Join thousands of 22q families worldwide to celebrate a fun-filled
awareness day
at zoos all over the world on Sunday, April 22, 2012!
Organized and developed by The International 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Foundation, 22q at the Zoo! Worldwide Awareness Day will take place on Sunday April 22, 2012 at zoos all around the world. This fabulous event is aimed at raising the public profile of chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. In 2011, we had the participation of 65 zoo locations in 9 countries spanning 3 continents with close to 10,000 participants worldwide! This year our goal is to double those numbers! This was a start to something very special – a ray of hope and solidarity which we have all been waiting for. DO NOT MISS OUT on a chance to participate! 2012 is shaping up to be in the largest awareness event in history. Below is a list of last year’s participants and a list of participants that are already committed to organizing the event this year. 22q is in need of awareness!! Let’s double our numbers! Together we can and will make a lasting difference!
If you or someone you know is interested in organizing this event at a zoo near you, please contact Swati Patel at patels10@email.chop.edu for more details. We encourage you to please join our 22q at The Zoo! Worldwide Awareness Day Information Page at www.facebook.com/groups/22qAtTheZoo2012 for more details regarding this event. Please feel free to share this site with friends and family for more information.
There are no deadlines for T-shirts orders this year as T-shirts may be individually ordered by credit card or Paypal through our website www.22q.org. The cost of the T-shirts is To Be Determined and includes separate shipping and handling cost. You are not obligated to buy a new T-shirt, if you have your T-shirt from last year. Please feel free to wear that as the design of the T-shirt will be minimally changed. In lieu of buying a new T-shirt, please consider participating in the "Tell 22 About 22q” campaign.
If this is your first time organizing this event at a zoo near you, or if you need help organizing this event, please refer to the “To Do List” below:
- Find someone to take the lead for April 22nd at their local zoo
- Reach out to others
- Contact the local zoo for prices – hopefully deeply discounted
- Perhaps plan a fun activity during two hour span like face painting or music (but not obligatory) so folks will have something to gather around before heading off to see the animals – this can include or exclude lunch ,either purchased or brown bagged, depending on the cost and zoo regulations
- Order T-shirts Design for t-shirts will be minimally changed. Please feel free, in lieu of buying a new t-shirt to consider participating in the “Tell 22q About 22q” campaign.
- Set your ticket price
- Sell tickets in advance so everyone in attendance is guaranteed to be wearing the Worldwide Awareness T-shirt throughout the day and beyond. (Consider ordering a few extra T-shirts just in case there are walk-ups on the day of the event.)
- Save any profits locally for future family functions or donate them to The International 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Foundation, the Dempster Family Foundation, or WHATEVER CHARITY/ FOUNDATION YOU CHOOSE!
- Distribute 22q Fact Sheets and “Ask Me About 22q” buttons, which we will gladly supply, to all comers at the zoo that day (if the zoo is amenable). This is the most important step!
- At 2:22 PM all families whose kids are attending or interested in attending the Dragonfly Forest Camp can meet and greet; a Dragonfly Forest representative will be available in some locations (must be prearranged); and brochures will be available (optional)
- Try to engender as much PR/TV/NEWSPAPER coverage as possible. Just call them up! News outlets love great public interest stories!!!
- Take lots of photos/videos so the fun can be shared worldwide – working on live streaming video/SKYPE but regular old photos will be great too
Once again, if you would like to help organize this event at a zoo site near you, need more details, or more information, please feel free to contact Swati Patel at patels10@email.chop.edu.
We thank you for your continued support.
