The Woodard family have been working with Sunset Zoo for about three years to get to this point.
On Sunday April 22, 2012, Earth Day, the John Woodard Memorial Gibbons Exhibit Building opened to the public after a dedication ceremony.
At 1:00 pm Sunday, Scott Shoemaker, Zoo Director, Ron Fehr, Manhattan City Manager and Major Jim Sherow all gathered to speak at the ceremony. All three gave thanks to the family and to the zoo for their support and contribution to this project. Sherow had the pleasure of unveiling the gold plague that will be attached to the building after the dedication. This will be a continued reminder of who was part of the project that now houses the white-handed gibbon pair, Leslie and Dempsey.
Though, not exactly a monkey, the gibbon was one of John Woodard’s favorite.
“(John) actually has a gibbon, a stuffed gibbon, as a kid that he loved and that he called Monk,” said Rich Woodard, John’s father.
So, with this in mind, the gibbons exhibit became a fitting memorial to their son.
The building has two levels. The top allows visitors to view the gibbons and watch them swing from ropes and vines. The bottom level allows visitors to view the gibbon pair at ground level.
The gibbons exhibit is now the thirteenth endangered animal that Sunset Zoo is helping to protect worldwide.
Dedication Remarks from City Manager Ron Fehr
Dedication Remarks from Mayor Jim Sherow
