AES Building Relationships at AAZK 2023

Recently, two of our board members made the trek to Akron, Ohio for the American Association of Zookeepers (AAZK) Conference. This year we joined the AAZK as an official Conservation Partner. Many attendees to the conference stopped by the AES exhibitor table to chat and purchase some merchandise.  

At the conference our board members met with the AAZK board to discuss opportunities and additional ways to collaborate. We are  excited to grow our relationship with AAZK! 

A huge trunks-up to the AAZK board of directors and the Akron AAZK Chapter for their great hospitality and a successful conference! 
 

AES Directors, Mary and Mindy, making connections at Asian Elephant Support's conference table

The Trunk was Packed ...with Thanks!

This past January, AES President Linda Reifschneider, along with AES Volunteer Cynthia Christison, pointed Linda’s CRV southeast and began another road trip to say hello and thanks to some of AES’s wonderful supporters.
 
Their first stop was January 24th at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. It was great to say hello and thanks in person to Christi Reiter and Mike Burns. Linda first met Christi some years ago in St. Louis, and she has hosted a California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) fundraiser for AES ever since relocating to Tampa. Mike has been at Tampa ‘forever’ and stays amazingly slender (all that good elephant barn work?) in spite of the annual pizza pig out! Thank you Christi and Mike and all at ZooTampa who support AES every April with Pizza for Pachyderms!

(L-R) Elephant Enthusiast, Chris Wiberg,with AES Volunteer, Cynthia Christison, AES President, Linda Reifschneider and ZooTampa's Associate Curator of Elephants, Christi Reiter

On the 25th, Linda and Cynthia stopped by Dr. Mark Wilson’s Florida International Teaching Zoo. Always good to see what is new and going on there. His two very personable spotted hyenas, Charlie and Babe, are definitely Linda’s favorites. Then they all headed up to Two Tails Ranch for a visit and lunch in Williston with Dr. Mark and Two Tails owner Patricia Zerbini, who does an excellent elephant educational program for both school groups and the general public.
 

Jacksonville Zoo Team (L-R) Sabrina B., Shelby G., Amber G., Katie C., Corey N., Charley S., Zoey W., and Nicholas H.  

The 26th found Linda and Cynthia at the Jacksonville Zoo where they shared lots of hugs and smiles with so many friends who have had AES’s back annually hosting great CPK events. They had time to talk, a visit with the Zoo’s elephants and then spent the rest of the afternoon visiting the Asian area of their zoo and a most enjoyable train ride – a great way to end a most enjoyable day! Thanks to all at Jacksonville!

Linda (center) with Jacksonville Elephant Keeper, Susan H. & Sheena

 
Thanks to Nick Newby for a great visit and overview of the White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee, Florida on the 27th. After years of planning and construction, it was good to see how all the effort is coming together for the Asian elephants that have ‘unpacked their trunks’ at their new home. The remainder of the day was spent on the road with an evening destination in Macon, Georgia.
 

Cynthia (center) with Debbie & Nick from White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee, FL

The 28th was a full day at Zoo Atlanta and Linda and Cynthia could not have had a better host than Kelly Garner. It is always appreciated when AES is asked to give a presentation about how we came to be and the work we do. At Zoo Atlanta they had a great audience and a wonderful zoo visit, including a neat meet and greet with a charming lady-hippo!
 
Last day – January 29th – found Linda and Cynthia having lunch with Jennifer Wu at a lovely Indian restaurant. A good warm-up for Linda’s upcoming trip to Delhi, India, for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Asian Elephant Specialist Group (thankfully usually written: IUCN AeSG!) meeting. Linda met Jennifer when the Nashville Zoo hosted the Elephant Managers Association Conference in 2015. She stepped up at that gathering and offered to be a host for our CPK event and hasn’t missed a year since, even though her career path has changed and her family has grown. Ahem, most recently by giving a forever home to a lucky Rizzy, a pooch in need that she offered to foster temporarily! One lucky pooch!

Linda with Jennifer Wu, a long-time supporter and host for Pizza for Pachyderms

 
The 30th they pointed the CRV toward St. Louis and another wonderful AES road trip will join the many before it and hopefully many still to come. Asian Elephant Support is so fortunate to have supporters all across the country. We could not be us without YOU! Thank you most sincerely for your dedication to the Today and Tomorrow of Asian elephants, of all elephants! And, thanks again, to Cynthia Christison for always being ready to pack a suitcase and keep Linda company as they rack up more miles saying hello and thank you to so many wonderful friends!

You Came, You Ate, You Raised Over $14,500 in the Fight Against EEHV

Trunks Up! go to the staff of Your Pie Grant Park & CPK restaurants across the U.S. for their hospitality

On April 25th & 26th, thousands of AES supporters across the United States came out for Pizza for Pachyderms 2023. We had 27 California Pizza Kitchen and the Atlanta, Georgia Your Pie restaurants host us for this event to help raise money in the battle against Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV). 

