The Friends of the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary is looking for passionate community members to join its volunteer board, with open positions for treasurer and social media director.
Founded in 1981, the Friends is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary through fundraising and advocacy. The organization has contributed nearly $2.4 million to the zoo over the past 18 years and oversees a growing $1.4 million endowment to help offset operational costs.
As a fully volunteer-run board, members play a vital role in sustaining the sanctuary’s mission of providing a safe haven for non-releasable wild and domestic animals. The current recruitment is focused on individuals with financial or digital communications expertise who are eager to support animal welfare and community education.
Board members must be at least 21 years old and available for monthly meetings, which are held in person at Folsom City Hall and virtually. To learn more or apply, visit www.folsomzoofriends.org. For inquiries, contact information@FolsomZooFriends.org.
The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary began in 1963 as a haven for a bear cub named Smokey, who was orphaned and injured in a fire. The Folsom Park Superintendent, Gordon Bring, was contacted by the University of California at Davis Veterinary Department seeking a home for the cub. Initially, Gordon had been keeping a few deer and a coyote near the park’s office, and visitors would often come to see them. With the addition of Smokey, the zoo was established, and it later evolved into a sanctuary for animals that cannot be released back into the wild. In 2002, the name was officially changed to Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary to reflect this mission Read more about the history of the zoo in a previous Folsom Times Feature Story HERE.
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