Lighting Up Our Community: Inside Topeka Zoo Lights | Cynthia McCarvel

She's got some things at first AV.

Never know. Then in March, the design starts. And it's turned into a family tradition. It's a family holiday tradition. So on our trees, our pathways, and poles, we have 28 miles of lights.

28 miles of lights. Yes. Yes.

Welcome to Topeka Insider. We have Cynthia McCarville, the strategic partnership director at the Topeka Zoo. Woo! Welcome to the studio. Thank you. Thanks for being here.

Well, thank you for having me. This is great.

Yes. So uh why don't you give us just a quick background? Uh what do you do at the zoo? How long have you been in that role? Sure. Sure.

So I'm the Strategic Partnerships Director. Uh in my role, I work with a lot of the businesses in town, and they uh as far as sponsorships and how they want to collaborate with the zoo. Um in turn, we provide them some marketing opportunities and ways to engage with our guests. Um I also do a little bit of the marketing side of things and media side of things. Nice.

Doing TikTok dances and stuff.

I'm I am not doing that, but we have other employees that do, and they have a great time at it. Uh I also um I've only been at the zoo for three years. I retired from Avergy um in 22 and started here in January of 23. So it's been a great second career. That's awesome.

What what does a a business's relationship with the zoo look like from a sponsorship? I guess I you probably have packages and things. What does that look like?

That's exactly we have a marketing uh sponsorship package. Um it depends on what they're looking for. So for instance, uh if they want to be a zoo lights partner or sponsor, uh they get uh different marketing opportunities, you know, on-site, digitally, through our emails, through our newsletters. Um we provide signage. Um they usually adopt or sponsor different displays. Uh at a certain level, they actually get their business name and lights as well. Yes, yes. And then we give them tickets so that they can use them at their discretion, whether it's for um clients or employees or whatever it might be. So and we you know we have Roar and Poor, we have Brew at the Zoo, all these different types of um events that people Dino Days, yes, yes. So we're always looking at the eye.

Sorry, go ahead.

Yeah, so we're always looking for sponsors. So we really, you know, if a business has a specific angle, maybe they want to want they want to sponsor something with education. So we have our sustainability sponsors, um, and it's specifically for our educational department. Uh they can even help sponsor or uh make a donation to our scholarship funds. So cool. It just depends on what their pillars of giving wrap around.

Some of those kind of like social marketing events, are you in charge of kind of putting those on?

Um one of my employees is. Yes. Yes. So I do have my team. So we do uh but it's a it's a big team. I've I mean we have one person, but we all come together as a big team. So that's awesome. Yeah.

Love that. Yeah. And then uh you were telling us a little bit beforehand. What's your background before the zoo?

So at Evergy, I worked in the community relations department and I worked with nonprofits in giving them grants uh or uh connecting them with our employees so their employees can go out and volunteer. Um all of our employee eating programs and things like that. So it was a really nice fit for me to step into this role because I already had a lot of uh uh relationships established with business businesses in the community. So for me to go in there and tell them about the zoo and about what's going on, it was easy to make the connection for them.

Are you a Topeka native?

I am, yes. Let's go.

Let's go. Let's go. So man, I one of the things that I hear a lot from friends, uh, especially friends who don't even live in Topeka, is how amazing our zoo is, specifically. It is like we have friends from Lawrence who drive to go to our zoo here all the time. Right. You know, with their kids. And it's like we have such an amazing zoo. It's so amazing. So what's it been like kind of being a part of that?

Well, so I always say being a small zoo is actually our strength because you can bring your children in and let them run and play and get all their energy out, and it's only gonna take an hour or hour and a half. And you can see all the animals. You can go back multiple times and see whatever favorite animal you might have. Then you have Gage Park right across the street from us, and they've got the train and they've got the carousel, you've got Kansas Children's Discovery Center. We're all right there within a walking distance. So it's it makes for a great afternoon of fun for families. Yeah.

I 100% agree. My kids do that all the time. Yeah.

Do you guys have a zoo pass?

Yes. Yes, that is.

That's a good investment. Yes.

It is a hundred percent worth the money.

