HOHENWALD, Tenn. (July 23, 2003) – The Greater Vancouver Zoo is throwing a farewell party for Tina the elephant, Saturday, July 26, from 9:30am– 4pm. Zoo visitors are invited to bid farewell to Tina and learn more about her new home, The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

The zoo plans to have games for the kids and special events focused around Tina. The Elephant Sanctuary will have a table set up where visitors can get a free copy of TRUNKLINES, the Sanctuary’s newsletter and purchase a Tina farewell T-Shirt. All proceeds from the sale of Tina’s T-Shirt will benefit the Sanctuary to help underwrite the cost of her move.

The Sanctuary has secured two truck drivers for the trip. Tina is scheduled to depart August 8, 2003, and arrive at the Sanctuary August 11. Loyal friends can follow Tina while en-route by viewing her diary which will be up dated continually during her trip.

Upon arrival to the Sanctuary, Tina will be the focus of the EleCam, the Sanctuary’s live Internet camera. Tina’s every move, every emotion and reaction will be broadcast from the Sanctuary’s web site. Her introduction to new keepers and interaction with her new elephant family will be live in the moment, broadcast in real time. The live camera will capture her as she walks out into the habitat and embarks upon her new life of freedom, surrounded by her new elephant family.

The Elephant Sanctuary, located in Hohenwald, Tenn. is the nation’s first natural-habitat refuge developed to meet the needs of endangered Asian elephants. The Sanctuary is a non-profit organization, licensed by the US Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Pictures from the Party.....courtesy of Amy Dean.

Debra Probert, of the Vancouver Humane Society, donated her time to raise funds for Tina's trip by setting up a table at Tina's going away party to hand out Sanctuary newsletters and selling Tina T-shirts created by the Sanctuary. VHS volunteer Ashley Frun and VHS Director Robin Reid are shown below at the T-shirt table.
Ashley Frun	VHS volunteer Ashley Frun and VHS Director Robin Reid
The Vancouver Zoo loves Tina so much that they are granting her Sanctuary for the rest of her life — and they donated 20% of the proceeds from Tina's party, to help pay for the cost of her trip. Shown below are Tina's caring keepers at the party.
Bob and Tina	Dr. Burton and Sylvia with Tina
Jamie and Tina	Sylvia and Tina
A farewell cake and a good-bye card....and many good wishes along the way.
Tina's cake	Tina's Farewell Card
A wishing well