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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 2004)
The INDEPENDENT, December 2, 2004 Page 13 ZooLights offers spectacular displays Buddy Bears needed in Wash. Co. The Oregon Zoo will come alive with lights when the 17th annual ZooLights festival be- gins on Friday, December 3 at 5:30 p.m. This family tradition, pre- sented by The Boeing Compa- ny, will feature more than 500,000 lights illuminating life- sized animal silhouettes, trees, buildings, walkways, and the zoo train. “Every year, the zoo pres- ents a stunning display of light and color,” said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. “I know many peo- ple in our community eagerly anticipate ZooLights and look forward to seeing the many new touches that we add each year. It is so gratifying to know that the Oregon Zoo has be- come an important holiday tra- dition to so many families,” he added. As visitors approach the zoo entrance, they will be greeted by swinging siamangs and div- ing dolphins. A large, rotating mobile featuring aquarium ani- mals will dominate the zoo’s entry plaza. Trillium Creek Family Farm, the zoo’s newest exhibit, will be home to three new silhouettes: flying pigs, a cow jumping over the moon and Charlotte’s Web. Other dis- plays in the farm include a caterpillar that turns into a chrysalis before emerging as a beautiful butterfly, inchworms, California condors, leaping frogs and forest creatures. Deeper inside the zoo, an anaconda is re-created in lights at the Amazon Flooded Forest exhibit, and a gingerbread house, complete with candy cane fence, lights up the Cross- roads. Three life-sized, three- dimensional hippos will graze near a river of lights on the zoo’s concert lawn. The zoo’s popular costumed characters and elves will be on hand to greet zoo visitors and pose for pictures. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer will be joined by Buddy Beaver, Honey Bear, Eliza Elephant, Lulu Lemur, Nate the Eagle, Rock E. Goat, Sandy Sea Otter and Ti- tus Tiger. Visitors can also see some of the zoo’s resident ani- mals, including mountain goats, elephants, primates, and pettable sheep and goats. Music lovers will enjoy the highly animated light silhouette featuring Mick Jaguar perform- ing on the concert stage with Every day children in Wash- ington County experience trau- matic situations, whether it’s a car crash, separation from a parent, a domestic conflict or some other serious situation. A soft, cuddly new friend can be very comforting at that time. That’s where the Washing- ton County Sheriff’s Office Bud- dy Bear Program comes in. The Buddy Bear Program has been in existence for over 16 years. During that time thou- sands of little children have been comforted when a soft teddy bear has been placed in their arms. The program relies com- pletely on donations of the bears from people who want to help a child at a time when their little world seems to have been turned upside down and they feel helpless and scared. Re- cently a high school student his all-star animal band. Mick is joined by Packy Pachyderm tickling the ivories, Richard Lion playing guitar, Gerri Gi- raffe on bass, Billy Bear on trumpet, Orville Orangutan on drums and Willy Wildebeest on sax. The Ostrich Sisters per- form backing vocals. The sounds of the season will fill the zoo as more than 100 schools, churches, and professional groups perform holiday musical selections. Several local dance troupes will also be featured. Favorite light displays from previous years will also return, including trumpeting elephants, tobogganing polar bears and swinging monkeys. Lions can be seen chasing a herd of impalas, while a giraffe grazes nearby. An ostrich gets startled and runs away, hiding its head in the sand. Flying macaws fly from tree to tree. A 35-foot-long dragon mysteri- ously floats above the walkway. At Steller Cove, a sea lion and dancing sea star greet visitors. In addition to the lights, char- acters and music, the Tualatin Valley Model Railroad Club will show off its enlarged NTRAK train display. And children of all ages are sure to enjoy family entertainment every evening in the zoo’s elephant museum, in- cluding a conservation-themed puppet show Thursday through Sunday evenings. The Artist Market will feature recycled, animal and earth- friendly art. And, for last-minute shop- pers, the zoo’s gift shop, Cas- cade Outfitters, is bursting with animal-related gifts. The zoo’s Cascade Grill will offer a night- ly holiday buffet. This tradition- al feast will cost $13.95 for adults and $7.75 for kids. Holi- day treats will be available at food locations throughout the zoo. Banks Computer & Music X-MAS SPECIALS 20% Off All Computers Senior Computer Class Gift Certicates Lots of X-mas Gifts Music Lesson Gift Certificates 180 #C Main St., Banks 503-324-0259 ZooLights runs from Decem- ber 3 through January 1. Hours are 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Sun- day through Thursdays, and 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Guests will have one hour past the closing times to make their way back to the front gate. During this time, lights and oth- er activities will continue until gates close. The festival is closed December 24 and 25. ZooLights package tickets, which include admission and a train ride, are $9.50 (12-64), seniors $8 (65+), children $6.50 (3-11), and children un- der 3 are free. Additional infor- mation is available on the zoo’s website at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561. The zoo is located five min- utes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. donated a teddy bear to the program because she had been given a Buddy Bear when she was five years old. Presently, the Buddy Bear Program is running out of bears. With the holidays com- ing this would be an especially hard time for a young child in trauma, which is all the more reason why being given a ted- dy bear would mean so much. If you would like to donate a “new” teddy bear to the Buddy Bear Program, contact Susan Gould at 503-516-4397 or email: sgouldbuddybears@aol. com Your donation will ensure that a Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy will be able to provide a comforting bear when a child experiences an unfortunate tragedy, and help in a way that a child can under- stand. “Music from Art” Dec. 3 at Pacific Univ. Music and art will combine for a special fall concert on Fri- day, December 3, at 7:30 p.m. in McCready Hall at the Taylor- Meade Performing Arts Center at Pacific University. The pro- gram, “Music from Art,” will in- clude the sounds of the Pacific University Symphonic Band to coincide with the opening of the “Tooned In” art exhibit in the Kathrin Cawein Gallery on campus. Featured music includes se- lections based on and inspired by works of art in other media. For example, “The Ascension” is based on Dante’s literary work The Inferno and “The Min- strel Boy” is taken from Thomas Moore’s poem of the same name. The “Tooned In” exhibit fea- tures works by Pacific alumnus Oak Village Laundromat 4 Jumbo Washers Air-conditioned Easy Access with Ample Parking located next to Jim’s Market at the junction of Hwy 47 & Hwy 6 Main Street, Banks Ray Nelson, president and cre- ative director of Flying Rhino- ceros in Portland. The exhibit is open from Dec. 1-22, 2004 and then Jan. 3-20, 2005. Nelson co-founded Flying Rhinoceros in 1993 after work- ing as an animator at Will Vin- ton Studios. The company pro- duces and distributes interac- tive programming, educational books, classroom materials, television cartoons, software, and Web sites. Today Nelson serves as Flying Rhinoceros’ creative visionary. He is the main author and illustrator of the company’s learning books and he created the characters and concept for the CBS televi- sion show “Flying Rhino Junior High.” Concert admission is $5 for adults, and $3 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the box office at 503-352-2918 or at the door. The Cawein Gallery exhibit is open to the public at no charge. Gallery hours are Monday through Fri- day from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or by appointment. For more information on the Gallery, call 503-352-2216. BANKS MINI STORAGE Pay 1 Full Month and get 1 Full Month FREE* Move in Truck Available Check us out and you’ll want to check in! * Special available for new customers on sizes up to 10 X 10, for a limited time only. Gates Operate Daily 7 AM - 9 PM Office Hours: Mon- Fri 10 AM - 6 PM Sat 8 AM - Noon 140 E O AK W AY , B ANKS • 503-324-0552