Young elephant enthusiasts enjoy pizza at CPK Tampa

While we are waiting for additional contributions to come in, our initial calculations indicate we raised over $14,500 to help fund both research and the treatment of elephants with the deadly disease in Asia.

Friends & docents at CPK St. Louis

Help us make it to $15,000!
Donate before May 31st and you can still make an impact on the fight against EEHV.

Click here to donate!

Los Angeles AAZK Chapter members & keepers grab a bite at CPK Burbank

We have so many people to thank for supporting and getting the word out about the event. These friends and organizations worked with us for months in the coordination leading up to this year's event and many have been participating in Pizza for Pachyderms for a decade or more! We are so grateful to everyone involved!

Adrienne Watkins
Annemarie Sandberg 
Anton Morrison
April Yoder
Ben Whitebread
Brent Atkinson
Charley Shepherd
Charlotte Trapman-O'Brien
Christi Reiter
Erin Dowgwillo
Janel Jankowski
Jared North
Jennifer Wu 
Joan Teske
Katrina Wilbanks
Kelly Garner 
Kelsey Eggers
Kim Klein
Laura Garcia
LeShea Cochu
Matt Pron
Maura Davis
Pat Maluy

America's Teaching Zoo, Moorpark College 
Columbus AAZK Chapter
Georgia AAZK Chapter
Greater Baltimore AAZK Chapter
Greater Houston AAZK Chapter
Greater New Jersey AAZK Chapter
High Forest AAZK Chapter
Honolulu Zoo
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens AAZK Chapter 
Los Angeles AAZK Chapter
Milwaukee County Zoo
New Mexico BioPark Society
Rocky Mountain AAZK Chapter
San Antonio AAZK Chapter
Santa Barbara Zoo
St. Louis AAZK Chapter
ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Photos above: Friends, family & colleagues came out in herds across the country to help make Pizza for Pachyderms 2023 a success at CPK restaurants in Hunt Valley, Ventura, Virginia Beach & Albuquerque

AES would also like to express our appreciation for the Staff and Management at all 27 participating California Pizza Kitchen restaurants and Your Pie Grant Park in Atlanta, Georgia. We also would like to acknowledge Carol Flynn, Director of Marketing for California Pizza Kitchen for her continuing efforts to make the process of communicating with so many restaurants so seamless. We thank you all! 

AES Welcomes New Director, Mary Miller

Asian Elephant Support is pleased to introduce Mary Miller as our newest member of our Board of Directors. Mary has been in the field of animal care for seven years, with a focus on elephant care in more recent years as a Keeper and Trainer at Grant’s Farm, Memphis Zoo and now at Pittsburgh Zoo’s International Conservation Center.

AES's newest Director, Mary Miller, has been a long-time supporter of AES efforts to care for & conserve Asian elephants

Along with her work, Mary is a member of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) and the Elephant Managers Association, where she is also a member of their Enrichment Committee. 

Prior to Mary joining the AES Board in March, she has been an active supporter of our projects and has worked diligently to raise money and awareness about our mission for many years. Mary was instrumental in coordinating successful fundraisers along with the Memphis AAZK Chapter, including a local Pizza for Pachyderms event and art auction to benefit EEHV (Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus) research and treatments.

Mary accepted the nomination to the AES Board in order to be able to help elephants in any way possible and encourage a new generation to get involved in elephant conservation through AES.

Welcome to Asian Elephant Support, Mary! The entire Board of AES is eager to work with you as you bring your enthusiasm and energy to the table to help Asian elephants in range countries.

AES Becomes a Conservation Partner with AAZK

Asian Elephant Support is pleased to announce that we were recently awarded Conservation Partnership status by the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK). AAZK is an organization dedicated to the development of animal care professionals, providing resources and opportunities for members to enhance their skills and knowledge in the field of zoo keeping. The organization is also a tremendous supporter of conservation projects around the globe, running successful programs like Bowling for Rhinos – which focuses on the conservation of the five species of rhinoceros found in both Africa and Asia, and Trees for You and Me which promotes carbon emissions reductions through various efforts including education and reforestation projects.

AES Board Directors with High Forest AAZK Chapter Members at the 2022 AAZK Conference in Toronto
 

Current AES Board Members, Lindsey Eagan, Liz Beem and Mindy Ussrey will attest that their love for elephants and passion to help conserve the species started when they were Keepers at their respective Zoos. AES has enjoyed the support of so many individual Zoo Keepers and AAZK Chapters across the United States as they helped to spread the word and support AES’s fundraising campaigns, like Pizza for Pachyderms over the years.

