Imagine (in the mind’s eye) a sensory Zoo experience – listening to the animals, smelling the environment, touching real and simulated animals in their habitat.......well Saturday, July 18 at the Brookfield Zoo is the chance of a lifetime......the only problem? Are you going to be there?

ALL HANDS ON DECK!

Brookfield Zoo is big and the choices are many -arrive early and plan on spending the entire day. Plan to arrive at 9:30 am, the Zoo opens at 10 am. Tons of activities are available throughout your day! Begin by looking at the interactive, Braille or large print maps—see which animals you want to discover. Your IPVI membership will be your exclusive passport into all the action. IPVI has created a special shirt for the event. The shirt will be your passport into the Zoo and any 3 of the following attractions: Dinosaurs Alive!, Butterflies!, Children’s Zoo, Hamill Family Play Zoo, Motor Safari, and Carousel. Please note: Dolphin Shows at Seven Seas plus Underwater Viewing are cancelled until further notice. Don’t forget to get over to see Wolf Woods which offers a special Braille tour.

Our luncheon, at the Discovery Ballroom, will include Guest Speaker Rich King, a veteran Chicago sports anchor with WGN. Rich serves on the Board of Directors for the Chicago

Lighthouse for the Blind and on the communications committee of the American Cancer Society. Rich has also authored a touching tribute to his late wife. The book is entitled My

Maggie; it was published in October of 2007. Maggie was deaf-blind.

The “IPVI Family Network” - our special children, (parents, siblings, and grandparents included), as well as teachers & professionals - are invited free as long as you are a dues-paying member and purchase a shirt for $5.00/each person (incentive for you to attend and for us to predict our costs), and then your parking, admission, and 3 premium attractions are all FREE. The last of our planning depends on your getting your reservation forms in on time. We are expecting a couple hundred to attend...so we need your information and guarantee that you will not "stand us up." There is nothing worse than spending money on people who register but do not come. That spoils the fun for everyone.

Become an IPVI member! Dues paying members receive free admission and parking at our Members Only Events — Zoo Outing, Holiday Parties, Picnic, etc. — activities intended to provide social and literacy opportunities for children, parents, teachers, professionals and friends. Paid membership includes monthly newsletters and invitations to Parent Rights, Adaptive Technology, and Advocacy seminars.

If you'd like more information on how to attend the 2009 IPVI/Zoo Outing, or on how to become a member of the “IPVI Family Network”, call Mary Zabelski at The Chicago

Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, (312) 666-1331 x3675. Click here to fill out the registration form.