Mark your Calendars for the Tenth Annual “Virtual” 22q at the Zoo for
Sunday May 17th, 2020
International 22q11.2 Foundations’ 10th Annual “22q at the Zoo – Worldwide Awareness Day” cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The leadership of the International 22q11.2 Foundation has been carefully monitoring developments related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) and following careful deliberations has made the difficult and unprecedented decision to cancel our upcoming 10th Annual “22q at the Zoo – Worldwide Awareness Day” currently scheduled for May 17, 2020 at >125 locations around the world. We deeply regret any inconvenience caused by the cancellation and we share your disappointment, but we believe this is the most responsible course of action to protect the health and well-being of all attendees, including those who are immunocompromised.
By way of background, the idea for 22q at the Zoo was hatched during an International 22q11.2 Foundation board meeting back in February of 2011. It was initially planned to occur as a test in Philadelphia only, but after dialog with our partner family organizations, healthcare providers, and GeneDx (supplier of those always popular zebras) we thought “what the heck” let’s try to share it more globally. To our surprise, only 3 months later “22q at the Zoo” morphed into “22q at the Zoo – Worldwide Awareness Day” occurring at 65 locations across 3 continents: kicking off in Sydney, Australia and closing in California, USA having literally circled the globe. Intended as a “friend-raiser” the event has done just that – supporting families in small towns and big cities alike, whether they can join in person or virtually they never feel alone on Zoo day!
To that end, while we hold off on celebrating our 10th Anniversary in person we ask each and every one of you to join us for a virtual event entitled:
Life is a Zoo – But the International 22q Foundation is Still Here for You!
How can you join? It’s easy – just follow these steps:
- Host a zoo day in your own home with your own family
- Don’t invite anyone over but join with one another through Facebooks official “22q at the Zoo Worldwide Awareness Page”
- Wear a 22q at the Zoo – Worldwide Awareness T-shirt – part of the fun is seeing how many folks represent the 9 years of official T-shirts
- Don’t have an official T-shirt? No problem, just wear red!
- Post the photos online
- We have created a drop event please upload your photos here: https://dropevent.com/gallery/22qthezoo2020
- We will create a virtual slide show to share thereafter as a world-wide pick-me-up!
Because even though our lives may be a zoo right now – we need to stick together! Additional details will be forthcoming. We hope you will join us and we wish you all continued good health.
Organized and developed by The International 22q11.2 Foundation, 22q at the Zoo is an event that gives families, friends and professionals a chance to socialize, network and raise the public profile of chromosome 22q11.2 syndromes.
Volunteers spread awareness by handing out our 22q fact sheets and educating anyone interested enough to stop and ask about 22q. The event kicks off in New Zealand and continues westward ending in the South Pacific having literally circled the globe. Participants are recognizable, wearing the official “22q at the Zoo” red T-shirt and “Ask me about 22q” buttons.
Check out pictures from past events and stay up-to-date on the latest news by checking out our Facebook page!
For ticket information click on your local city or region. If there is no further information regarding ticket sales please contact the designated coordinator for your city or region.
22q AT THE ZOO COORDINATOR RESOURCE KIT
✔ 22q at the Zoo 2020 Blank Flyer
✔ 2020 Zoo Press Release
✔ Become a 22q Citizen Journalist
GOAL FOR 2020 BETTER GLOBAL REPRESENTATION
The International Foundation is recruiting starting now. We are looking for better representation from South America, Asia, Russia and the Middle East for this year’s event. Please email info@22q.org for more details.
In the USA the following states are still needed. Maine, Nevada, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Rhode Island, Wyoming, and Hawaii.
If you live in one of these states, please join our cause. We need you.
