and have people participate  to whatever level 
 they are most comfortable. Help shape the future of our chapter by joining one of our committees, or 
 by organizing your own event.
- Interested in organizing a particular volunteer outing? Want to raise money for a specific conservation 
 issue, animal or other cause? Reach out to us and we’ll help you organize your event! 

Committees: Inquire at nycaazk@gmail.com if you are interested in joining a committee!
Travel Grant: Review annual travel grant applications 
Conservation Committee: Help steer the chapter’s volunteering and fundraising efforts
World Animal Days: Help organize keeper talks and events revolving around World Animal Days
National Zoo Keeper Week: Join the committee to help put together this signature event. 
Bowling for Rhinos – Spearhead organizing AAZK’s largest annual fundraiser 

Animal Planet ‘Unofficial Premiere’
  - 50/50 Raffle to benefit NYC AAZK
  - Be sure to RSVP whether you are going or not to allow other zoo departments to be invited should 
   space permit. 


4th Annual Northeast Regional Symposium:
- Wednesday April 26, 2017 at the Bronx Zoo
- Up to 150 keepers will be admitted into the event
- 30 spots to be reserved for WCS keepers, with priority being given to NYC AAZK members
- Free zoo admission and parking for non WCS keepers
- Behind the Scenes tours will be offered during the day
- 15 keeper presentations in the evening, with a one hour pizza dinner break during the session
- March 1st: Deadline to submit presentation abstracts to nycaazk@gmail.com for review
- Flaherty Learning Center will be utilized for the presentations 
- Possible silent auction/other fundraising options during the event to raise additional money
- Funds from the symposium will go towards hosting a larger national AAZK conference down the road
- Suggestion (Vanessa Jones ) highlighting squeezes/enrichment at Bronx, encouraging keepers from 
  other zoos to bring photos of their zoo -equipment, enrichment, etc. 
- AAZK exec team will be setting up an interdepartmental meeting to help organize the event
- We are looking for keepers that are off Wednesdays to volunteer to help run the event

Chapter Fundraising Ideas:
Postcards
Calendars 
Ostrich eggs/Peacock feathers 
Enrichment at Home packet 
Honey from World Birds 

Up and Coming Events (all event dates not yet finalized): 
Enrichment Night with Families 
Ice Skating 
Alamo Drafthouse Night
Cinco de Salamander Fundraiser 
March Members Meeting ​