Sunset on the Serengeti

When the sun begins its descent behind Papago Park’s Hole-In-The-Rock, Phoenix Zoo drifts into a serene evening mode. As many of its residents seek comfortable places to rest, others are just awakening. At dusk, the chatter and squeals of children begin to fade away, and slowly a different chorus of sounds can be heard: the voices of birds and cicadas and the lowered conversations of guests who meander the trails.

This is when Joellen Doornbos most enjoys the zoo. One of her favorite things to do is visit Phoenix Zoo in the evening. Then, she says, you can appreciate the birds and notice things you didn’t during the daytime. Then, you appreciate the serenity.

Doornbos, who is a member of the zoo’s board of directors, has been involved in and supports myriad community organizations, but there’s no question in her mind which is most dear to her: Phoenix Zoo. “This is my Number One,” she says. “I love supporting things with nature, and I like to be outdoors, especially in the evening.”

Her relationship with the zoo goes back to when she grew up in Tempe and went to Tempe schools, not far from the zoo. Starting as a trail volunteer in 1986 doing tours for schoolchildren and then becoming active in the auxiliary in 1992, she’s never taken a break. She has chaired many of the zoo’s fundraising events, including Zoofari, the signature event prior to Rendez-Zoo, which debuted in 2001.

Doornbos was Rendez-Zoo’s first chair. It was a tough year because of 9/11, but the committee forged ahead. “The purpose was fundraising,” she says. “We needed to raise money for the zoo.”

Raising money for the zoo has been a priority for Doornbos for many years. She was on the board of directors at the time of the capital campaign that concluded in 2013 and raised $23 million to fund several projects for the zoo. With her many years of volunteerism at the zoo, she knew she wanted her contribution to go toward the construction of the new volunteer center, now named the Philip & JoEllen Doornbos Volunteer and Administrative Center. The beautiful facility to the left of the main entry of the zoo provides space for volunteer training and staffing, and blends harmoniously into the desert landscape.

In addition to upgrades to its facilities, Phoenix Zoo has evolved in other ways which Doornbos approves. The emphasis has become conservation, and the zoo’s goal is to provide guests with experiences that inspire them to care for the natural world. The zoo supports local, national and international conservation efforts through grants as well as breeding programs that enable species to be reintroduced into their native range.

“You come out and enjoy the animals,” Doornbos says, “but then you begin to understand that many of these animals are endangered. The future of the planet depends on our conservation.”

SUNSET ON THE SERENGETI
On Oct. 8, guests at Rendez-Zoo, An Evening of Conservation and Cuisine, will be treated to “Sunset on the Serengeti.” As the 125-acre Phoenix Zoo quiets down in the evening, the 5,700 square-mile Serengeti National Park also changes at sunset. As some animals seek a safe haven to spend the evening, others awaken to prowl for food. Smaller night animals emerge from their daytime burrows to feed on grasses. A second community of wildlife rules in the darkness.

Doornbos and her vice chairs Yvonne A. and Steve Betts have orchestrated an evening that captures that transition from day to dusk to dark, and reflects the flavors, colors and sounds of Africa. African music and drummers will greet guests on the bridge. Camp chairs in front of a tent in a safari camp will provide photo opportunities. Colors throughout the evening will be vibrant and lively. Among the silent auction items will be some with African flair. And dining lakeside will be under the lights of a constructed tree that resembles a Baobab.

Carol and Randy Schilling serve as honorary chairs for Sunset on the Serengeti. In addition to a silent auction, the evening will feature an exciting live auction and raffle.

Rendez-Zoo capitalizes on everything good about the Valley in the fall: cooler evenings, the beauty of the desert and an enthusiastic assemblage of people relaxed from summer and ready to reenter the social scene. Money raised from the evening will go toward educational programs and the operation of the zoo.