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Zoo
Published on November 11, 2009 - 10:41 am
by Wane TV
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/local/local_wane_fort_wayne_great_zoo_halloween_20090830_rev1
Great Zoo Halloween starts Friday Zoo re-opens for limited time
Updated: Friday, 16 Oct 2009, 12:55 PM EDT
Published : Friday, 16 Oct 2009, 8:19 AM EDT *
Terra Brantley FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) -
The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo opens Friday night. Zoo education director Cheryl Piropato says it's an event that couldn't happen without volunteers. "We use about 1500 volunteers to make it happen. The volunteers do everything from paint pumpkins, to decorate to scoop the guts out of pumpkins." Newschannel 15's Terra Brantley caught up with pumpkin gutters of all ages lending their creative juices to decorate gourds for the cause. From workers at Specialized Printed Products to youngsters from Lincoln Elementary school. There are about 12 tons of pumpkins that make up a pumpkin paradise at the zoo, a 15 pumpkin included. You'll see orange everywhere when you stop by to trick or treat, including a whopping 600 pounder. You're encouraged to come in costume and visit places like the Australia After Dark exhibit where bats fly about in a bat cave. This year the zoo is actually having parts of the zoo open for visitors to animals such as the aquarium, the farmhouse and the nocturnal house. You can also talk with a friendly witch, walk through a mystery maze and interact with farm animals all while the kids enjoy nine different trick or treat stations loaded with candy and other treats.. in a merry not scary setting. It's a big way to wrap up a big season for the zoo which set a record breaking 586,404 people during the summer season. If you want to enjoy this brief Halloween season, you'll need to hurry the pumpkins and all pack up at the end of the month. Hours are 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weeknights and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. Admission is five-dollars for adults, seven for children. Copyright AP Modified, Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.