With this new partnership we hope to be able to reach out to more AAZK Chapters and animal care professionals for support with projects that promote our mission to care for and conserve elephants in Asian range countries.

We wish to thank the AAZK Conservation Committee for the confidence they have expressed in our work over the last decade and a half by awarding us this Conservation Partner status. And we look forward to working with AAZK and all of its Members to deliver a better future for Asian elephants.  

For more information about AAZK and the tremendous work they do, please visit their website - www.aazk.org. If you are a Zoo Keeper and belong to a local AAZK chapter, please email us to discuss more opportunities to work together.

Pizza For Pachyderms 2023! Save the Date!

Save the Dates April 25 & 26th NATIONWIDE

All proceeds from the Pizza for Pachyderms 2023 fundraiser benefit the fight to end Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV)

Contact AES Board Vice President, Liz Beem by emailing liz@asianelephantsupport.org for more information about becoming a Host for this event at your local California Pizza Kitchen.

Hosting is easy. We take care of all the paperwork, flyers and graphics. You just need to gather friends, family, colleagues and grab a bite to eat.

Contact us today to become a Host!

There and Back Again

In October AES Board Members hit the road for two, very important conferences in the United States and Canada.

First, AES Founder and President, Linda Reifschneider met Vice President, Liz Beem in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to attend the first, in-person Elephant Managers Association (EMA) Conference in the two plus years since COVID-19 began. While the EMA held excellent virtual conferences in 2020 and 2021, there is nothing quite like this gathering when you can sit down and share elephant stories (and maybe a drink or two – after all it was Milwaukee).

There were a number of newer attendees, many of them presenting quality papers on elephant care and research. Linda and Liz were privileged to present AES’ latest work and upcoming projects to the audience and, as an added bonus, share a special, surprise tribute video to Linda on the occasion of her 80th birthday. To see this video, click here.

Linda with Cincinnati Zoo Elephant Manager & EMA Vice President, Cecil Jackson, Jr.

Susan from the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens with Liz on EMA Zoo Day

We would like to thank the staff from the Milwaukee County Zoo for welcoming everyone and being incredible hosts after a lot of planning and a pandemic. Our appreciation also goes to the Board and Committee Members from the Elephant Managers Association for once again providing an excellent opportunity to get together and work on improving the care of elephants across the globe and the skills and knowledge of caregivers.

Immediately following the close of the EMA Conference, Liz made her way to Buffalo, New York where she met up with AES Board Secretary, Mindy Ussrey. From here the two crossed the border into Toronto, Ontario, Canada to attend theAmerican Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK)Conference. This was the first time the AES Board has been able to attend this event and to say they were impressed is an understatement. While only there for a small bit of the Conference, Mindy and Liz participated in AAZK’s Conservation Rally on Friday night, informative paper sessions on Saturday and an incredible day enjoying the sites of the Toronto Zoo on Sunday.

Mindy & Liz (center) with Madeline & Laura from the High Forest AAZK Chapter in Tennessee

Liz & MIndy (back) with Michelle & Kelly from the Georgia AAZK Chapter in Atlanta

We’ve appreciated the passion and dedication of AAZK Members for a while, given their participation in many of our fundraising efforts over the years, and Mindy and Liz were thrilled to meet up with some of AES’ supporters who were in attendance. It was also terrific to make new connections for future partnerships.

Many thanks go to the Toronto Zoo for their hospitality and to the AAZK for putting together an incredible event providing tools and knowledge to Zoo Keepers and setting conservation action as a standard in this profession.We look forward to participating in these events again in 2023!

To learn more about the Elephant Managers Association, click here.
To learn more about the American Association of Zoo Keepers, click here.

A Trip Full of Thanks & Appreciation

With a serious itch to get on the road again, and a lot of good friends to say hello to, and to thank for their wonderful support to AES, President Linda and friend and AES volunteer, Cynthia Christison, headed out on July 4th for what would end up being an 8-day, 2600+ mile trip visiting 6 institutions with Asian and African elephants!

Cynthia & Linda with Little Rock Zoo's Asian elephants Zina & Babe

Linda with Black rhino calf, Kevin, from The Little Rock Zoo

An early start on July 4th allowed for a great visit with friends at Little Rock Zoo, both two and four-footed featuring baby black rhino, Kevin, whose antics we could have spent the full week watching. And it is always good to be able to say thanks to Little Rock Zoo for their consistent support over the years. Dinner and some good conversation with AES Advisor, Heidi Riddle, made this a very special 4th of July…and no burned fingers from fireworks!

July 5th was simply a drive day, although considering the temperatures during this trip, a day of enjoying the scenic miles in air-conditioning wasn’t all that bad. Our destination was Houston, TX, where, on July 6th, we had a great visit with the Houston Zoo elephant barn crew, again two and four-footed. Here, too, we could have put down roots for the week watching their three youngest elephants playing in the pool. Lunch with keepers and a chance to say thanks for their California Pizza Kitchen support this year made for a lovely day. The evening of the 6th ended with a very good visit with Linda’s cousin, George, and his wife, Sue, at a great Italian restaurant.

