Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society Renames Upcoming Tiger 5K, Establishes Fund in Honor of Beloved Lead Keeper Stacey Konwiser
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society has renamed an upcoming event for tiger conservation in honor of beloved Zookeeper Stacey Konwiser.
A plaque for the ‘Stacey Konwiser Memorial Save The Tiger 5K’ was unveiled during a Wednesday evening press conference. The race will honor Konwiser’s work at Palm Beach Zoo with four critically endangered Malayan tigers. It is part of the Zoo’s annual ‘Big Cat Series,’ and it will be held on May 14, 2016.
The Zoo also announced a partnership with Konwiser’s family to honor her life by establishing a memorial fund in her name at the Zoo. In coming days, the Zoo will provide more information about the ‘Stacey Konwiser Tiger Conservation Fund,’ which will include scholarships for zookeepers.
Tuesday evening, friends and family held a private memorial to celebrate the life of Konwiser at Palm Beach Zoo. The following statement from Konwiser’s husband, Jeremy, was released to the media in hopes that the family’s request for privacy and peace is respected.
“Last night we held a beautiful ceremony at the Palm Beach Zoo to celebrate my wife’s life. Stacey would want me to ask that everyone please stand with the Palm Beach Zoo at this difficult time. We spent the last three years working with an amazing team of people and I know Stacey would want our Zoo to be full of visitors and supporters who understand how important our work is on behalf of wildlife.”
The Zoo also announced it has created a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ page at www.palmbeachzoo.org to keep the community, media and supporters updated on the ongoing investigation.
About the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society
The Zoological Society of the Palm Beaches exists to inspire people to act on behalf of wildlife and the natural world. We advance our conservation mission through endangered species propagation, education and support of conservation initiatives in the field. Our commitment to sustainable business practices elevates our capacity to inspire others. The Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society is located at 1301 Summit Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, visit www.palmbeachzoo.org.