“You just tell the story, “like you try to tell a story, “and you tell him what we’re doing at the zoo, “and then we’ll talk, take over from there.” Every year, I take six couples to Rwanda, where we have a little house there, right near the mountain gorillas. Read More
Oh, (laughs), yes. It’s sad, you know. I don’t mean sad, that’s not fair. Read More
Yes, it’s been real easy to get audience, but you know something?… Read More
That a lot of people should have audiences. In my opinion, the zoo profession, as far as the CEOs, directors, whatever you want to call them or, or philanthropy people like we have three of them here that take care of the zoo. Well you know, we started out only… Read More
Remember that whoever’s watching this. All great causes. The animals are great causes. Everything is a great cause. But people give to people, not causes. I will not say I again. Not because he gave to me, he was giving to the Mel Dodge. Mr. McConnell, I think at that… Read More
“That’s why I like the zoo, Jack.” So anyway, people give to people, not causes. I always remembered that. So now I approach people, not the cause. Read More
Do you find it now easier for you to get an audience with people?… Read More
“I’ve already given almost a million dollars “to build your new Africa. “You didn’t even know that, did you?” I said, “No sir, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it. “I just got here.” “Well, that’s what it’s about. “I gave to Mel Dodge because Mel Dodge, “I know he’ll take… Read More
“Well, like he’s done for the last 30 years for this city.” And you know what?… Read More
“Why do I do, why do I help people?… Read More
“Why buy what you don’t even notice?… Read More
So I, I don’t, to this day, you know, the one thing is very important. Whoever’s watching this by the way. It’s what I learned from John Galbreath, the owner of Pittsburgh Pirates that lived here, big, huge family company, whatever. I went to him at 80-something years old, that… Read More
I’d heard about him. Didn’t ask Mr. Dodge, I should’ve asked him. But I went to sit in his office. I said, told him about the zoo, and everything. I said, “I’m gonna try and build Africa.” He said, “Let me tell you something, young man.” Never got this, forgot… Read More
“There are people all over the place that need help. Read More
What am I gonna to do?… Read More
I go, “I know what I’m gonna do, “I’m gonna put a chimpanzee out there first. “‘Cause I know if they get out, “the gorillas can get out probably. “But if the chimpanzee can’t get out, nothing can get out.” “That is excellent, Jack. “You know, I’m gonna help you. Read More
“Can you drive a tractor trailer truck?” “I don’t know, but a guy works for me can drive it.” Here we come up there. Our own staff built those things. Those gorillas came out. Attendance went up that summer 175,000 people. That’s what Mr. McConnell did for me. That was… Read More
I’ve told the story. I told the story about that Central Florida Zoo. When I got to Columbus, I could tell the story, what we have up here on the water, the potential here with all these farms we could get. We could get, now we have 600 acres, not… Read More
And I’ll just leave that one example. I went there, I read about him. I went in his office. I said, “Mr. McConnell, “we have the world’s first gorilla born here. “What you, well, that was your big job.” I said, “We have like generations of gorillas, and every, they’re… Read More
I never even seen the gorilla and I got this zoo. He looks at me and he goes, “How do you know the gorillas “won’t get out?” Like that. I go to myself, crap. Read More