Cynthia and Linda enjoying their time with bull Asian elephant, Baylor, at the Houston Zoo

The Houston Herd

An early start on July 7th got us to San Antonio Zoo for lunch with members of the San Antonio American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Chapter who had one wildly successful CPK event for us this year! And after a nice visit with keepers from several areas of the zoo, we joined a tour of the zoo’s hippo barn. A delightful, as well as educational, experience! Then back on the road to Fredericksburg, Texas for the evening.

Cynthia and Linda with members of the San Antonio AAZK Chapter

July 8th was a long overdue visit, thanks to a hectic travel schedule before and then the total ‘going nowhere’ of the pandemic, to very special friends at The Preserve in the hill country of Fredericksburg, Texas. It is so good to watch visitors enjoy while learning to understand and appreciate the wonderful creatures that are Asian elephants. And a late afternoon visit to a new winery, er, Rhinory! (Yep! Check out their website.)

Linda with good friends, Kari & Gary Johnson from The Preserve

Linda in her element, amongst the elephants from The Preserve

July 9th was a 400 mile drive to Hugo, Oklahoma, where we stayed overnight for a morning tour on the 10th of The Endangered Ark Foundation and visited with elephants and staff. Early afternoon we headed to Ft. Worth for the evening.

Linda & Cynthia with two & four-legged friends at The Endangered Ark Foundation

July 11th was a morning visit at the Ft. Worth Zoo and the last of our longer drives to Topeka, Kansas, where we visited our friends at the Topeka Zoo the morning of the 12th and, after lunch, pointed our noses toward home.

Eight days, 2,600+ miles, and visits with so many wonderful friends caring for elephants at six different institutions! It might sound exhausting, but spending time with those who are dedicated to caring for their elephants 24/7 and then still find the time and energy to help with the care and conservation work of elephants in both Asia and Africa is the best way to regenerate energy and enthusiasm for the work AES does. And having a great sidekick along is a huge plus on such adventures. Thanks, Cynthia!

AES Awards Funds from 2022 EEHV Campaign

At the beginning of 2022, the Board of Directors for Asian Elephant Support decided to dedicate all of the funds raised during our annual Pizza for Pachyderms events at California Pizza Kitchen to the fight against Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) - a deadly disease impacting elephants across the globe and those that care for them. Our goals were to ultimately aid much-needed research of the disease in wild elephant populations as well as assist where we could to save the lives of young elephants in Asia from this virus through medical support.

With Pizza for Pachyderms and various events in locations with no CPK restaurants, like an art class at a Painting with a Twist studio in Buffalo, New York, and efforts from our friends in Memphis, along with individual donations, this campaign generated close to $12,000!

We are pleased to announce, with thanks to the collective efforts of our supporters, we have been able to grant funds to fulfill our original goals. Recipients of funds include:

Center of Elephant and Wildlife Health Animal Hospital - Chiang Mai University in Thailand for their use to diagnose and treat elephants with EEHV - providing antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and supportive medications, as well as blood and plasma transfusion preparation and banking.

Dr. Arun Zachariah in India to continue valuable research into the prevalence of EEHV and the mortality rate associated with the virus in wild populations of Asian elephants.

As the battle against EEHV continues, we hope the funding provided contributes to the overall conservation of the species and learning more about the disease in order to protect elephants in human care and in the wild.

AES Board News - Welcome Lindsey Eagan

June has already been an exciting month, for the AES Board. First, we were pleased to welcome, Lindsey Eagan, as our newest Board Director as of June 3rd! 

Lindsey has a background in animal care and training and has been working with Asian elephants at the ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico for almost 16 years. She has been a supporter of AES for years and an integral part in the massive success of our annual Pizza for Pachyderms event, consistently being amongst the top-earning hosts for this fundraiser.

When asked why she decided to accept the nomination to join the AES Board, Lindsey said “After being introduced to Asian Elephant Support, it was clear that there was a whole new avenue of education and conservation I could explore and contribute to even from my hometown…I truly appreciate that AES is need driven and contributes to the needs of each specific population of elephants and their surrounding communities, not just giving for very narrow types of Asian elephant issues.”

Her experience in the care and conservation of Asian elephants as well as her drive to help educate the public about the need to help this species are just the start of the reasons we are excited to have her join the team.  With her energy and enthusiasm, Lindsey has jumped right in; joining us for our most recent Annual Board Meeting, where we focused on planning and long-term strategies to support elephants and the communities that care for and coexist with them.

Welcome to Asian Elephant Support, Lindsey. We are so very happy to have your dedication and expertise at the table and look forward to all of your continued contributions to the AES mission!

