By Pamela Robinson
Gainesville Daily Register
Gainesville — Frank Buck’s birthday was the cause of the huge crowd at the Zoo Wednesday as over 3,000 visitors came for the $1 Day and to participate in the celebration. Zoo animals took in the crowd — some active and pacing and some sleepy and taking a peaceful nap in their home. Frank Buck himself attended the birthday bash, well at least a look-a-like of Buck. He circulated through the crowd for the day, posing with kids and families for memorable snapshots and answering questions about his life and work. The zoo made a birthday cake for Buck. “We started serving cake at 11 a.m.,” said Zoological Society president Karen Cook. “We had a huge crowd and he gave a little speech about his history and life.” The kids were really wowed by him, Cook said. Kids of all ages shared why they were enjoying the day. Three-year-old Judah Moye said he liked the zoo and the big white ostrich egg he examined at the egg exhibit. “It sounded like fun for spring break,” said Misty Gordon of Oklahoma of their family visit to the zoo. “The girls are having fun. There’s a lot to see today.” Six-year-old Ryan Wolf said he came to the zoo to eat cake, as he sat on the brick wall with his family eating and enjoying a soda. “I love the zoo,” said Wolf’s grandmother Georgia Wolf. “This is the first time I’ve been here in awhile but I used to come a lot when I was small.” This was the first visit to Frank Buck Zoo for the Hutchinsons and Hudgers, who came up from Dallas after seeing the $1 Day in a family guide for fun things to do with the family. They were busy pointing out the porcupine napping in the corner of his home. The youth from Southside Baptist Church of Gainesville came as a large group to participate. “We’re doing field trips all this week for Spring Break,” said Southside Baptist group director Kim Sikes of the 19 youth who came for the event. The look-a-like Buck was enjoying the day and on behalf of the celebrity said, “Well it’s invigorating here. There’s so much going on today. I’ve had my cake and am visiting with all sorts of people that have come from all over. There was someone here from Ireland too.” Cletis the camel was busy hosting visitors with his trainer. After a busy morning, trainer Brian Frank said it was time for Cletis’ break. Rules dictate that Cletis can only have so many visitors each day. Ryan Herman, the education coordinator was busy over at the amphitheater presenting the animal encounter programs. “They wanted to know how the hedgehog uses its nose, so I try to be goofy with the kids,” Herman said of his imitations of the animals the kids ask about. Herman said that kids like to hear about animals and see them, but it is especially memorable when they can interact with them and touch them. The kids were able to encounter the hedgehog, chinchilla and desert tortoise during the celebration. The Zoological Society was busy serving hot-dogs and raising funds for the zoo all day. Zoological Society member Sandra Currie, in making her way from the parking lot to the zoo, said, “I’m reporting for duty, selling hot-dogs from 2 to 4 p.m.” Currie was wowed by the line of people that draped around the zoo waiting to get in to participate in the celebration.
