Many children see animals at the zoo–but few have the opportunity to see them up close and personal. The children of the Margaret Kistow Home in Arima got to interact with the animals during their memorable visit to the Emperor Valley Zoo, thanks to a team of volunteers from the T&T Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) and zoo officials.
Located in Arima, the Margaret Kistow Home is the residence of 32 children between the ages of two and 18 years of age.�As the home is currently under much needed repair, the children and staff jumped at the opportunity to enjoy a Sunday at the zoo, where UTC staff treated the children to a day of fun, eats and drinks. Richard Wallace, supervisor at the Emperor Valley Zoo, gave the children an unforgettable experience in the Reptile House where, under the strict supervision of zoo staff, the children were allowed to get "up close and personal" with some of the reptiles. The highlight of the day for many of the children was playing with the Albino Burmese Python.�The children were excited to see and touch the snake–even those who kept their distance from the giant retile.
Kerry, a resident of the Kistow home exclaimed: "This is our best trip to the Zoo!..We never (got) to touch the animals and see them so close."
Margaret Kistow, the owner and founder of the Kistow Home, was grateful to the UTC team for the afternoon away from the Home "I cannot thank the Unit Trust enough for this gesture, it was enjoyed by the children" she said.
The staff were thankful for the experience as well. "Seeing the smiles on the faces of the children was an amazing return on the investment of our time" said Laura Dalrymple, UTC volunteer and Arima resident. "Who knows, by learning about the animals and learning what the staff do here at the zoo, we may have helped some of these young ones discover a new career or have a greater appreciation for nature."
As part of UTC's ongoing community outreach programme, every member of the UTC team participates in at least two community outreach activities per year. Since January 2009, UTC has assisted with more than 40 community activities, with 82 per cent of their 540 staff members actively participating in the programme so far for 2009.