Then, with our newest Director onboard, the now five-member Board of Asian Elephant Support met during the first weekend of June for our customary, two-day-long Annual Meeting in which we work to renew our focus and commitment to the care and conservation of Asian elephants.

While a whole slew of issues developed at the last minute that made it impossible for us to meet in-person in Albuquerque, New Mexico as had been planned, we still managed to be incredibly productive. With Directors literally in every time zone from East to West coast, the team was able to meet via Zoom and share ideas, plans and some good laughs occasionally as well.

As the Board begins to put plans into practice, we are excited to share with supporters new projects that YOU have helped to fund with your generosity. We are also eager to share with you new opportunities to help us raise funds for ongoing work with partners in Asia. We hope you’ll stay tuned as we roll these plans out and continue to support the mission of AES – to care for and conserve Asian elephants!
 

You Came, You Ate, You Helped Elephants!

We'd like to send our unending thanks to everyone who joined us for Pizza for Pachyderms at California Pizza Kitchen last month, benefiting EEHV research and the testing and treatment for the disease in Asia. With the help of our amazing Hosts for each location, Asian Elephant Support raised an astounding $10,360!

To everyone who participated, donated or shared the word about the event: TRUNKS UP!

Special thanks to our Hosts across the country who worked to gather their herds and get over to their California Pizza Kitchen. We literally could not have a successful fundraiser without their support and dedication.

An elephant-sized THANK YOU goes out to the following Hosts!

Alena Lamirato - Littleton, CO
April Yoder - Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA
Ben Whitebread - Hunt Valley
MD, Brent Atkinson - Atlas Park, NY
Brittany Bishop - Short Hills, NJ
Caitlin Amox * Houston, TX
Charley Shepherd - Jacksonville, FL
Christi Reiter - Tampa, FL
Erin Dowgwillo - Milwaukee, WI
Jennifer Wu - Franklin, TN
Jeremy Wilcheck - Louisville, KY
Kelly Garner - Atlanta, GA
Laura Garcia - Columbus, OH
Lauren Howard - San Diego Area, CA
Linda Reifschneider - St. Louis Area, MO
Lindsey Eagan - Albuquerque, NM
Liz Beem & Tina Torres - Santa Barbara/Ventura, CA
Marissa Hickel - San Antonio, TX
Maura Davis - Denver, CO
Pat Maluy - Los Angeles Area, CA
Rachel Winkler - Sacramento, CA,
Sean Cunningham - Fairfax, VA
Susan Hoss - Orlando, F

And we would like to give a hearty thanks to the American Association of Zoo Keepers and the individual AAZK Chapters that worked hard to help us promote Pizza for Pachyderms!

THANK YOU!

Masterpiece with Painting with a Twist

Our very first Painting with a Purpose fundraiser on February 20th at Painting with a Twist in Buffalo, NY was a huge success! AES is dedicating current fundraising efforts to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) research and the testing and treatment for Asian elephants in range countries. This was the first fundraiser for that mission and it had a sold-out crowd of 26 painters - raising $460! Board Secretary, Mindy Ussrey took the lead on this first (and hopefully annual) creative way to raise money for AES. The support from Buffalonians, and people across New York state, was humbling and we can’t thank them enough for coming out on a windy and cold afternoon to sip wine and paint an elephant! All the attendees had a blast and everyone walked away with a unique painting and knowing they contributed to the care and conservation of elephants in Asia.

Trunks Up for all who attended and donated to #ColorForTheCure! And thanks to Painting with a Twist for being a terrific organization to work with!

If you are interested in hosting a Painting with a Purpose fundraiser for Asian Elephant Support at your local Painting with a Twist, please contact Mindy at mindy@asianelephantsupport.org for more details!

A summary of 2021!

With 2021 now history, it is difficult to not take a moment to be thankful for those who have helped AES, help Asian elephants in both 2020 and 2021.

We believe that 2020 was a year of non-events and yet a year that made a permanent mark on our individual and collective lives.

January 1, 2021, was greeted with the hope of returning to a “new normal” - of which everyone probably had a slightly different vision. And now we prepare to greet 2022. And for what do we dare hope or brace ourselves?

Throughout this entire time, AES has been fortunate to have YOU – our individuals and institutions who have supported us as we have done our best to support those veterinarians, mahouts and others working tirelessly under extremely difficult conditions to keep elephants in our care healthy and wild elephants safe.

YOU made our Chang Vet Aid tee shirt campaign and our “10 + 1” California Pizza Kitchen fundraisers successful…events that helped more people learn about AES, as well as supporting our efforts in Asia.

Albuquerque, Cincinnati, Little Rock and Topeka Zoos, your continuing and generous support made it possible for us to help keep the vets and vet supplies, as well as supplemental fodder in drought areas, delivered – where and when needed.

