(Utica, NY – Dec. 2014) The Utica National Group Foundation has approved a $25,000 grant to the Utica Zoo in celebration of the 100th anniversary of both the zoo and Utica National Insurance Group. The grant is designated for extensive renovations of the American Bald Eagle exhibit with the addition of an educational “nest,”which allows children and families to be at eye level with the eagles in the nest. The Utica National Group Foundation will also be the presenting sponsor of a new cultural celebration of traditions festival to be held at the zoo on August 29, 2015. Utica National Insurance and the Utica Zoo were both founded in Utica in 1914.
“The Utica National Group Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Utica National Insurance Group and focuses on charitable, scientific or educational purposes with a special focus on supporting the healthy development of children and families in our community. When we learned about the cultural festival and the new educational area around the American Eagle exhibit, both fit well within our mission,” said J. Douglas Robinson, president of the foundation and chairman of the board and CEO of Utica National Insurance. “There is a changing face to our nation, which is echoed here in the Mohawk Valley. We are excited to help educate people about the different cultures represented in our region through this new festival that will foster inclusion for all.”
The cultural festival, presented by the Utica National Group Foundation, will celebrate the changing and diverse cultures of the Mohawk Valley. The homelands of many immigrants in the Mohawk Valley are also the homelands of animals at the Utica Zoo. The festival’s goal is to bring children and families to the zoo where school-aged children can take pride in their heritage and enjoy a day that celebrates these cultures with people in the Mohawk Valley. The summer festival will celebrate these cultures, people and animals with native dances, food, art and music of these countries. An inclusive planning committee is being formed and will begin meeting after the New Year to plan the festival.
“The Utica Zoo is grateful to Utica National Insurance for partnering with us through their foundation for these important initiatives,” stated Andria Heath, executive director, Utica Zoo. “Having a cultural festival that matches our diverse community with the animals of their native lands has been a dream of mine since I joined the zoo team in 2011. To bring people from the Mohawk Valley together to celebrate with our newer community members through food, dance and animals will be a great day of togetherness for our region.”
The American Bald Eagle exhibit was constructed in 1989 in part by a grant from the Utica National Group Foundation. In the coming months, the exhibit will be completely renovated and this will include repairs to the netting, a new holding area, rebuilding of perches and the addition of a new watering hole. Also, a unique educational setting will be created and placed next to the exhibit that explains the diet, flight, nesting and parenting of the American Bald Eagle. Children and families will be at eye level with eagles, Fred and Ginger, when they are in the nest.
“As part of Utica National Insurance’s 100th anniversary, we have been celebrating both our rich history as part of the community in and around Utica, and the bright future we expect to have here as a community member and business. The Utica National Group Foundation was instrumental in building the American Bald Eagle exhibit and we are pleased to renovate it and add an educational component to it,” continued Robinson. “The commitment we are making to the Utica Zoo honors both our shared past and the expectation for a great, inclusive culture for our region in the future.”
“The American Bald Eagle exhibit has been the home to Fred and Ginger for many years. They are both rescue birds of prey and cannot fully fly or survive in the wild,” stated Heath. “This grant will allow them to stay in an updated, safe atmosphere while providing an additional educational opportunity for the children and families of our region through the life size realistic eagle nest.”