- Zoological Society of Milwaukee

July 2007
She Writes of Empathy & Apes
Watching bonobos at the Milwaukee County Zoo and then
writing about their behavior and culture is a bit like poetry,
says Jo Sandin. When you pay attention to the details of
their lives, you see beauty, empathy, drama, rhythm, humor
and kindness. She should know. She spent a couple of years
writing the just-published book “Bonobos: Encounters in
Empathy.” And she has promoted the
book in several recent interviews with
news media and public talks.
Sandin, who retired in 2002 as a
journalist for the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, donated her time and effort
on the book to the Zoological Society
of Milwaukee (ZSM), which is the
publisher of the book along with its
partner, the Foundation for Wildlife
Conservation, Inc. Proceeds from the
book go to help the Zoo’s bonobos
and to support the ZSM’s bonoboconservation projects in Africa, which
are run by ZSM conservation coordinator
Dr. Gay E. Reinartz, who is featured
in the book. As recognition for this
significant donation, Sandin has
been presented with a membership
in the Platypus Society.
Her goal in writing the book, Sandin said, was to show through
intimate descriptions of bonobo life “how paying attention can
inform the kind of thoughtful interaction that makes change and
progress and relationships possible. I want people who read this
to…find wonder in these animals. We learn a lot from primates.”
For example, there’s the story of Brian, a troubled bonobo who
arrived at the Zoo with life-threatening mental health problems.
Barbara Bell, the chief bonobo zookeeper, called in psychiatrist
Harry Prosen for help. Prosen, who is also a Platypus Society
member in thanks for all the volunteer work he has done helping Zoo animals, prescribed a set eating schedule for Brian and
one-on-one interactions with other bonobos. Thanks to patient
zookeeper care following Prosen’s suggestions, over the years
Brian has gained enough confidence and social skills to be a
contender for leader of the group.
Sandin wrote about the Zoo on and off over four decades. She
says: “I had three lives at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel–in
1962, right out of college, in 1964 after marriage, and in 1988
after children. I started in the newsroom and covered the vice
squad, an unusual assignment for a woman at the time.” She also
got to cover the Zoo, which she loved because “everybody likes
to read Zoo stories.” In 1963, she married and left The Journal to
live with her husband in Chicago and work for the Chicago Daily
News. After a year she returned to Milwaukee, where she wrote
for the newspaper’s society pages before
returning to news reporting in 1966.
“I covered the welfare beat,” she says. “I
was the only reporter in the newsroom who
spoke Spanish. So I also covered the political awakening of the Hispanic community,
which is what it was called then. I also
covered Father James Groppi’s marches for
the poor,” including a spinoff welfare march
on Madison. Sandin left the newspaper
when her first child was born in 1971 and
returned in 1988.
In 1997, after the merger of the Milwaukee
Sentinel and Milwaukee Journal in 1995,
she eventually returned to writing about
the Zoo. “I loved the Zoo beat. They’re
such good stories. The nice thing about
Zoo stories is you would get mail and
comments, no matter where the story
ran in the paper. One story that stood
out was the saga of Brian the bonobo.” Sandin wrote about
him both for the newspaper and in “Bonobos: Encounters
in Empathy.” The book is available online through the ZSM
Web site: www.zoosociety.org.
Among the highlights of her career were coverage of Wisconsin’s
role in restoring wild populations of whooping cranes and other
endangered species, dramatic changes in the state’s farming
communities, and the escape and capture of convicted murderer
Lawrencia Bembenek. “Jim Stingl (now a Journal Sentinel columnist), photographer Jack Orton and I chased Laurie Bembenek to
Canada in a snow and hail storm. Our plane landed in Green Bay
because of the weather, and we made a 14-hour drive to Thunder
Bay, Canada,” where Bembenek was living. Sandin wrote a story
that night that ran in the newspaper the next day. In 2002, the
year she retired, Jo Sandin was inducted into the Milwaukee
Press Club’s Hall of Fame.
By Paula Brookmire
PLATYPUS SOCIETY
STEERING COMMITTEE
Robert Anger
Paul Cadorin
Dr. Bert Davis
Richard Glaisner
Mike Grebe
Katherine Hust
Maria Gonzalez Knavel
Joe Kresl
James Kuehn
Daniel F. McKeithan Jr.
James McKenna
Joel Nettesheim
Bernard J. Peck
Joan Prince
John Sapp
Andrew T. Sawyer Jr. (chairman)
Judy Holz Stathas
DEVELOPMENT STAFF
Beth W. Carona
Vice President of Development
Katie Hess
Annual Giving & Events Coordinator
Susan Skibba
Grants Writer
Brooke Fellenz
Development Assistant
NEWSLETTER STAFF
A Welcome to Sha
A beautiful, summerlike evening brought to mind ocean
breezes and eucalyptus tree leaves blowing in the wind
at the May 21 Platypus Society/VIP premiere of two
touring summer exhibits at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
At Sting Ray & Shark Reef, sponsored by Chase, guests
could touch live sharks (nurse sharks and leopard sharks)
and feed smelt fish to two types of sting rays: southern
and cownose. At Koalas! sponsored by AT&T, visitors
were fascinated with the Australian marsupials as the
two koalas, Bamba and Muuri, munched on eucalyptus
leaves. About 250 guests
attended the premiere,
which included music by
the Racine String Quartet
as well as drinks and hors
d’oeuvres. The summer
exhibits run through
Sept. 9, 2007 .
