Zoo Miami Zoo Keepers founded the South Florida Chapter of AAZK in 1981. As one of the longest instated Chapters of AAZK, the South Florida Chapter has hosted numerous fundraisers to benefit conservation, education, and animal care. Like the other non-profit AAZK Chapters nationwide, the South Florida Chapter is comprised of dedicated Zoo Keepers and volunteers who dedicate their time to educate others while raising funds for animal enrichment, zoo keeper’s professional development, and various conservation projects. For more information on the South Florida Chapter fundraisers, history and board members please read below.
 
If you are interested in receiving more information on how you can help SF AAZK or would like to be on our mailing list to receive information on upcoming fundraising events, please email the chapter at SFAAZK@yahoo.com.   

Read more to find out what South Florida AAZK is accomplishing this year 2009!

 

 

This established chapter got its start in 1981, and the founding officers were:  President, Jean Hromadka; Vice-President, George Sharp; Treasurer, Cathy Hudson; and Secretary, Carl Burch.  The South Florida Chapter is affiliated with Zoo Miami, Jungle Island, and Monkey Jungle.  In the early years of its existence the chapter also represented the Dreher Park Zoo in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Due to the 80 mile drive for members to make it to meetings, the Cypress Coast Chapter AAZK was formed to accommodate zoos in Palm Beach County, Florida.  The chapter logo, was adopted in 1981.  The chapter held a contest and the winning designer was an artist named Damien Kong.

The many conservation projects/ fundraisers this chapter has been involved with include: the Manatee Conservation Fund, the Sea Turtle Conservation Program and the 1990 AAZK “Bowling For Rhinos”.  This chapter was also responsible for assisting the Dreher Park Zoo by donating funds for the construction of a Goeldi’s Monkey Exhibit.  The aide furnished by the chapter resulted in an article in the AAZPA Newsletter, giving the chapter credit for their assistance.  The Chapter became involved with the 1991 Rhino Walk fundraising program with its heralded creator, Mr. Michael Werihke.
Among the chapter fundraisers South Florida has tried are: “Dog Washes”, “Spend A Day Behind The Scenes” Zoo Keeper Raffle (a large portion went to the Manatee Foundation of Florida); garage sales; recycling aluminum cans; meeting raffles; Earth Day plant and bake sale (to benefit the animal enrichment program) and the most successful of all time – the Annual Chapter Banquet Auction.  This one has raised hundreds of dollars and generally keeps the chapter afloat from year to year.

This chapter was also where the AAZK Diet Notebook got its start and the preliminary collections of diets were done by South Florida Chapter.  In all, we can truly say that if it weren’t for Jean Hromadka there wouldn’t have been a South Florida Chapter, Miami ’85 or a Conference Zoolympics.  What Ms. Hromadka did was to challenge those around her to do more and refine them in the process.  In principle it’s what the AAZK is all about!
The information for this chapter history was provided by Rachel Watkins Rogers, former chapter member, currently of the Zoo Miami.
 
SF AAZK Board Members 2009
President: Yuri Mitzkewich
Vice-President: Rue Hewett
Treasurer: Kim Harp
Secretary: Angel Gunn
Zoo Miami Liason: Willy Cotto