Participating Zoos
Adelaide
Name of Location: Thorndon Park Preserve
Coordinator Name: Mim, Kristin & Kristina
Email: adsdm5@icloud.com
Brisbane
Name of Zoo: Queens Park
Coordinator Name: Maria
Email: president@22q.org.au
Sydney
Name of Zoo: Koala Park
Coordinator Name: Maria
Email: president@22q.org.au
Rio De Janeiro – TBD
Name of Zoo:
Coordinator Name:
Email:
Calgary
Name of Zoo: TBD
Coordinator Name: Hayley
Email: hayleybeauregard@yahoo.com
Toronto
Name of Zoo: Toronto Zoo
Coordinator Names
Andrea: andrea.shugar@sickkids.ca
Cheryl: cheryl.cytrynbaum@sickkids.ca
Rozmin: rozmin.visram@sickkids.ca
Vancouver
Name of Zoo: Greater Vancouver Zoo
Coordinator Name: Pooja
Email: poojapanwar@hotmail.com
Date: Sunday, May 24th, 2020
Santiago
Name of Zoo: Buin
Coordinator Names:
Patricia – pjesam@gmail.com
Gabriela – grepetto@udd.cl
TBD
Name of Zoo:
Coordinator Name:
Email:
Fredersberg
Name of Zoo: Copenhagen Zoo
Coordinator Name: Anne
Email: anne@fampoulsen.com
Givskud
Name of Zoo: Givskud Zoo
Coordinator Name: Anne
Email: anne@fampoulsen.com
Bristol
Name of Zoo: Bristol Zoo
Coordinator Name: Steph
Email: info@maxappeal.org.uk
Chester
Name of Zoo: Chester Zoo
Coordinator Name: Steph
Email: info@maxappeal.org.uk
North Yorkshire
Name of Zoo: Flamingo Land
Coordinator Name: Steph
Email: info@maxappeal.org.uk
Wandsworth
Name of Zoo: Battersea Children’s Park Zoo
Coordinator Name: Steph
Email: info@maxappeal.org.uk
Ahtari
Name of Zoo: Ahtari Zoo
Coordinator Name: Hilkka
Email: Hilkka.happonen@22q11finland.fi
Meri-Karvia
Name of Zoo: MuuMaa- Farm
Coordinator Name: Outi
Email: Outi.annala@22q11finland.fi
Ranua
Name of Zoo: Ranua Zoo
Coordinator Name: Anu
TBD
Dublin
Name of Zoo: Dublin Zoo
Coordinator Name: Anne
Email: Twenty.two.q@gmail.com
Cork
Name of Zoo: Fota Park
Coordinator Name: Anne
Email: Twenty.two.q@gmail.com
Torvaianica
Name of Zoo: ZooMarine
Coordinator Names:
Maria Silva – Email: segreteria@aidel22.it
Maria – Email: lazio@aidel22.it
Tokyo
Name of Zoo: Ueno Zoological Gardens
Coordinator Name: Kiyoto
Email: 22q.research@gmail.com
Nagano
Name of Zoo: Hidamarinoie Farm
Coordinator Name: Nobuhiko
Email: info@fab-support.org
Belfast
Name of Zoo: Belfast Zoo
Coordinator Name: Gillian
Email: Gillian.Cassidy@gmail.com
Saturday, May 16, 2020 @ 1:00PM
Johannesburg
| Name of Zoo | Coordinator Name | |
| TBD | Benita | Benita.penfold@mweb.co.za |
Port Elizabeth
| Name of Zoo | Coordinator Name | |
| TBD | Ntombie | ntombiemitchell@yahoo.co.uk |
Seoul – TBD
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Kaoshiung – TBD
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Taipei – TBD
Name of Zoo: Taipei Zoo
Coordinator Name:
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Phucket – TBD
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Montgomery, AL
Name of Zoo: Montgomery Zoo
Coordinator Names:
Stacy – jsnkotila@gmail.com
Julie – jgbaskin1@gmail.com
Tuscaloosa, AL – TBD
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Little Rock, AR – TBD
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Phoenix, AZ – TBD
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Irvine, CA
Name of Zoo: OC Zoo
Coordinator Name: Nancy Lugo
Email: info@22qties.org
For more information visit here
Santa Ana, CA – TBD
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Los Angeles, CA – TBD
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Sacramento, CA
Name of Zoo: Sacramento Zoo
Coordinators
Bryan: bmritter@ucdavis.edu
Veena: vmdo@ucdavis.edu
San Diego, CA – TBD
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Colorado Springs, CO – TBD
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Denver, CO – TBD
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Pueblo, CO – TBD
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Bridgeport, CT – TBD
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Wilmington, DE -TBD
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Palm Beach Area, FL
Name of Zoo: Sugar Sand Park
Coordinator Name: Nicole
Email: nicolemark@bellsouth.net
Naples, FL – TBD
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Tampa, FL
Name of Zoo: Lowry Park Zoo
Coordinators
Tarra – tarralou@outlook.com
Maria – Prdiva11@yahoo.com
Cecila – elegant3events@gmail.com
Atlanta, GA
Name of Zoo: Atlanta Zoo
Coordinators
Karlene – kcole05@emory.edu
Marti – martiwoodruff@gmail.com
Oahu, HI – TBD
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Boise, Idaho – TBD
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Des Moines, IA – TBD
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Chicago, IL
Name of Zoo: Brookfield Zoo
Coordinator Name: Kapil
