Portland, December 4th. “It was never in question for this calf,” explained Oregon Zoo director Kim Smith. “(She) was always going to live here.” The calf is the property of a private company, Have Trunk Will Travel, of Perris, California. But, zoo officials says they will retain possession of the country’s newest baby elephant, a 300-pound female pachyderm that hasn’t yet been named, though it won’t own the animal.
Oregon Zoo elephant keepers are asking the community to help them choose a name for the week-old female elephant calf. Keepers have come up with five names and are asking people to vote for their favorite on the zoo’s website: www.oregonzoo.org.
•Jaidee (Thai for “good-hearted”) •Sirikit (name for Thai royalty, literal meaning is “glorious”) •Rakhi (Sanskrit for “love/bond between siblings”) •Lily (following the flower theme of mom’s name, Rose-Tu, or Rose for short) •Siddhi (Sanskrit for “perfection”; wife of Ganesha)
“The outpouring support for the zoo and its newest resident has been incredible,” said Kim Smith, zoo director. “Rose-Tu and her calf are doing well. They’re bonding and comfortable with each other. Now it’s time to give the calf a name that suits her.”
Keepers are considering the following five names:
Jaidee (Thai for “good-hearted”)
Sirikit (name for Thai royalty, literal meaning is “glorious”)
Rakhi (Sanskrit for “love/bond between siblings”)
Lily (following the flower theme of mom’s name, Rose-Tu, or Rose for short)
Siddhi (Sanskrit for “perfection”; wife of Ganesha)
Votes will be accepted through Sunday, Dec. 9, at 5 p.m. The zoo will announce the winning name on Monday, Dec. 10. Here’s a video of the mother and daughter.
The Asian elephant calf, born Nov. 30 at 2:17 a.m., weighed a hefty 300 pounds at birth and has been described by zoo animal-care staff as a “spitfire.”
“The calf is beautiful, healthy, tall and very vigorous,” said Kim Smith, Oregon Zoo director. “As soon as she hit the ground — before she was even out of the amniotic sac — she was wiggling. And she’s vocalizing loudly. The first time we heard her, the sound was so deep and loud that we thought it was Shine. She’s definitely got a great set of pipes, and it looks like she’s going to be a real pistol.”
Smith said the calf is nursing well, and that Rose-Tu has been very attentive to her — great signs that their bond will be a strong one.
“Our keepers and veterinary staff have put an extraordinary amount of work and care into helping Rose-Tu bring her baby into the world,” Smith added. “The time spent training and preparing has paid off, and the outcome is exactly the one we’d hoped for: Rose is safe and healthy, and she has a beautiful newborn calf. Now that the baby’s here, we’re all excited to watch her bond with Rose-Tu and take her place in the herd.”
It might still take a little time before the new baby is ready for visitors though.
“The main thing determining that will be the strength of the bond between Rose-Tu and the calf,” said Bob Lee, the zoo’s elephant curator. “Rose should allow the calf to nurse regularly, sleep, play and generally act like a calf without trying to stop it and control its movements. Then we’ll determine whether she’s calm and comfortable with staff around. And finally, we want to make sure the calf has had a chance to bond with the rest of the herd.”
The Oregon Zoo is recognized worldwide for its successful breeding program for Asian elephants, which has now spanned 50 years. Rose-Tu’s mother, Me-Tu, was the second elephant born at the zoo (just months after Packy in 1962), and her grandmother, Rosy, was the first elephant ever to live in Oregon.
Asian elephants are considered highly endangered in their range countries, threatened by habitat loss and conflict with humans. Perhaps fewer than 40,000 elephants remain in fragmented populations from India to Borneo.
The Oregon Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, whose species survival plan for Asian elephants is striving to establish a self-sustaining population in North America.
The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission of inspiring the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Oregon silverspot and Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies, western pond turtles and Oregon spotted frogs. Other projects include studies on Asian elephants, polar bears, orangutans and giant pandas. The zoo relies in part on community support through donations to the Oregon Zoo Foundation to undertake these and many other animal welfare, education and sustainability programs.
The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Visitors who travel to the zoo via MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.
General zoo admission is $10.50 (ages 12-64), $9 for seniors (65 and up), $7.50 for children (ages 3-11) and free for those 2 and younger; 25 cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo’s Future for Wildlife program. A parking fee of $4 per car is also required. Additional information is available at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.
Portland, November 30th. The 19thannual Food for Thought Tuition Assistance Luncheon raised more than $355,000 toward the school’s commitment to financial aid for the current year. Olympian and 2012 Food for Thought keynote speaker Joan Benoit Samuelson, student speaker Ellen Patterson and Food for Thought Committee Chair Mariah Scott enjoyed the event. The signature annual event was held at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower and drew more than 740 attendees united in their passion for ensuring that a St. Mary’s Academy education remains accessible to all young women.
Missy and Jamie Hartnell
From St. Mary’s Academy:
Founded in 1859 by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, St. Mary’s Academy is Oregon’s oldest continuously operating secondary school, with nearly 10,000 alumnae.
St. Mary’s is the only school in Oregon to have received three U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools Program Awards.
St. Mary’s celebrates the achievements of the 152 accomplished young women comprising the Class of 2012: two National Merit Scholarship Program Finalists, seven National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Scholars and two National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholars. These seniors earned nine National Art Honor Society Honor Cords, 57 Service Honor Cords, 44 Scholar Athlete Cords, 19 Thespian Honor Cords, 21 Tri-M Music Honor Cords, 14 OSAA Music Scholar Cords and 64 National Honor Society Stoles.
On Advanced Placement exams, 92 percent of students earned a three or better, with 35 percent of students earning the highest score of a five. Tests are scored from one to five, and a score of three or better will earn college credit at many universities.
Portland, November 2nd. The Oregon Zoo Cascade Crest Banquet Center was filled with four-legged friends for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Fall Luncheon. 330 people attended and raised $75,000. Proceeds support programs at GDB’s Oregon campus in Boring including training for dogs and students and veterinary care for working guides and puppies in training. (Photo Credit, Deb Ryan)
The program featured a dog training demonstration, a keynote address by Paralympic Downhill Skiing Bronze Medalist Danelle Umstead with her Guide Dog Bettylynn, as well as the ever-popular puppy delivery where puppy raisers received their new charges.
Guide Dogs for the Blind veterinarian Dr. Patti Van de Coevering and Arnie.
Guests at Guide Dogs for the Blind’s Oregon Fall Luncheon.
CEO of Guide Dogs for the Blind, Paul Lopez and his wife Deirdre enjoying the Oregon Fall Luncheon hosted by Guide Dogs for the Blind.
From Guide Dogs for the Blind:
It all began with a dream—the dream of creating the first guide dog training school on the West Coast. It was a dream shared by Lois Merrihew and Don Donaldson, who volunteered their efforts along with many others. They recognized the need to help wounded servicemen who would return from World War II without their sight. They believed in the potential of dogs to serve as guides for the blind.
Our school was incorporated in May of 1942 and began instruction of students in a rented home in Los Gatos, California, south of San Jose. A German Shepherd named Blondie was one of the first dogs trained. Blondie had been rescued from a Pasadena dog pound. She was later paired with Sgt. Leonard Foulk, the first serviceman to graduate from the new school.
Today…
In 1947, the school moved to our present 11-acre location in San Rafael, California, 20 miles north of San Francisco. In October of 1995, we held the first graduation at our new campus in Boring, Oregon, 25 miles east of Portland. We have graduated more than 10,000 teams since our beginnings in 1942.
Both campuses house students in exceptional dormitory facilities which include dining rooms, exercise rooms, libraries, computer rooms and social areas. Both are located near major metropolitan centers, providing graduated training from quiet rural areas to congested city streets and public transit. The dogs and puppies are cared for in meticulous kennels and state-of-the-art veterinary clinics. Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retriever/Golden Retriever crosses are the breeds used. Professional staff and veterinarians nurture, groom, train and prepare the dogs for their futures as guides.
Portland, November 9th. More than 400 of Portland’s finest packed the Portland Art Museum to raise over $288,000 for DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital. Beverly Young celebrates wildly after winning an exhilarating live auction bidding war to claim a surprise behind-the-scenes auction package for the hit NBC television series, Grimm. (Photo Credit, K&K Graphics and Erik Schultz of Rad Photography)
The sold-out gala and fashion show benefited Portland’s Nonprofit Emergency Animal Hospital’s Unrestricted Fund, which supports the hospitals donor-funded community programs, including one of America’s largest volunteer-based animal blood banks, a nationally recognized pet loss support program, 24-hour stabilizing care for lost, stray, abused and wild animals, and financial assistance for low income families.
The highly anticipated mystery model, Azazyel a six-month-old Nigerian Dwarf Goat, strutted in a one-of-a-kind jacket designed by Lifetime’s Project Runway winner Seth Aaron Henderson. Azazyel was accompanied by his owner and DoveLewis Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Lee Harold.
Over 400 guests raised a glass to celebrate DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital at the inaugural DoveAdore featuring Boutiques Unleashed gala event.
Event emcees; KPTV’s Wayne Garcia and Kimberly Maus, hosted the event which combined a dinner, live and silent auction and Boutiques Unleashed, a fashion show for both ends of the leash.
Visionary DoveLewis donor, Howard Hedinger, celebrated with guests, Morgan Lutgens and Annie Heisey.
Chez Joly Catering hosted a table for the evening with guests; Charles Frasier, Annette Joly, Chrys Martin, Christian Joly, Dawn Davis, Steve Rickles and Jack Pessia.
Charlie Swindells, representing the Ann and Bill Swindells Charitable Trust, raises his paddle during the live appeal. The Ann and Bill Swindells Charitable Trust generously offered a $100,000 matching gift to the DoveLewis building fund over the next year.
Oregon Ballet Theater’s Principal Ballerina, Allison Roper, walked with Twinkie in the Boutiques Unleashed fashion show.
Many local celebrities graced the runway, including KGW’s Drew Carney who shared the spotlight with Zoey the dog.
Crowd favorite, Rojo the Llama, and his handler Shannon Gregory made an appearance at this year’s fashion show. Rojo, a certified therapy animal, is a regular at many DoveLewis events.
“The compassion and generosity of the Portland community never ceases to amaze me,” says Ron Morgan, DoveLewis Chief Executive Officer. “To sell out the event and see so many people turn out to support the work we do in the community is truly amazing. We couldn’t be happier.”
This year, the re-imagined event put a fashionable spin on the typical gala and featured a dinner, exhilarating live and silent auctions, and culminated with the outrageously popular Boutiques Unleashed fashion show for both ends of the leash. KPTV personalities Kimberly Maus and Wayne Garcia emceed the event which featured special runway celebrities; KGW’s Drew Carney, K103FM’s morning radio personalities Bruce Murdock, John Erickson and Janine Wolf, KOIN’s Jenny Hansson, and The Oregon Ballet Theatre’s Principal Ballerina Allison Roper. The night’s special surprise model, a six-month-old Nigerian Dwarf Goat named Azazyel, made a fashionable statement in a one-of-a-kind ensemble designed by Lifetime’s Project Runway winner Seth Aaron Henderson.
About DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital
DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital, established in 1973 and based in Portland, Ore., is the only nonprofit, 24-Hour Emergency and Intensive Care Unit in the region. DoveLewis provides donor-funded programs to the community including one of the United States’ largest volunteer-based animal blood banks, a nationally recognized pet loss support program, 24-hour stabilizing care for lost, stray and wild animals and financial assistance for qualifying low-income families and abused animals. For more information, please visit dovelewis.org.
Portland, November 3rd. It was the most profitable Whisker Wonderland in Cat Adoption Team history with over $127,000 raised for programs. (Photo credit, Lamm Photography) Cat Adoption Team (or CAT) volunteers Diane and Miranda Yearous were in the Whisker spirit. Organizers say the charity benefit at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower was purr-fect!
Kristi Brooks, Karen Green (incoming Exec Director), Kathy Covey, Board Member Robin Russell and Sharon Sipprell at the benefit.
Kris Otteman, CAT Board President, trying out the Whisker drink luge
The silent auction had popular items for cat lovers.
CAT is based in Sherwood.
CAT will also have a Black Friday sale, November 23rd, featuring $5 adoptions for black or mostly black adult cats at CAT’s Sherwood shelter.
From the Cat Adoption Team:
Whether a homeless cat is sick, injured, or perfectly healthy and simply in need of a home, your donation ensures that a cat receives help when he or she needs it.
The Cat Adoption Team is a 501(c)(3) publicly supported charity.
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