Yes, because after two and a half visits, you have your zoo membership paid for. Yes, yes.

It's amazing. We we got it for Christmas from the in-laws one year. Yes. Best Christmas present ever.

I agree. I didn't realize how good of a deal it was until I had a a family clothes and a home and I bought them that as a gift. They're relocating here thinking that it would be really great. And they told me it is awesome. They use it all the time. Good. And they don't know what I spent on it, but it was I think it was like a hundred bucks or something. And it was like, golly. And you get discounts on other zoos.

Yeah, yes. So you take it to Kansas City and get a discount, yeah. Yeah, you get a 50% discount on their admission price. Yeah. So what we've also found, well, I've figured out since I've been working here, during the summer I see these groups of kids that all have the same color shirt on, you know, walking around the zoo. And I know there's some type of a summer camp, of course, but I finally looked close enough to see that it was Johnson County Community Parks and Reds. Oh, it's a good thing. And it's like, okay, Kansas City kids are coming here. Yes, it is awesome. It is awesome.

That's gotta feel good. Like, not just like anywhere in Kansas City, Johnson County. Johnson County. Johnson County gives you the rubber stand. Right, that's right. Solid. Yes. That's awesome.

Well, okay, I think it's time we stop messing around and we get to what you're here for. All right. The hard-hitting journalism. Hard-hitting journalism. Oh, yes. Zoolites. Zoo lights. It is live, it is active, it's going. Tell us a little bit about maybe the origins of zoo lights, how long it's going for this year. Give us the rundown.

So Zoo, this is the sixth year for Zoo Lights. Wow. Sponsored by Evergy for the sixth year, so they've been an outstanding partner. Um you know, Zoo Lights started, the concept of it started uh before 2020. And it's because it was the time of year that was really difficult for the zoo because attendance is low, so revenues low, and it's really been a game changer for us to have it during that period of time when we were kind of stretching our our budget. Um and what really happened, it happened in 2020. And people were looking for things to be able to do as far as getting outside, yeah, being around people, starting to engage with people, and zoo lights, it was a hit. And we have been very fortunate with that.

Is the idea, was it was it a person's idea? Was this something that was?

They'll name them glow wild or or something similar to that. So it's kind of a zoo thing. Sure. Um there's the there's even some botanical gardens that do glow events in the in this type of year, too. So it it's it's common.

It's an awesome idea. Whoa, that's a good idea. Something to take, you know, what as you said, the zoo's really slow. And that's hurtful for the zoos from a revenue standpoint, from an employee standpoint, and now you've turned an awesome community event that drives some revenue, gets more commu the sponsors involved, people want to go out.

And it's turned into a family tradition, it's a family holiday tradition. So we see families repeat, you know, come back each year.

Yeah.

And you know, thankfully, we change it up each year and make it new and exciting. Yeah. We may use the same displays each year, but they're not in the same place. Or and we try to maybe do some different themes and things like that, but uh we really try to change it up or bring in some new displays.

And like the domes, the igloo thing?

The igloos, yeah. Those those are a hit. Yeah, we've got four of them this year. Yeah. And we've actually had four realtors adopt them. And they've gone in there and decorated it so it's all nice and cozy and homey feeling.

Are you one of them? I am not one of them, but I've seen those. Maybe next year. Yeah, maybe next year. Possibly me.

Is there a wait list on that, like sponsoring those?

Uh well, no, not yet.

I would guess the zoo would take my money if I uh if I offered it.

Well, actually, it's an in kind. A bidding war. It's an in-kind. So yeah, we all we did was we asked some realtors to come in and say, hey, you are good at staging because you're in the real you know, the real estate business. So stage this for us. Make it warm and welcoming and cozy. Yeah, and that's what they did. So and each one of them kind of has their own flair to it. Yeah. Of course, they have recognition with their signs and things around the the igloos, so they get some promotion out of it too.

I think one of the coolest things about zoo lights is, you know, as a 26-year-old guy with no kids yet, uh, I don't go to the zoo very often. But I shouldn't stop yet. I shouldn't. And I go well, every time I go to zoolights, you know, it's a yearly thing for our family. Every time I go, I think, where are the tigers and elephants? It's like, oh, it's freezing out. Of course they're not here, but like I should come back in the summer. Right. And so it's a kind of a good little way to get people in the door to remind them that you exist and that they should be coming back to see the animals.