Memphis Zoo AAZK Chapter, not having a CPK location nearby, you paired with your local pizzeria to have your own “Pizza for Pachyderms” event – a hugely successful fundraiser for AES and, as we understand it, a great fun event too!

Our Monthly Donor base, as well as those who are repeat annual donors and our new donors – each of you make it possible for us to be able to respond to both emergency situations and longer-term projects benefitting Asian elephants.

Our Annual Report and Donor List are in our January 2022 Newsletter and also under the Projects/Newsletter Archives link. Once again, our heartfelt and most sincere appreciation for each of your contributions. The Asian elephant has an extremely difficult trek to the next century, but AES is determined to do what we can to see them through and we hope you will continue to be part of our efforts in 2022 and beyond.

Once again, THANK YOU!

Las Vegas By Way of Memphis … continued...

In last month’s newsletter, AES President, Linda Reifschneider and Volunteer-Extraordinaire, Cynthia Christison took you on the road as they visited friends at Memphis, Tulsa and Oklahoma City Zoos. This newsletter, they wrap up that journey seeing old friends and making new ones along the way, while spreading the word about the work AES is doing to care for and conserve Asian elephants. So here we are…on the road again!

ABQ BioPark – Truly great day at the Albuquerque Zoo on October 24th.

Lindsey Eagan met us at 10 a.m. on her day off, so she spent it with us, showing us her zoo. A most special treat was time with Matilda, a wee hippo born in July to a nearly 50-year-old dad. Quite a dad, eh? Talk about darling….the baby that is! A little sausage on legs but with very wiggly ears and cute written all over. Dad’s a good looker, too! We had lunch with Lindsey and visited the elephants for an update and opportunity to enjoy watching them being elephants. Later that evening we had dinner with the entire elephant barn crew. This is the group where everyone stepped up to support AES by buying a tee shirt when we had our Chang Vet Aid campaign earlier this year. How humbling is that? They have also participated in our CPK events and as we were meeting some of their staff for the first time, I was again asked to talk about our founding and work. Always a topic I’m glad to share, as well as the opportunity to say thanks in person for their great support.

Another full day’s drive on the 25th, but at least no disastrous detours.

Circus Fans of America Convention – Here we were, the 25th-28th at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. I believe this audience may well include members who will want to help Asian elephants, even with all our work being in Asia. While the convention was a smaller group than I expected, everyone was very welcoming and Cynthia and I enjoyed the talks by some of their members who are former circus people. They all confirmed my thoughts: hardworking, artistic, athletic, and close knit. A career more of a lifestyle than a job. Those who left the circus also attributed their further success in life to their circus background. AES was asked and happily agreed to write an article about our founding, the work we do, and how their members can help us. That should be in the next edition of White Tops and we look forward to sharing our story with them.

October 29th and 30th had us heading home – and the scenery from Vegas through Utah and across Colorado woke up so many wonderful memories of many trips I was fortunate to make, first with my parents and then with my husband and son. New snow on the peaks made the drive picture perfect and a couple of times we were tempted to pull over and make a snowball!

Topeka Zoo – Our last stop and on Hallowe’en! Topeka Zoo has been a generous supporter of AES’ work for several years and it is always a pleasure to visit. There is something special about smaller zoos where everyone tends to know everything about all their residents. Well, at least Wrylie Guffey, their Elephant Manager does! She and I became friends many years ago, so it is always good to say hi, talk zoo and zoo animal stuff, and just have a good day. Visiting Asian elephant Cora and African elephant Tembo is always special, too. People always ask me which is my favorite species, Asian or African, and I’m thankful for my standard reply, “And which is your favorite child?”. They are each elephant, they are each different. And we need both in healthy populations in zoos where children can see them in person and learn about them, as well as healthy populations in the wild where their successful survival can mean the difference between survival and extinction for so many other species that share the same habitats. It is always a rewarding time spent visiting zoos and the wonderful staffs who care for these magnificent creatures not 8 hours a day but, without hesitancy, as many hours in a row as necessary – theirs is a lifestyle, not a ‘job’ and when they also step up to help us help Asian elephants in range countries, how thankful and humble I am for their total commitment: for the elephants in their care, those in range countries, and the future of both species everywhere.

Thanks to all of you at each institution we visited for all you do; to Cynthia Christison for always being ready to pack a suitcase and come along and to the Board of AES who decides how best to use the resources and support of those who back us to best help todays and tomorrow’s Asian elephants.

It definitely “takes a village”!

Cheers to 10 + 1 Years! Asian Elephant Support + California Pizza Kitchen + You!

TRUNKS UP for Pizza for Pachyderms!