Email: kkumar83@gmail.com
South Bend, IN
Name of Zoo: Potawatomi Zoo
Coordinator Name: Karen
Email: Kkvega101@gmail.com
Evansville, IN – TBD
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Wichita, KS – TBD
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Louisville, KY – TBD
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Folsom, LA – TBD
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Sterling, MA – TBD
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Ann Arbor, MI – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Detroit, MI
Name of Zoo: Detroit Zoo
Coordinator Name: Darlene
Email: darlenewerner013@gmail.com
Grand Rapids, MI – TBD
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Wallace, MI – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Apple Valley, MN
Name of Zoo: Minnesota Zoo
Coordinator Name: Amy
Email: akebriaei@gmail.com
Facebook Page: Minnesota 22q families
Minneapolis, MN – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Kansas City, MO
Name of Zoo: Kansas City Zoo
Coordinator Name: Heather
Email: heather@amp22q.org
St. Louis, MO – TBD
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Jackson, MS – TBD
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Billings, MT – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Asheboro, NC
Name of Zoo: Asheboro Zoo
Coordinator Name: Bethany
Email: osbornbethany@gmail.com
Omaha, NE – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Paramus, NJ – TBD
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West Orange, NJ – TBD
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Las Vegas, NV – TBD
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Niagara Falls, NY
Name of Zoo: Aquarium of Niagara
Coordinator Name: Nadine
Email: vcfsbuffalo@yahoo.com
New York , NY – TBD
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Staten Island, NY – TBD
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Syracuse, NY – TBD
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Cincinnati, OH -TBD
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Cleveland, OH -TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Columbus, OH
Name of Zoo: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Coordinator Name: Christy
Email: Christina.Stocker@nationwidechildrens.org
Oklahoma City, OK
Name of Zoo: Oklahoma City Zoo
Coordinator Name: Kerri
Email: litslow@hotmail.com
Tulsa, OK – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Portland, OR
Name of Zoo: Oregon Zoo
Coordinators
Amy – perkigirl78@gmail.com
Jennifer – jenniferpolivka@gmail.com
Halifax, PA
Name of Zoo: Lake Tobias Wildlife Park
Coordinator Name: Emily
Email: epalen@geisinger.edu
Philadelphia, PA
Name of Zoo: Philadelphia Zoo
Coordinator Name: Carol
Email: info@22q.org
Pittsburgh, PA – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Schneckesville, PA – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Greenville, SC
Name of Zoo: Greenville Zoo
Coordinator Name: Jody
Email: jodydjones@gmail.com
Columbia, SC – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Sioux Falls, SD
Name of Zoo: The Butterfly House & Aquarium
Coordinator Name:
Megan – Megan.bell@sanfordhealth.org
Lisa – lisa.ohden@sanfordhealth.org
Katie – kaitlyn.burns@sanfordhealth.org
Gathering will be from 1:00PM – 4:00PM
Chattanooga, TN – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Knoxville, TN – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Nashville, TN – TBD
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Abilene, TX – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Austin, TX
Name of Zoo: TBD
Coordinator Name: Deborah
Email: dtrejo@kempsmith.com
Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex, TX – TBD
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Houston, TX – TBD
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Rio Grand Valley, TX -TBD
Name of Zoo:
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San Antonio, TX
Name of Zoo: San Antonio Zoo
Coordinators
Sue –wemet4@aol.com
Susan – lexi.brady@icloud.com
Salt Lake City, UT – TBD
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Norfolk, VA – TBD
Name of Zoo:
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Richmond, VA
Name of Zoo: Richmond Metro Zoo
Coordinators
Rebekah – zeert@mymail.vcu.edu
Jordyn – prelljm@mymail.vcu.edu
Date: Saturday May 16, 2019
Washington, DC
Name of Zoo: National Zoo
Coordinator Name: Dana
Email: huxd123@gmail.com
Seattle, WA
Name of Zoo: Woodland Park
Coordinator Name: Tiffany
Email: Tiffany.Sandy@seattlechildrens.org
Milwaukee, WI – TBD
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Email: