A love of “kids and critters” motivates Louisville Zoo volunteer docent Diana Grammer in her work. After growing up in Illinois, Diana attended Sullivan College and married a Louisville native, making this area her home for more than five decades. A few years after retiring from her job with Chase Bank, she began training and volunteering as a Louisville Zoo docent.
What made you decide to volunteer at the Zoo?
I enjoy kids and critters. I volunteered at Green Hill Therapy with children and horses and at an elementary school as a teacher’s aide and tutor for 11 years until 2019. A friend who had been a Zoo docent for years suggested I give it a try.
The Zoo docent organization includes people of all ages and in all stages in life. We all share the same goal: ‘to better the bond between people and our planet.’ Helping families discover how they play a part in the animals’ lives through the choices they make in their everyday lives is very rewarding. The little bits of information we share with them might create awareness and change behaviors for generations to come. Some of our Zoo animals are endangered, and we certainly don’t want any more to become extinct.
What is your role as a volunteer?
As a docent, we become familiar with and sometimes develop a special interest in the animals and learn their unique habits and traits. We can pass along this information to groups and individuals who visit us at the Zoo.
The joy of being a volunteer is all the flexibility. We are required to commit 48 hours a year interpreting. That can be accomplished at any of the animal exhibits on days the Zoo is open. There are a variety of special events including Breakfast with the Beasts, Trivia Nights, Exploration Stations, and other educational events with schools and scouting organizations where you can earn hours.
What have you learned about yourself through volunteering?
I enjoy being around people and learning about them and from them. Some of our visitors have gone to other zoos and have a variety of experiences to share. I enjoy learning and sharing what I’ve learned about our Zoo and how it operates, from the animal hospital to the commissary where meals are prepared, to our involvement in species survival and breeding.
What has volunteering done for you?
I’m a widow, and the opportunity to interact and share with visitors at the Zoo has given me a second breath in life. The children are always a delight. When days seem challenging, coming to the Zoo and spending time observing the animals, and the people, always puts a smile on my face.
What advice would you give other older adults interested in volunteering?
Don’t put it off! I wish I had started sooner. As a volunteer representing the Zoo, we are given all the training, tools, and support from the Zoo staff and other seasoned docents to ensure we do a great job.
The flexibility that comes with volunteering is a definite plus. You can come when the weather is warm or cold, dry or wet, sunny or cloudy — whatever season you enjoy most. New friendships are an inevitable part of volunteering, too.
As a volunteer, I’m continuing to learn and grow. We are constantly getting new information from the staff and zookeepers to keep our knowledge base growing.
By Kym Voorhees Raque | Photos by Emily McCanless
P.S. Looking to volunteer? Here is another opportunity: This Volunteer Is Feeding Those In Need
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