Artfully store your loose change and help the Bison get a new fence

October 19, 2011 in Events, Monthly Updates by admin | No comments

Sharing some creative news that some of our supporters over the years have created a unique fundraiser to support our Bison, artists and buying local for Elgin!

With Halloween season in full throttle, Elgin’s own “Beacon in the Night”, SPaceTaSTe GaLLeRy is launching ARtSKuLLs, a fundraiser of one-of-a-kind skull coin banks, customized by local artists.

Working with a canvas of a human skull coin bank, a replica medical model that was recast in resin, at least a dozen SPaceTaSTe artists are putting their personalized spin on old “Yorick” just in time for October 31st.

The ARtSKuLLs are $30 each and $20 from each sale will be donated to support the Bison Fencing Initiative.

Stop by SPaceTaSTe & pick out your ARtSKuLLs today to make your Halloween unique. Know that your purchase will make a difference in supporting Lords Park Zoo. Their official press release is below – we encourage you to come out and support something “Uniquely Elgin”!

Check out Space Taste Gallery at 12 Douglas St downtown Elgin IL. To purchase skulls painted by artists like Adrian Vazquez's at $30 each, where $20 each goes back to the Bison Pen fundraiser for Lords Park Zoo.

Celebrate “SKuLLoWeen” at SPaceTaSTe GaLLeRy – and support
Lords Park Zoo in Elgin, IL!

Downtown Elgin, IL – October 13, 2011. With Halloween season in full throttle, Elgin’s own “Beacon in the Night”, SPaceTaSTe GaLLeRy is launching ARtSKuLLs, a fundraiser of one-of-a-kind skull coin banks, customized by local artists.

Working with a canvas of a human skull coin bank, a replica medical model that was recast in resin, at least a dozen SPaceTaSTe artists are putting their personalized spin on old “Yorick” just in time for October 31st.

Skull forms were donated by Elgin resident John LaFleur, who originally created them for Urban Outfitters and Urban Outfitters U.K. where they sold out. These limited remaining forms have been made available to support the fund for new fencing for the Bison of Lords Park.

“My son, Morgan, and I go to Lord’s Park all the time and he says the same thing when we go by the lone remaining bison “the bison is sad because he’s all alone.” There are some great efforts going on by the Friends of the Lords Park Zoo and the City of Elgin to raise funds and awareness for this cause so I’m just doing my part. SPaceTaSTe has a great reputation for supporting artists and non-profit efforts so I’m also appreciative of Tim for using the Gallery to help the Zoo.” John has personally painted 31 skulls some of which are now on sale at the gallery and can be previewed on facebook www.spacetastegallery.com. The ARtSKuLLs are $30 each and $20 from each sale will be donated to support the Bison Fencing Initiative.

Stop by SPaceTaSTe & pick out your ARtSKuLLs today to make your Halloween unique. Know that your purchase will make a difference in supporting Lords Park Zoo. Contact Tim Solarz spacetaste@gmail.com for further information & visit www.spacetastegallery.com for exciting updates on what they have planned next.

10/01 Native American Cultural Days and Bison Blessing

October 1, 2011 in Events by admin | No comments

via ElginPublicMuseum.org

Learn about life in Elgin and Illinois before the Black Hawk Wars of 1835. Join Redhawk as he does his teaching lessons of the early Pottawatomie, complete with a wigwam. Flintknapper Ken Geier will demonstrate flint knapping of projectile points for spears, knives and arrows.

At noon Joseph Standing Bear of Midwest SOARRING will conduct a bison blessing to acknowledge the importance of these animals in the life of The People. He will also conduct a memorial for Cahoya, the female bison who died earlier this summer.

Bill Conquering Bear Buchholtz will demonstrate and play his Native American Flutes. Bill has been performing at the Museum for years and is very popular. Mike Becker will also be here to sell hand made flutes.

A special highlight of the day will be traditional drumming and dancing by performers of the Black Hawk Performance Group of the American Indian Alliance of Illinois. They are scheduled to perform in the afternoon. There may also be some Native American crafts and art for sale as well.

This event is entirely FREE, although donations are always appreciated. There will be no food service, so please bring a picnic and spend the day in Lords Park. This event is constantly evolving, so plan now to come and spend the day with us.

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August Update

August 15, 2011 in In the News by admin | No comments

Project Bison Pen and Preserve the Herd:

City Staff and our Friends of Lords park Zoo planning volunteers will be taking a field trip to Brookfield Zoo August 17th  to meet with their CZS staff, Bison Habitat planners and compare notes on how to ‘revitalize’ the zoo area and Bison habitat in Lords Park via an upcomming plan, design and bid process.

Bison Rally 2011:

Details are underway for Bison Rally Motorcycle and Scooter show in Lords Park this fall.  Stay tuned for details on date, time, entertainment, show, the Bison Fun Run, etc.  Last years inaugural show draw a diverse crowd of motorcycle and scooter enthusiasts and avid Lords Park goers and raised over $1,700 towards our Bison Pen project.

