Leo Fund
WELCOME TO LION COUNTRY!
You can view the habitat on our Internet cam at web
address http://lioncam.una.edu
As hard as it is to believe, UNA has just celebrated the third birthday of Leo III and Una. We still continue the legacy of
celebrating the birthday of our reigning King and Queen of Lion
Country on April 14 (the official birthday of Leo I) by inviting the
University faculty, staff, and students, along with the community,
and especially Kilby Laboratory School, to celebrate with us. However, that doesn't stop us from
recognizing this magnificent brother-sister pair on their real
birthday in November by giving them new toys and special new bones.
Leo weighs in at a regal 530
pounds, while his sister weighs in at a slim 350-plus pounds.
They still enjoy watching the hundreds of visitors who come by
weekly, playing with their plastic balls and 55-gallon drums, and
indulging in the occasional family feud. Leo III surprised all
of us Thanksgiving weekend 2004 when he decided to take a dip in the pool
in 30-degree weather. He swam from end to end with a huge truck tire
in his mouth while Una supervised from the sidelines. Una has
now joined her brother in water games and they can often be seen
playing the lion kingdom's version of water polo.
Each lion eats about eight pounds of
food a day, and each receives fresh bones twice a week.
Because all monies for the support of the George H. Carroll Lion
Habitat and lion upkeep must be privately raised, we are always
looking for new ideas for fund-raising. We held our first Lion Pride Golf
Tournament in May of 2005 and raised over $2,500 to support the
lions and the Habitat. In 2006, we held our first Silent
Auction, Penny Drive, Dollar Drive, and mailed a special
Birthday Letter request to raise money. The combined efforts
of all the 2006 fundraisers netted over $10,000.00!
Leo III's mane is growing thicker and
more beautiful by the day. One
of the interesting facts we have recently learned is that
researchers say the darker the mane on a male lion, the more female
lions he attracts. No wonder Leo III has so many female admirers!
Visiting groups still enjoy the five
pieces of lion literature we make accessible to the public to
enhance the educational aspect of raising live lions on campus.
We
now offer you the option of donating to the Foundation (of which the
Leo Fund is a part) via our web site over the Internet. We
provide a secure web server when you click on our Donate
Online link. You may give with American Express, Discover,
MasterCard or VISA.
Thank
you for becoming a Friend of the Lions.
You
may also mail donations to:
UNA Box 5075
Florence, AL 35632-0001
Donate
Online
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