We at AES wish to thank everyone who participated in Cheers to 10 + 1 Years! - our theme for our 11th annual (except for 2020) fundraiser at California Pizza Kitchen - on September 20-22. With a shorter time than usual to plan and pull off the event, the permanent closure of some of our historic restaurant locations due to the pandemic and leaning on new folks who hadn't been a part of this fundraiser in years past, we weren't sure what to expect. But we should never doubt elephant-lovers and our supporters!

We are so thankful that with your help we raised over $6,200 dollars to care for and conserve elephants in Asia. We wish to share our unending gratitude to our amazing Hosts throughout the nation (listed below) that spread the word about Pizza for Pachyderms and collected donations and sold merchandise to benefit AES.

AES President Linda Goes to Little Rock, Again!

LITTLE ROCK ZOO has been a regular supporter of Asian Elephant Support for many years now. We have become such good friends that our president, Linda, was honored with an invitation to Kristin Warner, the Elephant Manager's wedding! Of course Linda accepted and since she would definitely stop by to see her zoo friends (4 as well as 2-legged ones!) she offered to do a presentation about how AES has handled 2020 and 2021 to date.



Also, making this a perfect trifecta, Syd Tanner, Little Rock Zoo's Curator - Conservation/Green Practices, was retiring and thus a last opportunity to say thanks and wish Syd the very best in retirement.

Offer accepted and car packed for the for 350 mile drive from St. Louis to Little Rock, the presentation took place on October 6th in the Zoo's conference room with seventeen Little Rock Zoo staff in the audience as well as one Little Rock resident Linda happened to meet the previous week in St. Louis. When introduced to Kevin and told he was from Little Rock, Linda invited him to attend the presentation she was giving. He said he'd be there and brought the total in attendance to 18!

Always a good audience, Linda is always glad to visit - and talk! And the entire AES Board appreciates most sincerely, the continuing support Little Rock Zoo and the Little Rock Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers directs our way.

Thank you Little Rock Zoo for helping AES help Asian elephants!

AES Board Holds Annual Meeting in Little Rock

AES Board of Directors - Tina Torres, Mindy Ussrey, Liz Beem & Linda Reifschneider 

On June 3-6, the Asian Elephant Support Board gathered in Little Rock, Arkansas for our annual in-person Directors Meeting. This was the first time since 2019 that Directors have been able to meet face-to-face due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions and the first ever in-person meeting for our newest Directors - Mindy Ussrey, Liz Beem and Tina Torres. The Little Rock Zoo extended their hospitality and offered their conference room and of course a visit with their Asian elephants, Sophie, Babe & Zina.

As travel is just beginning to get back to normal, AES was so happy to have the opportunity to visit a Zoo that has been a long-time supporter of our mission to care for and conserve Asian elephants. 

Asian elephants, Zina and Babe enjoying watermelon treats

Having missed a year, there was a lot to cover at the meeting, including renewing our focus on what it is that we do at AES, new and improved communication approaches, fundraising opportunities, ways to make the most from the generous support that we receive from donors, and so much more. While a lot of work was conducted during a very short period of time, the Directors had a chance to get acquainted, catch up and share stories about our love for all-things elephant while we were housemates at a lovely little bungalow in the heart of Little Rock for the weekend. And we did not miss the opportunity for some fun as well. After a great visit to the Zoo with behind the scenes visits with the elephants, black rhinos and black-footed penguins, the evening was spent at Riviera Maya where we shared a delightful dinner with Little Rock Zoo Staff.

While a lot of work was conducted during a very short period of time, the Directors had a chance to get acquainted, catch up and share stories about our love for all-things elephant while we were housemates at a lovely little bungalow in the heart of Little Rock for the weekend. And we did not miss the opportunity for some fun as well. After a great visit to the Zoo with behind the scenes visits with the elephants, black rhinos and black-footed penguins, the evening was spent at Riviera Maya where we shared a delightful dinner with Little Rock Zoo Staff. Also joining us for dinner was AES Advisor, Heidi Riddle and her daughter Tatiana. Heidi has been influential in guiding AES on many projects over the years and we were so happy to have her company. 

Many thanks to everyone at the Little Rock Zoo, including Syd Tanner, Fran Lyon and the Elephant Team including Kristin and fiancé Jeff, Johnny, Justin, Will and Chris for welcoming AES. 

The AES Board is excited to implement what we learned and worked on over the course of the weekend for the betterment of Asian elephants as we continue to work to fulfill our goals.

Asian Elephant Support thanks two departing Directors and welcomes a new Director

BARBARA DAVIS joined the AES Board in early 2015. Being a ‘horse woman’ vs. us, ‘elephant enthusiasts’, her perspective on so many decisions we had to make over the years truly helped keep us on a better path. Another talent Barbara gave generously of is her ability to develop creative text and graphics for so many of our fundraisers and other articles. AES President, Linda, met Barbara at a Jane Goodall lecture in St. Louis. Their common passion for all wildlife and wild places soon had Barbara volunteering for AES as well as traveling with Linda to Africa and domestic locations for fundraising events.

