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Anderson Legacy Honored

Fort Wayne IN – The Board of Directors of the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo unveiled a plaque that will remain on zoo grounds permanently, honoring the legacy Jim Anderson’s many years of service and leadership for the Zoo.

Board President, Chuck Surack said, “I have known Jim for many years and can tell you what a complete joy it has been to work alongside him as a Board Member. He has a habit of making the work with the Zoo so fun and engaging that many members have been involved with the Zoo for decades. In fact, this is my second time around as Board President.”

The Board would agree that behind all the fun, is someone who worked tirelessly for more than four decades to make the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo one of the very best in the nation. Everything you see and experience at the Zoo, has his fingerprints on it.

Though Jim has retired from his everyday involvement at the Zoo, the Board and staff wanted to honor his legacy with a plaque. The inscription reads:

“During his time as the Executive Zoo Director, Jim’s vision and commitment helped to transform Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo into a world-class zoo. According to Jim, this Zoo exists for, and because of our great community – every exhibit, upgrade, animal, and pathway is made possible through the generous support of the community, sponsors, and donors. Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo stands as a testament to Jim’s passion for families, animals, and nature.”

The legacy plaque can be found in the Z.O.&O Railroad plaza, a place near and dear to Jim’s heart, as it’s the place where Jim met his wife, Linda more than 25 years ago while working at the Zoo.

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About the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo: The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is northeast Indiana’s largest tourist attraction, hosting more than 600,000 guests annually. The Zoo was voted
Indiana’s #1 “Gotta-Do Summer Attraction” and is consistently named one of the nation’s Top Ten Zoos for Kids by national media outlets.

The Zoo is a conservation leader, contributing annually to local, regional, and international efforts to protect wild animals and habitats. The Zoo cares for more than 1400 animals and participates in 63 cooperative species survival plans.

As a self-supporting facility, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo receives no tax dollars for operations. The zoo’s operations are funded entirely by earned revenue and donations.

The Zoo will open for the 57th season April 24, 2021. Summer hours May through August are 9 am to 7 pm daily. April, September, and October Zoo hours are 9 am to 5 pm.

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