Well, and you know, most of our displays are of animals. Yeah. So they can see a tiger, it's just maybe not be the live tiger. Yeah, a light-up tiger.

So I agree. It is a family tradition. We go every year with both sides of the family. They're like, well, we want our turn to go with the grandkids. So we end up going at least twice every year. Yeah. And we've we have some friends who rented one of the igloos, and it's like their kind of like family like thing that they're gonna do. And I was like, man, we should do that. That sounds so fun.

And you know, as a member, you also get a discount on light tickets. I know, I know.

Yes, it feels good to be a member.

Yes, of course. Um so I do have some stats about it. So, yeah. Um, so we have well over a million lights. I was gonna ask, but I thought that was maybe a crazy question. Oh no, not a crazy question. So on our trees, our pathways, and poles, we have twenty eight miles of lights.

28 miles of miles of lights.

That is awesome.

That's cool.

Uh number of frames, we have 220 frames. 23 of them are new this year, thanks to Ernest Spencer, who's one of our business partners. They made those for us uh uh as an in-kind donation.

Shout out, Ernest.

Uh yes. Our roof lines on our buildings, we have about just over a thousand feet of roof line that is all lit up in lighting as well.

Wow. Yeah, so it's pretty cool.

It's pretty cool. The other thing that was um really astonishing is when we figured out that zoolitrons on the same amount of power as what 57 homes do.

Whoa. Okay.

Yeah, so that's a different perspective on things. But yeah. Shout out to Evergy.

I was gonna say it makes sense that Evergy is the one kind of sponsoring. Yeah, use more electric. Sounds great. That's right.

But we do use LED lights, they're commercial grades, so they're actually even more energy efficient than what you would go and buy at Walmart or somewhere.

So it's not a Christmas vacation situation. Oh, not at all. Placing one bulb at a time. Not at all. He's got like 87 plugs and one power strip. Yes.

Yes, no, we do not do that. So and Torgeston Electric is one of our partners, and they really do help us with upgrading our power at this time of year for us. Interesting. Yeah. It makes sense. Yeah.

Like upgrading your breaker boxes and stuff. Exactly. Yeah.

So we have all these what we call, I think they're called like little turtles around the zoo, and they're just a little uh electrical breaker box. It's like mobile. Yeah, that's at the end of each season.

So that's man, it is interesting. I I doubt most people think about like as the zoo is normally, you don't have enough like outlets and power and stuff. Like, how do you handle that? Right. Wow, that makes sense. That's wild.

Yeah. So we start wrapping trees um, usually in about August, end of July, 1st of August. Oh. Uh we had about 200 uh uh employee volunteers uh from corporations like whatever G, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Advisors Excel, all these type of employees came out and volunteered for us. Wow. We were part of the Nancy Day uh Nancy Perry Day of Giving. Uh they had a um group of about 80 employees or 80 volunteers that came out and helped us that day.

Wow. Yeah. And they're just installing stuff, setting things up. Yes.

Uh testing lights, wrapping frames, uh wrapping trees.

Yeah. Is it purely volunteer driven? Like who is there someone who has to like actually make sure everything is set up well that's like paid on staff?

Yes, we do have a zoo lights manager and cool and uh he actually is a team of two. Um we worked with Squeegee Squad this year. They actually helped us in the design of holidays around the world, and they also helped with installation this year.

So that's because of Squeegee Squad. Do they have like the extendable squeegeees? Is that what they're using?

So no, that's not what they used. But we so RS Maintenance is another partner. Okay, and they provided um hydraulic lifts.

Whoa.

Hydraulic lifts for several weeks. Wow, several months, I probably should say. Wow. So that was a real help for Squeegee Squad. So these are real like teams. It's a very community-oriented event. We have so many community partners that help us. I I bet we had probably 60 partners, businesses in the community that have helped us throughout the year. Wow. Either in-kind or monetary.

That is it's interesting because just as a as someone who has no idea how the process actually works, you know, just someone who attends and you know appreciates the event, I my assumption was like, oh, they maybe hire some seasonal workers, and then all these sponsors are financial partners and they're not actually involved. But it sounds like a lot of them are very physically involved.

Very physically involved.

Setting things up, donating equipment, right. Helping, you know, setting up electrical boxes. Like it's very involved. Yes, it is, it is.

We couldn't do it without the community.

Yeah.

That's for sure. So uh Dan Chavez uh with Chavez Restoration, he's the one that helps us with all of our sounds, uh, our music. He brings us about 50 speakers that um that I don't know if he owns or is part of his business or something. Um, but he sets that all up and helps us um with gauging the music on how loud. Oh, and when you walk through this year, um, because it is holidays around the world, we have different um countries represented this year. So we as you walk from country to country, the music changes to represent those countries. So he was a big help in getting it.

I feel like having the community help you guys set this up and run it or get it going. That's probably a great way to get more people in the door. You know, if I was a part of setting up those lights, it's like I want to show my kids I put that. That was right. Yes.

Or if you run a company, you're like, all my employees better be going, you know, like we're we're getting this thing popular.

Yeah.

So well, we do have several companies as that actually rent the zoo out for zoo lights and bring their bring their um employees and families in so they can have a nice night at zoo lights.

So you start setting up in August. That's when you start wrapping trees. That's great. That is wild.

So then it ends in December. Uh-huh. We take it down in February or January and February. Uh-huh. Then in March, the design starts.

Yeah.

Design for the next year starts. Who's doing that? Uh our zoo lights team and and some of our other staff members. You know, we kind of brainstorm some ideas, figure out what might be the right um theme for the next year. Wow. Then there's a uh a conference called uh Trans World Christmas that takes place in St. Louis, and it's all about Christmas decorations and Christmas lights and themes and displays. So our team goes there and tries to get some new ideas, maybe buys one or two frames from there. And sometimes we just they come home with ideas, we get the frames designed, and then we send them over to Ernest Spencer, and they kindly make his new frames. Wow.

Here's what I want to know. The team of two that is the zoo lights, they are talking, thinking, and working on Christmas 12 months out of the year. Oh, yeah long. Oh, yeah. Do they hate Christmas? Do you think that's a good one? That's what I was wondering.

Nope, they don't. At least not yet. At least not yet.

They're like maybe fairly well fair.

Like, Christmas is amazing.

Yeah, because I'm trying to know what it would be like to go to a Christmas conference in the middle of the summer. It's like it's just weird. Yeah. But that's cool.

Well, it's kind of like the question I think we've probably asked it on here. I'm always curious, like, you know, uh, does a five-star chef who's paid to make five-star meals go home and make himself a five-star meal, or does he make microwave mac and cheese? You know, like does he love food that much? Right. Or is he exhausted from it, like, man, never bring that up at home, you know? But it sounds like they love Christmas so much. On their day off, they're thinking about Christmas still.

I think they are.

So that's pretty awesome.

Yeah. Uh I actually not doesn't have to do with Zulas, but I for the first time just went to the is it the K McFarland. Japanese Garden. Japanese Garden. Yes. And uh, we had an event there, and so we were had we had dinner in the uh the event center of it, the venue of it. Uh-huh. That is a nice place. Well, thank you. And I heard it's pretty affordable to rent, too. It is, yes. That's something that everyone, for any small uh event you might have bridal showers or even weddings. We have weddings there.

Yes, yes.

Like that's a really nice venue.

Some people actually get married out by the pond on the patio area, and then have the reception inside the venue, have the band and the dance floor and everything in there.

We had an event there, and then part of the event was they bought tickets for zoolites for all of us, so we got to go and walk right after. It was really cool.

Yeah.

That's awesome.

And we do have a lot of businesses that do that. Yeah.

That is very cool. Yeah. So that's amazing. It is. So I gotta imagine as the partnership development person at the zoo, you do you have a big role in developing all the partnerships for Zoolites specifically as well?

