Making a Difference Every Day
• Offering comprehensive , high quality
short-term care for patients following a hospital
stay
• Dedicated to meeting the individual care
needs and assuring the best quality of life for our long term residents
• Bringing a special blend of expertise and compassion to support residents and their families dealing with Alzheimer ' s disease and related dementia disorders
• Five Star Rated by CMS
( On the campus of Rhode Island Hospital )
100 Borden Street , Providence , RI | 401.454.7970 | steerehouse . org breeding on hold ,” he says . “ Being on a tight budget has made us cut back conservation efforts we support around the world . Conservation is still such an important part of our mission , though , so we can ’ t give up on it . I just can ’ t wait to get it back up to where it should be .”
While Roger the Red Panda , the zoo ’ s mascot , might not be making appearances at events or meet and greets any time soon , endangered species like his real-life counterpart , both at the zoo and outside of it , still need help .
“ Our emergency fund to date is close to the $ 400,000 mark . And people have been happy to come back once we reopened . We ’ ve gotten a lot of support ,” Goodman says . “ But I think many have also felt , ‘ The zoo ’ s open now , they ’ re fine .’ We still need a lot of help , whether through donations or continuing to visit . There ’ s some scary numbers out there that say anywhere from a third to a half of cultural institutions like zoos and museums might shut down permanently .”
It is scary to think of the zoo ever shutting down permanently . Coming up on its 150 th anniversary in 2022 , the zoo has served generations of Rhode Islanders . Who around these parts can say they don ’ t have a picture with the centennial dog statue or a fond memory from a class trip ? The zoo is ingrained in our community . Besides being a great recreational facility , it ’ s an instrument for state conservation and environmental education . It ’ s also a regular host of blood drives , coat drives and food drives as well as Dream Night for critically ill patients at Hasbro Children ’ s Hospital .
“ This isn ’ t my zoo , it ’ s the people ’ s zoo ,” says Goodman . “ Our staff never missed a beat and our animals did not get one ounce less of care . We did not let up on our animal welfare or veterinary care or husbandry . That was all maintained at our normal , incredibly high standards . And that ’ s a testament to the staff and how hard they were working despite all the circumstances .”
Fugate , for his part , says keepers care about the animals , so of course , they show up .
As I turn to leave , Fugate is lightheartedly scolding the alpacas for getting in the way of his rake , and Willie is happily munching away on a carrot . The giggles of children as they watch the goats make me smile beneath my mask . �
142 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JANUARY 2021