Reading of birth of Christ scriptures in the works for LPZ
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Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue is busy during the Christmas holiday season. The nonprofit rescue provides animals for live nativities on a daily basis — which helps pay for food for the animals during the months when the zoo and rescue are shut- tered for the winter. Last week, a crew took a cast of furry characters to the Episcopal School of Knoxville to be in the school’s Christmas program. - Ken Leinart
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The animals stole the show — especially the camel (who seemed to love having his photo taken). Along with the camel and donkey (pictured at left), Little Ponderosa also brought sheep, goats, and a miniature cow — all content to graze while the program went on — except for one sheep, who picked the most-opportune time to let out a bleat. - Ken Leinart
Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank reached out to Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue last week and asked about having a reading of the birth of Christ from the Bible (Luke and Matthew) at the zoo.
Founder and owner James Cox was, of course, happy to not only oblige, but according to the mayor’s Facebook post, willing to make the reading bigger and better with a full nativity scene.
Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue is an old hand at providing the furry cast of characters for live nativities. Last week at the Episcopal School of Knoxville, Little Ponderosa provided the animals for its Christmas program, which featured a live nativity.
One of the staffers with the zoo said that from “right after Thanksgiving until Christmas Day” the zoo and rescue is “swamped” with requests to provide animals for live nativities.
Frank is still working out details for the reading, but as of now, it’s scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Dec. 22. The event will be live-streamed and Frank said organizers are working to get it on the radio, as well.
Lily Vandagriff, a student from Anderson County High School, will sing “Silent Night.”
After the reading, the gate at Little Ponderosa will be opened for a drive-through viewing.
Cox has expanded the footprint of the drive through viewing, so he’ll be using the parking area, too. Folks will drive in at the normal entrance and then exit from the lower parking lot.
As it will be dark, and parking for visitors would have to be across the street in the field, there are some safety concerns as far as the reading is concerned that need to be worked out.
The mayor also noted it would be nice of folks to chip in and sponsor an animal for the scene. She believes it would be “a lovely gesture to this 501c3 to keep the animals fed and healthy. Little Ponderosa is not just a zoo, it is a rescue, too.”