SWEET REWARDS

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

SWEET REWARDS

Los Angeles-area Girl Scouts Contribute to Koala Care at the Zoo

JANET S. DIAL

On August 6, eight Girl Scouts visited the Zoo to present an oversized check to koala keepers Kevin Gorowski and Krissy Parada. “The check was bigger than my arms!” says Dottie R. of Studio City, one of the Girl Scouts chosen to represent her region that day. Even more impressive than the check’s size was its sum: $12,667—all raised through the Girl Scouts’ time-honored tradition of cookie sales.

The offi cial mascot of the 2022 cookieselling season was the koala, so what better place to partner with than the

Los Angeles Zoo, home to two of these iconic Australian animals (two-year-old

Maya and nine-year-old Burra). “What makes the donation extra special is that this money came from girls who gave up tangible prizes (from tech gear to theme park events) to donate,” says Natalie Poveda, Development Manager for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. “This was only our second year offering a philanthropy option,” says Alisa Abrenica, Senior Product Program Manager for Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. “And this year, a total of 3,245 girls opted to donate the value of their rewards to the animals. We're really proud of them. To be philanthropists at such an early age is very special.” "When I heard that the Girl Scouts of Greater L.A. wanted to fundraise for the koalas, I was both delighted and honored,” says Gorowski, senior keeper of the Zoo’s Australia section. “The staff and I are very passionate about all the animals in our care, and when guests step up and support the Zoo with the same enthusiasm, it’s always thrilling. Meeting the Girl Scouts and seeing their generous donation was a really signifi cant moment for me. Through their hard work we hope to plant additional eucalyptus trees (koalas’ only diet), modify their habitats to enhance their wellbeing, and purchase more tools for the continued care and maintenance of the Zoo’s off-grounds eucalyptus tree farm.”

The koala’s cuddly appeal may have motivated the Girl Scouts to sell more cookies, and the girls also learned some facts along the way. “I learned that koalas don't actually drink water,” says Caitlyn H. of Agoura Hills, one of the lucky eight selected to present the check. “They absorb the liquid in the eucalyptus that they eat.”

During their visit, the group enjoyed a keeper chat and learned how their donation will benefi t the koalas. “It was the fi rst time I’ve ever seen koalas in person,” says Dottie. “I saw them sleeping up in the trees, and I thought, ‘Wow, giving money to this— it’s so much better than just having a prize.”