Uh there's several of us that i is we're kind of a team. Okay. Um you know, Fawn, who's our chief operations officer, she's she works with a lot of the uh contractors, you know, the the Torques and Electric or the KBS constructors, those types of contractors where I work with maybe like the banks and the caterers and the hotels and businesses like that. So there's a team of us, um, and we kind of tag a team and and get all those sponsorships in.

That's cool. Well it sounds like you guys are doing a very great job. Well, thank you.

Yeah, we're we're very pleased. We're really excited about this year. Um attendance has been gr great so far. Um I know we're gonna get a little a little more busy as we get closer to Christmas, of course. Right. Um we do have Wild Wednesdays, which is a nine dollar promotion. So on Wednesdays, everybody gets in for a child's price. Okay. Yeah. Okay. The other thing that hasn't been um we haven't promoted it very well this year is our museums for all. It's a program, um it's a re significantly reduced admission for people that have an uh EBT benefits or SNAP benefits. They can get in for three dollars a person on their immediate family.

Oh, that's cool.

So we're trying to make it accessible for all of the communities. So those are two promotions tonight. Um we've got Chester Cheetah coming with Free Dole Lay. They're gonna be handing out products and taking pictures with your Chester. That's awesome. Um let's see. Uh on the Christmas night, we'll have two dollars off on Christmas night so families can come.

You guys are open on Christmas night.

Wow.

Is it kind of just as far as busyness, just kind of ramp up to Christmas and slow down?

Or well, we're only open for about a week after Christmas. Okay, so we close December 31st.

Um yeah, so as you're open on the 31st is the last day. We are okay.

We are, yes. And then you can go to Zoo Lights, and then at 6 o'clock, you can go to our New Year's Eve party. So we have what's called a toast at 10 on New Year's Eve.

And I thought there's a billboard for that. Yes, there is on Gauge, May 21st.

Yes.

Yeah.

So you'll get a plated dinner, you'll get complimentary drinks, m music to dance, um, there's a silent auction, and then at 10 o'clock you get a champagne toast. Fine. So then you can go home. Because even the wild ones will celebrate early and go home.

So I've been going. Into Zoolites every year for the past six years. We always go. And I remember going the first year thinking, this is awesome. This is so cool. I can't wait to do this every year. But you guys add something every single year, it feels like you're always making it better. And I, in my mind, as I went this year, I'm like, I don't know how what they're gonna do next year. This is this is it. This is the top.

Well, and that's what I'm worried about this year because I feel like we've kind of outdone ourselves this year with holidays around the world. So how are we gonna top that?

Do you guys have like a hey, at the tenure mark, we you know, we can't do it next year, but you know, one year we want to do this, or do you have goals, or is it just each year?

I haven't worked quite to that yet. So I bet somebody in the back of their mind has something planned for a tenure.

You know what that is? That's a PR answer. She's she's saying she can't tell us. Yeah. She's got some things up her sleeve.

Yeah. Never know. Never know. That's amazing. Yeah.

Wow. Yeah, I was wondering if I I gotta imagine if I was on a two-person team planning a fairly Topeka famous event uh or season, the amount of pressure that you'd be under all year and be like, we got a top last year's.

Yes, but they they are already talking about what they're thinking for next year. Wow. They're they're already that far ahead of themselves. Yeah.

This I feel like this should be a Christmas movie. Like, you know, like like uh I mean basically it should be like a new version of Elf. You know, you have like the the person who runs Zoolights is the main character, and then like around the year, they're like going to like I just feel like it would be so funny, like going to Christmas conferences in July and would be interesting. You know, things like that, and be like, oh man, we're gonna do this. It could be like a parks and rec like show, you know.

Yep.

That would be amazing. That would be funny too. Yeah. That's awesome.

Is there anything that over the the years of zoo lights that maybe didn't go as well as you were hoping that you maybe took out, changed, evolved? Because from a consumer standpoint, someone who walks, it's like, this is awesome. But maybe there's things behind the scenes that made it challenging.

Oh, that's a good question. Um, you know, the one thing that's been a challenge, we've tried to have reindeer available.

I was thinking about asking about that, yeah.

