Registration Open for Zoo Run Run for the Animal Care and Conservation Fund

Submitted by the Chicago Zoological Society.

Runners and walkers of all ages are invited to sprint, scurry, or stroll at Brookfield Zoo’s annual Zoo Run Run for the Animal Care and Conservation Fund on Sunday, September 20. Registered participants are encouraged to bring family and friends to cheer them on and enjoy the zoo afterwards at no additional charge. Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Chicago Zoological Society’s Animal Care and Conservation Fund, which supports programs working to make a difference for species around the globe.

“Every year, more animals disappear from the wild, but everyone can help change that fate by playing a role in achieving conservation solutions,” said Stuart Strahl, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo. “Through fundraising efforts such as Zoo Run Run, we can help make a difference in animal conservation across the globe.”

Participants have the option to compete in a 5K chip-timed race or go at a more relaxing pace in a 5K fun run or a 5K walk. The 5K chip-timed race begins at 8:30 a.m. in the zoo’s Discovery Center parking lot, with the fun run beginning at 8:40 a.m. and the walk starting at 8:50 a.m. The route, which is entirely inside the zoo, will have runners winding under a canopy of oak trees, soaring past Andean condors and bald eagles, thundering by bison, and galloping past giraffes, zebras, and camels. Runners and walkers will also encounter endangered black rhinos and a pygmy hippo before roaring past lions and tigers to arrive at the finish line.

Runners can register as individuals or maximize their fun by forming a race team. The more funds raised for the Conservation Fund, the more prizes they win:

• Those who raise $100 receive a special long-sleeved commemorative Zoo Run Run shirt.
• Those who raise $250 receive a $25 Brookfield Zoo gift certificate and the previous level’s premiums.
• Those who raise $500 receive an additional $25 Brookfield Zoo gift certificate, a complimentary upgrade on your next purchased membership, and the previous levels’ premiums.
• Those who raise $750 receive a voucher towards a Backstage Adventure experience at Brookfield Zoo and the previous levels’ premiums.
• Those who raise $1,000 receive two tickets to Brookfield Zoo’s Wines in the Wild, being held on Saturday, November 7, 2015.
• The top fundraiser receives two tickets to the Society’s annual black-tie gala, the Whirl, and a VIP Red Carpet Day of experiences at Brookfield Zoo, plus the previous levels premiums.

In addition to individual fundraising prizes, teams are eligible to win prizes. Each team that raises $2,500 or more will receive a private reception for 20 that includes a unique animal experience at Brookfield Zoo. All members of teams are eligible to win the individual prizes listed above as well.

Online registration, which runs through September 19, is $35 for the chip-timed race and $30 for the fun run/walk. The registration fee on race day is $40 for the chip-timed run and $35 for the fun run/walk. Parking and zoo admission for participants are free if you enter through the north entrance before 8:30 a.m. All runners and walkers will also receive a Zoo Run Run t-shirt.

Zoo Run Run is presented by Walgreens, Aquafina, and Gatorade. Check the website, www.CZS.org/ZooRunRun for further information, to register as an individual or a team, and for details of race packet pickup.