Paula Brookmire
Editor & Writer
Erin Wiltgen
Writer
Cary Piggot
Designer
Richard Brodzeller
Photographer
The Platy Press is a newsletter for
members of the Platypus Society.
The Platypus Society is the highest
level, donor-member-recognition
group in the Zoological Society
of Milwaukee’s network of
support. Members include about
360 area foundations, businesses
and individuals contributing more
than $600,000 annually with in-kind
services and support. The Platy Press
is published four times a year by
the Zoological Society of Milwaukee,
1421 N. Water St., Milwaukee,
WI 53202.
www.zoosociety.org
PlatyPress
AT&T representatives Margie Hutter (right) and Janeen Marie Giorgi smile at Bamba the
koala at the summer exhibit Koalas! sponsored by AT&T. The other koala, Muuri, naps in the
background. Hutter is AT&T senior events manager, and Giorgi is sales and marketing director.
arks, Sting Rays, Koalas
Australia Building supervisor Dawn
Fleuchaus (right) explains to Frank and
Gloria Glowinski that the koala’s best sense
is its sense of smell. The Glowinskis own
Oak Crest Villa in Oak Creek, a corporate
member of the Platypus Society.
Jim Popp of Chase and his wife, Julie, watch a school of sting rays
swim by at the summer exhibit Sting Ray & Shark Reef, sponsored by
Chase. Jim Popp is president of Chase Wisconsin & Minnesota.
Carole Houston
(left) shows her
step-daughter, Mary
Ann Baggs, the sign
in memory of Carole’s
husband, Robert
Earl Houston, in the
Australia Building.
Houston is a patron
Platypus Society
member and a
longtime supporter
of the Zoo.
Watching one of the
Zoo’s two new koalas
are Mike and Nancy
Carter and daughter
Haley, 13 (left).
Mike Carter joined
the Zoological Society
of Milwaukee’s Board
of Directors last fall.
Chase representatives Gwendolyn Dansby (middle)
and Linda Klibowitz (left) with Klibowitz’s niece,
Rachel, reach out to touch a southern sting ray at
the premiere. The ladies and other guests were able
to feed smelt fish to the sting rays.
Zoological Society Development Office
1421 N. Water Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Please remember the Zoological
Society in your will or estate plan.
printed on recycled paper 3474F07
New-Member Profile
Company Name: The Capital Grille
Representative: Leslie Johnson,
Sales and Marketing Manager
(Pictured at right)
Address: 310 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI, 53203
Phone: (414) 223-0600
E-mail: leslie.Johnson@tcgdine.com
Web site: www.thecapitalgrille.com
Our Mission: To provide an exceptional
dining experience in an atmosphere that
is relaxed yet elegant and to meet the
highest expectations in service and food
quality.
Company history: Opened in historic
downtown Milwaukee in July 2006.
Impact on Milwaukee and surrounding
communities: Our goal is to be a good
business citizen and provide Milwaukee with
a quality dining experience. We also feel
it’s important to give back to such a great
community.
Why the company is a member of
the Platypus Society: The Zoological Society
is such a great cause. Going to any of the
events or even a trip to the Milwaukee
County Zoo is never the same. The Zoo and
the Zoological Society support our younger
generation and provide them with knowledge
and experiences they can’t get anywhere else.
And, of course, as a mother (my son, Zachary,
is 2½ years old), I find the educational
aspects very important.
Calendar of Events
At the Zoo through Sept. 9
• Touring summer exhibit: Sting Ray & Shark Reef, sponsored by Chase
• Touring summer exhibit: Koalas! sponsored
by AT&T
Dr. Bert Davis, Zoological Society
CEO, and Board member Karen
Peck Katz view the summer
koala exhibit.
Aug. 16-19
A la Carte at the Zoo,
sponsored by Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel (Zoo open
till 10 p.m. for this food and
music festival)
July 19
Platypus Society Family Picnic
at the Zoo; 6 p.m.
Aug. 16-Aug. 31
Playhouse Raffle 2007, sponsored by Northwestern Mutual
Foundation (kid-size, themed
playhouses displayed & raffled
off at the Zoo)
July 30
18th Annual Birdies & Eagles
Golf Tournament, sponsored
by Miller Brewing Company,
11 a.m. Ozaukee Country Club;
call (414) 258-2333 for details.
Aug. 25, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Animal Safari, sponsored by
Welch’s & Pick ’n Save; Zoo
behind-the-scenes event for
animal sponsors; call Julie B.
for details, (414) 258-2333
Sept. 8 & 9
Family Farm Weekend
at the Zoo, sponsored by
Golden Guernsey Dairy &
the Wisconsin Milk Marketing
Board.
Sept. 16
Ride on the Wild Side
Family Bike Ride, sponsored
by Wheaton Franciscan
Healthcare-Wauwatosa and
The Wisconsin Heart Hospital;
three rides (27 miles, 17 miles
or 2.5 miles) start at the Zoo.
Oct. 4
Platypus Society Annual
Awards Dinner, 6 p.m., Peck
Welcome Center at the Zoo