For immediate release
Contact: Mercede Gardner, 904-757-4463, ext. 211

Teddy Bears To Get Free Check-ups at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Teddy Bear Affair July 14 & 15
Sponsored by Nemours Children’s Clinic

July 6, 2007 - Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will be hosting its 15th Annual Teddy Bear Affair, sponsored by Nemours, on Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15 from

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Children ages 3-12 who bring their teddy bears or other stuffed animals during those two days will receive free admission to the Zoo.

“Injured” teddy bears will receive special treatment by Nemours’ skilled staff on Saturday, July 14, and by Zoo staff on Sunday, July 15.  There will be music, animal encounters, giveaways, prize drawings, visits from Jazoo, and Zoo Animal Hospital tours both days. Smokey the Bear will also make a special appearance to provide safety information.  Radio Disney will be onsite with music and games on Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Blockbuster Video will be videotaping children so that parents will have current footage of their child in case of an emergency.

“We’re very proud to once again partner with the professionals at Nemours, who are dedicated to children’s health and share our goal of offering entertainment alternatives that help educate children in the communities we serve,” said Dennis Pate, executive director of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  The Zoo is open until 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day. For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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