We are closer to a Bison Fence in 2011!

July 28, 2011 in In the News, Monthly Updates by admin | No comments

The 07/27/2011 Committee of the Whole meeting for Elgin City Council went well – thank you to all our supporters and volunteers who were there in-person and online for the meeting!

We may need to make a “Po-Key the Bison ‘luvs’ Tom Armstrong” T-Shirt soon – he handled the questions from council about the Bison Pen improvements for Lords Park Zoo – Elgin, Illinois and adding to our herd wonderfully!!! VIEW HERE

On the video minute 44:30 or click Item G. on the agenda if you want to watch.

Our group is working on next steps with our supporting animal and community organizations and the city staff to draw-up proper specifications to be included in the Request for Bid process to replace and enlarge the Bison Pen enclosure prior to end of October 2011.

From the 07/28 Daily Herald: Lords Park Zoo closer to getting a bison fence

Slowly but surely the recommendation by the Lords Park Task Force to replace the bison fencing in the park’s zoo is moving forward.

Elgin City Council members voted Wednesday to grant preliminary approval to develop final specifications for the fencing and initiate the bid process. Importantly, however, the council has yet to approve the fund allocation for the project.

Councilwoman Tish Powell clarified that point to open discussion of the project at the committee of the whole meeting.

Various estimates have been presented to council members since the beginning of the year, the most recent setting the total cost at just more than $68,000 — an amount city staff members acknowledge is conservatively high.

Laurie Faith Gibson-Aiello, an active member of Friends of Lords Park Zoo, said the fencing is not expected to cost any more than $50,000 — the number initially proposed to the council when Elgin tentatively budgeted to paying half and the Friends group committed to raising the rest.

Friends of Lords Park Zoo has raised $17,000 with another $8,000 committed as long as the money is spent in August. Gibson-Aiello and other members say now is the time to move forward on the project.

“There are funds in the current budget, and they were set aside for things like this,” Gibson-Aiello said.

Council members voted unanimously to request bids for the project Wednesday, less than a week after one of the last remaining bison died of old age. With just one bison left in the herd, city officials must decide whether to fund the fencing project and add more animals or phase out the bison’s presence.

Read more: http://dailyherald.com/article/20110727/news/707279752/#ixzz1TRBrOHhC

And just for fun, a T-Shirt design/slogan from Common Sense Clarence Hayward

Bison Pen on 07/27 City Council Agenda

July 26, 2011 in Events, Get Organized! by admin | No comments

Good Day:

An update to the status of the Bison Pen fundraising and preserving the zoo in Lords Park.  As many of you are aware, Cahoya, the oldest Bison in our herd, passed away from natural causes on Friday 07/22.  There has been an ongoing goal with city staff to get the matter of both bison and their pen onto the City Council agenda before August.  We received confirmation of the process moving forward in mid-July, and now will present the Phase 1 proposal to the city council this Wednesday the 27th – in-light of our recent loss and only one bison remaining in Lords Park… We count on our friends support NOW more than ever to finally start Preserving our Zoo and keeping alive the uniquely Elgin tradition of Animals in Lords Park for over 116 years.

There will be a presentation to City Council from staff and our Friends of Lords Park Zoo organization to recommend the council seek bids ($36k – $68k) for replacing the fencing and enlarging the Bison enclosure using capital funding that currently remain unused in the 2011 budget.

We ask that our supporters contact our city council members and/or show up in person to city council chambers on Wednesday July 27th at 6:00pm. The matter of finally replacing the Bison Pen, increasing the size of our herd and accepting the fundraising donations from Friends of Lords Park Zoo will be agenda item G. You can download the file:  CMO – Bison Fencing Memo – Item G

As part of the Lords Park Task Force in 2010, a list of 20 recommendations were provided to Elgin City Council, with the replacement of the Bison Pen ranking #5 and seeking monies from the city’s capital improvement fund to implement in 2011 at an estimated cost of $41,000.

As you see within the memo, the city is using what they call a conservative dollar amount of $68,000 to vote on reserving the capital funds and starting the bid process to get true (and much lower) figures from suppliers/vendors.  We have been working with Midwest SOARRING Foundation and Brookfield Zoo to ensure those bid include adequate shelter, pasture areas and enclosures for Po-Key and the 1 – 3 additional Bison to be donated and join our Elgin herd in 2011/2012.

All these mechanisms for commitments of funds, volunteer hours, animals, materials and proper planning can be put into place immediately once the City Council motions to move forward on the bid process.  It is our goal to have construction near completion by September 10th, 2011 for our Bison Rally fundraiser in Lords Park and celebrate October 1st with a Bison blessing and memorial for Cahoya for Elgin Public Museum’s Native American Day.

 

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