While Barbara needs more time for her horses and is leaving the Board effective June 2021, she will remain available to help us when needed and hopefully another trip somewhere, someday.

Barbara, thank you – from Linda and the AES Board, and from every elephant you have helped us help over all these years. Our best wishes and Trunks Up!

JANET DRAY was familiar with Asian Elephant Support’s work from her annual attendance at the Elephant Managers Association conferences. AES President, Linda got to know Janet from this venue and our shared passion for things elephant and Africa, led to a couple of awesome safaris during which Janet could not escape Linda’s necessary computer time and talk about ‘those other elephants’ – the Asian ones.

In January 2019 Janet joined the AES Board, helped with the CMU Mobile Vet Vehicle fundraiser and then traveled to Thailand for its dedication, as well as joining Linda at an EEHV Workshop in Houston. In Guwahati, India, Janet did a great job of covering for Linda, who had to cancel attending that workshop….and this was Janet’s first trip to India! When not traveling on behalf of AES, Janet did magic with our filing system and coordinated three fundraisers in her neck of the woods - Rochester, New York.

Although Janet found the need to leave the Board in January 2021, she continues to help AES as we focus on the care and conservation of Asian elephants in range countries.

Thank you, Janet. The AES Board sincerely appreciates all you have contributed to our efforts and wishes you all the best and, of course, Trunks Up!

Tina Torres joined us as the newest member of the AES Board in April, and we are so excited to have her and her talents on the team!

After meeting AES Director, Liz, more than a decade ago via mutual friends, Tina became a volunteer with the Elephant Program at the Santa Barbara Zoo. That kicked off a fascination and love for elephants that eventually took her to Kenya for conservation work and to see elephants in the wild.

Tina's love for animals and conservation runs deep. Besides her plethora of critters that she cares for at home, she is a regular volunteer for the Ojai Raptor Center which specializes in the rescue, rehabilitation and release of birds of prey and various small mammals, along with public education about how to protect and coexist with wild animals in our own backyards.

We look forward to tapping into Tina's skills as a web/graphic designer, marketing manager, talented writer and skilled mathematician on top of her passion for elephants and elephant conservation.

Welcome, Tina. The AES Board looks forward to all of your contributions!

Trunks Up to our Friends at the Topeka Zoo!

Asian Elephant, Cora, at Topeka Zoo

February 1st, Asian Elephant Support launched a fundraising campaign – Chang Vet Aid – to help provide the salary AES had committed to in 2020 for the second Chiang Mai University Mobile Vet Clinic veterinarian during the pandemic. Our supporters – YOU! - came through BIG time!

However, a huge TRUNKS UP also goes to our friends at the Topeka Zoo, who unexpectedly and most generously gifted AES with $8,000! Knowing our fundraiser was doing well, FOTZ (Friends of the Topeka Zoo) and the Conservation and Education Department - who know our work and that we are a totally volunteer-lead nonprofit - appreciate that their entire gift will help Asian elephants wherever needed. And there will still be a lot of needs before Asia is again able to welcome back visitors and the tourist income which is so important to these countries.

AES has a long relationship with the Topeka Zoo. AES Secretary, Mindy Ussrey started her career caring for elephants there in 2004, and President, Linda Reifschneider has been a guest speaker at the zoo’s Conservation Conversation series. The first was May 2015, where Linda was honored to meet Gary Clarke, Topeka’s CEO Emeritus, and was presented with a hand-painted canvas by Topeka artist Charlie Moore.

(Left) AES Secretary, Mindy Ussrey training with Sunda & Tembo in 2004; (Right) AES President, Linda Reifschneider presented with artwork by local artist, Charlie Moore in 2015

Linda spoke again at the same series in September 2018 to another enthusiastic gathering of people who care about Asian elephants and love their Topeka Zoo. On these, as well as other visits Linda has made with various friends to Topeka Zoo, she has graciously been offered the opportunity to spend time with the elephants and their keepers, as well as visiting all the Zoo’s other residents.

Our sincere thanks to Dennis Dinwiddie, Director of Conservation and Education, and the Friends of the Topeka Zoo, for their dedication to Asian elephants and their generous gift which helps AES in our efforts to assist Asian elephants on their challenging trek toward the next century.

Trunks Up to our Friends at the Topeka Zoo!

Celebrate 2020 with AES!

While 2021 is just around the corner, the world is anxious to see what the New Year will bring. It may seem hard to find the good, and easy to point out the struggles of 2020, but AES wants to shine a light on what accomplishments we achieved, together!

We thank each and everyone of you, who contributed to the AES mission this year with your donations and partnerships in the field.