Our Gala Giveaway Winners learn
they just won the $63K prize
Our Gala Giveaway Winners learn
they just won the $63K prize
they just won the $63K prize
Have you ever seen a jaw hit the floor? Eyes go wide with pure, raw emotion as the shock of a joyous surprise sinks in?
That’s exactly what happened when the Racine Zoological Society found out they were taking home an all-expenses paid gala at Baird Center, valued at $63,000 (watch the video below). The 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the Racine Zoo joined members of the Wisconsin Center District’s executive team on April 3 in the Baird Center Tasting Kitchen for what, they thought, would be a chance to make their case for why they should be chosen as this year’s winner.
Little did they know they were about to be told they would be hosting their dream gala in 2026.
"Southeastern Wisconsin is full of amazing nonprofits that uplift our community, and the Racine Zoological Society is a perfect example,” Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks Marty Brooks said. “They run a world-class zoo and bring conservation education and an appreciation for wildlife to people of all backgrounds. We are thrilled to award them this once-in-a-lifetime gala opportunity."
With event experience front of mind, WCD decided to share the news by putting on a production. Racine Zoological Society Executive Director Beth Heidorn and two of her team members arrived armed to win over our panel of judges: Marty Brooks, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Sarah Maio and Vice President of Sales Megan Seppmann.
Questions centered around previous Zoo galas, the Zoo and how it operates and, as everyone was wondering, what animals typically make appearances at events (spoiler alert: Racine Zoo ambassadors teased a long-tail chinchilla and a prehensile-tailed porcupine might be on the guest list).
“We really want the winner to understand what Experience Obsessed means,” Maio said. “I spent the first part of my career in the nonprofit world. I know firsthand how much impact a gift like this can have on an organization. To be able to give away a prize of this magnitude, it really matters. It’s my favorite moment every year.”
After the 20-minute question-and-answer session with thoughtful answers to each question, a message of congratulations appeared on screen in the Tasting Room announcing the Racine Zoological Society as the winner.
At first, the nonprofit team actually missed the message, forcing the WCD executives to hold back their enthusiasm. After Brooks directed them to “a slide (they) missed,” telling them they had won, Heidorn’s eyes opened as wide as they could in disbelief. When a cake soon entered the room and Seppmann screamed out, “Congratulations!” Heidorn’s jaw hit the floor.
“We were blessed with being Baird Center’s Gala Giveaway winner for 2026,” Heidorn said. “Winning this giveaway means we will be able to reinvest in ourselves, in our new capital campaign, take care of our animals even that much better, take care of our guests even that much better and I’m blown away. I’m just blown away. Thank you so much!”
Specifically, the Racine Zoo said it has two major capital projects in mind: a new veterinarian center and a new education center. The nonprofit’s education team currently serves around 90,000 people inside and outside of the Zoo each year with a classroom the size of the Tasting Room.
“Every nickel counts for us, so this is tremendously huge to be able to reinvest whether it’s new animals, new vet care,” Heidorn said. “It’s a blessing beyond belief.”
This is the reason we do the Gala Giveaway. It’s something that we are uniquely positioned to do to help nonprofits. Beyond giving away an all-expenses-paid gala, the event has also led to record-breaking donations and attendance. For the inaugural contest’s gala held in 2024, the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin raised over $360,000, the most it had ever earned from a gala.
Last year’s winner, First Stage, a Milwaukee theater company and nonprofit, will host its Make Believe Ball on April 19.
Racine Zoological Society is now beginning preparations for its event in 2026. While there can be only one winner each year, the word is out about Baird Center in the nonprofit community. In 2024, there were only a handful of nonprofit galas hosted in the newly opened Baird Ballroom. More than 60 are expected this year.
Charitable organizations looking for great opportunities to host an event at Baird Center should contact Lisa Vincent at LVincent@wcd.org.
That’s exactly what happened when the Racine Zoological Society found out they were taking home an all-expenses paid gala at Baird Center, valued at $63,000 (watch the video below). The 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates the Racine Zoo joined members of the Wisconsin Center District’s executive team on April 3 in the Baird Center Tasting Kitchen for what, they thought, would be a chance to make their case for why they should be chosen as this year’s winner.
Little did they know they were about to be told they would be hosting their dream gala in 2026.
"Southeastern Wisconsin is full of amazing nonprofits that uplift our community, and the Racine Zoological Society is a perfect example,” Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks Marty Brooks said. “They run a world-class zoo and bring conservation education and an appreciation for wildlife to people of all backgrounds. We are thrilled to award them this once-in-a-lifetime gala opportunity."
With event experience front of mind, WCD decided to share the news by putting on a production. Racine Zoological Society Executive Director Beth Heidorn and two of her team members arrived armed to win over our panel of judges: Marty Brooks, Vice President of Marketing and Communications Sarah Maio and Vice President of Sales Megan Seppmann.
Questions centered around previous Zoo galas, the Zoo and how it operates and, as everyone was wondering, what animals typically make appearances at events (spoiler alert: Racine Zoo ambassadors teased a long-tail chinchilla and a prehensile-tailed porcupine might be on the guest list).
“We really want the winner to understand what Experience Obsessed means,” Maio said. “I spent the first part of my career in the nonprofit world. I know firsthand how much impact a gift like this can have on an organization. To be able to give away a prize of this magnitude, it really matters. It’s my favorite moment every year.”
After the 20-minute question-and-answer session with thoughtful answers to each question, a message of congratulations appeared on screen in the Tasting Room announcing the Racine Zoological Society as the winner.
At first, the nonprofit team actually missed the message, forcing the WCD executives to hold back their enthusiasm. After Brooks directed them to “a slide (they) missed,” telling them they had won, Heidorn’s eyes opened as wide as they could in disbelief. When a cake soon entered the room and Seppmann screamed out, “Congratulations!” Heidorn’s jaw hit the floor.
“We were blessed with being Baird Center’s Gala Giveaway winner for 2026,” Heidorn said. “Winning this giveaway means we will be able to reinvest in ourselves, in our new capital campaign, take care of our animals even that much better, take care of our guests even that much better and I’m blown away. I’m just blown away. Thank you so much!”
Specifically, the Racine Zoo said it has two major capital projects in mind: a new veterinarian center and a new education center. The nonprofit’s education team currently serves around 90,000 people inside and outside of the Zoo each year with a classroom the size of the Tasting Room.
“Every nickel counts for us, so this is tremendously huge to be able to reinvest whether it’s new animals, new vet care,” Heidorn said. “It’s a blessing beyond belief.”
This is the reason we do the Gala Giveaway. It’s something that we are uniquely positioned to do to help nonprofits. Beyond giving away an all-expenses-paid gala, the event has also led to record-breaking donations and attendance. For the inaugural contest’s gala held in 2024, the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin raised over $360,000, the most it had ever earned from a gala.
Last year’s winner, First Stage, a Milwaukee theater company and nonprofit, will host its Make Believe Ball on April 19.
Racine Zoological Society is now beginning preparations for its event in 2026. While there can be only one winner each year, the word is out about Baird Center in the nonprofit community. In 2024, there were only a handful of nonprofit galas hosted in the newly opened Baird Ballroom. More than 60 are expected this year.
Charitable organizations looking for great opportunities to host an event at Baird Center should contact Lisa Vincent at LVincent@wcd.org.