Gregg Dancho Endowed Chair Fund

As we approach the 100th birthday of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, we are pleased to announce a $1 million initiative to grow the Zoo’s endowment. In honor of this important effort, the Zoo’s Board of Directors will create the first endowed chair at the Zoo, The Gregg Dancho Endowed Chair at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo.

Please join me and donate today in honor of Gregg and his dedication and life’s work at the Zoo.

For over 35 years, Gregg has tirelessly served the Zoo with distinction. First joining the Zoo as a community volunteer in 1975, Gregg was named Zoo Director in 1983. Under Gregg’s tenure, notable animal welfare initiatives have been enacted, educational programming and local, national, and international conservation programs have flourished, and the Zoo has become a cultural and recreational resource for Fairfield County and the region. Most critically, the Zoo achieved national accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), an honor only held by 220 zoos and aquariums nationally, and annual visitors have grown from 80,000 people in 1983 to over 300,000 last year.

The establishment of The Gregg Dancho Endowed Chair will both honor Gregg’s tremendous legacy and solidify the long-term sustainability of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Today, the Zoo’s endowment improves and supports animal habitats, enhances guest experiences, supports comprehensive educational and community programming and advances critical work in conservation.

Please donate today to support The Gregg Dancho Endowed Chair at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. Your gift recognizes Gregg Dancho for his lifetime commitment to the care of animals.