The reindeer, uh, we had them for a couple years, but we have to bring them from another state. That's who we contract with. So when it comes across straight state lines, there's a little there's some permits and things that we have to do. Yeah. Oh, interesting. Yeah. And then the last time that we tried to have a reindeer, the reindeer, the driver got into an accident. So they couldn't they couldn't get the reindeer here, so they had to turn around and take it back home. So we were without a reindeer. So that was probably the one wonky little thing that's kind of special because a lot of people have never been around a reindeer.

Was it the first year that you had it?

No, I w it was well, it would have been 20 23 is when we when it didn't make it here.

Okay. So 22 and 20.

So 22 and 21, I think, is when we did have the reindeer.

So I remember seeing them. They were over like by the Up north, yeah, exactly.

Yeah, by the Kansas carnivores.

Yeah, you walk in and turn left. And it was over there. Yeah. Exactly. And then the next year, yeah.

And then the next year we had him uh over by the old giraffe area. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, and then of course Santa needs them. Oh yes, Santa needs them up.

Well, let's talk about Santa's forest. So this is Oh, that like workshop area. Dude, that part's sweet. Well, so we have him in Big Gauge Shelter House now. He used to be up in the village area. We've moved him into the Big Gauge shelter house.

Which is right in the entrance.

Yes. Well well, right past our cafe building. Uh-huh. Yeah. And we have a board member who works with his wife and his father-in-law, and they design what that what that big gauge is going to look like. And it it's we call it Santos Forest, but it really is more kind of like a workshop. But they go so elaborate. His wife designs it, he and his dad build it, they all come out and decorate it. That's so cool. She works up, I think, at Royal Valley, and she brings a class down, one of the high school classes down, and they put in some volunteer time as well. Yeah. It's just another piece of the community that's you know coming together to help us make it outstanding. And in Big Gate Shelter House at Santa's Forest, there are about four different photo opportunities. So families can come in, get their pictures with their kids and walk around this there and see Santa and Santa and Mrs. Claus, they've been the same couple that we've had now since the beginning. They live over in the Missouri area and come over here for the month and just enjoy working with us.

I can imagine just like coordinating all of these different things would take so much time. Yeah, like coordinating Santa, coordinating uh, you know, the reindeer when you were doing that. Like all of the random things that are being. Right.

Well, and renting the the igloos, and then people that rent the igloos want add-on food. So, you know, we have to, and then we have a concierge, so we have employees that are actually bringing the food and drinks out to you. And yes, there's a lot of moving parts. Wow.

So how do you think when it comes to zoo lights though, did you really go to zoo lights if you didn't take a picture with the naughty or nice sign?

It wouldn't be the same.

It wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be the same. I'm trying to remember where that one is.

Oh, come on, John. Remember there's like the big joy one by the lake. Cynthia knows what I'm talking about.

No, I know exactly what you're talking about.

It's up by the bears. The bears.

There's uh little sign and it's a lights, uh it's like green, it says nice, naughty, it says in the bears. Yes, and couples always take the picture, you know, ones on each side. Come on, John. Yeah.

So we have a lot of different photo ops too out there. So we've got the naughty and nice sign, we've got the mistletoe sign where you can kiss your partner underneath the mistletoe. We have a snow globe um over by the pronghorns, and it's it's we really did it up nice. Uh there's uh bat wings, there's angel wings, there's peacock. I remember those the wings. Uh just a million things.

I love the uh the rainforest. Yeah, the the forest one.

Uh you're talking about the uh the rainbow tunnel. Yes. With the chasing lights. Yeah, that one's awesome.

So amazing.

That is a fan favorite. That has not changed the beginning. Yes.

Oh, and one of the things that I gotta imagine that's really helps with zoolites is it's so Instagrammable. Everyone wants to post about being at Zoolights. Yes. It's so like photo worthy. It's so great.

And we have a hashtag this year, and it's we have it uh on a sign everywhere we walk around. So hopefully people will use that hashtag so that we can kind of follow them and see who's posting. So that's always fun.

I love it. A million lights.

Over a million lights. Twenty-eight miles of trees, poles, and pathways.

That is crazy. That's wild. And uh 27 of those are in the tunnel.

Well, actually, three are in the tunnel. Wow, that's three miles or three miles or lights are in the tunnel.

That's cool. I'm gonna definitely tell my kids that as we're in the tunnel. Do you have a favorite local restaurant in Topeka?

Ooh, uh, that's a tough one. There's so many good ones. No, I know. I don't really have a favorite because I like to go to all of them. Okay.

Coffee shop. You have a coffee shop you like to go to?

Uh milk and honey.

Milk and honey. That's a crazy one. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you live out southeast? I do. That'll be a good one.

Yeah, and I know the owner out there and his daughter is a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a Darlene's great.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, my wife loves to go in there. It's Chris and Darlene, I think. Maybe just Chris now. Chris now. Perfect. Here's a rapid fire. Favorite animal in the zoo. What's your favorite exhibit?

The giraffes.

Yeah?

One.

Yep.

Uh the golden lion tamrins, two.

Yep.

And the hippo three.

Yes. Not even the tigers.

Yeah, they're up there, but uh these other three.

Oh, I guess the top five, not top three. Yeah, yeah. Uh go to date night in Topeka. What are you doing?

In the summer, I'd be going down to Evergy Plaza. There's always something fun going on. Yeah. Uh during the winter, I'm kind of a homebody. Yeah. I'm not a cold weather fan.

Yeah. Dude, there's nothing like putting on a fire in a fireplace when it's cold outside.

Especially after getting home from the zoolites where your toes are all frozen. That's exactly right.

That'll be eclipped as our uh promo for the zoo lights.

Menards Lowe's Home Depot. Menards.

Dang, dude, the Menards recently has been crazy. I knew I liked her. What is it with the Menards trade? The last like three months has been crazy.

Okay, so it's about the rebates.

Yeah, 11%.

You use the rebates. I use the rebates. So I save all my little rebate checks. And on Black Friday, I take my rebate checks and go buy my dog's toys on Black Friday. Yes. Oh, interesting. That's actually kind of smart.

Do you do the rebates? If the project's maybe over if the tickets are over 100 bucks.

I do them at any level. Because they all add up. They do. Yeah. Yeah.

And do they expire? So like you can just cash them all in at once? Yeah. We bought a bunch of flooring there. It was, you know, several thousand bucks.

Oh, yeah.

Mailed in the rebate, got a $300 you know ticket back. Yeah, a check back. It was awesome. Right. How many potholes did you hit on the way here?

Too many too many to count. Too many to count.

You know, we had uh Dan Garrett on with the City of Topeka. He's the media relations guy. He says they fill 650 potholes a week. Wow. Which doesn't feel like it, but it's they're working. It's crazy.

But there's just so many.

There's so many. It makes you think Topeka is bigger than it feels sometimes. Yeah. Like how many roads there are, you know, that makes it a little bit more.

Yeah, Topeka's pretty small. It really is pretty small. Yeah.

Yeah. Uh well, okay, last question. Where can people find you or the zoo at social media? Uh if people want to buy tickets, do they do it there?

How can they uh so they can go online at Topekazoo.org. They can come see us at 635 Southwest Gage, which is basically Zoo Boulevard inside of um Gage Park. So um and then social media. You know, they we've got Facebook, we've got Instagram, we've got TikTok. Great.

And they can buy tickets at the door if they show up.

They can buy tickets at the door as well.

What do those run for adults and kids?

So uh they are $15 for adults, nine dollars for kids, nine dollars for seniors, two and under are free.

That's awesome. I do have one question I meant to ask with the uh the favorite animal. Do you have a favorite light display at Zoo Lights right now?

Ooh, that's a good one.

Or one that you're excited for people to experience this year.

I always like the the Chinese dragon. Yeah, I like the Chinese dragon. Um oh, I know what's a new one is we have the ugly sweaters that you can go up there and you can put your head in there and take pictures. That's awesome. So yeah, I think there's three or four ugly sweaters right in a row that family can go up there and get their picture taken.

Cynthia, thank you so much for your time. This has been a joy. Everyone, uh go visit the zoo lights.