Given the large amount of donated items and the nearly full room of bidders, it is no surprise that the 2026 Emporia Friends of the Zoo Roundup Auction managed to net $131,500 for the David Traylor Zoo.
The annual auction was once again held at the Lyon County Fairgrounds Anderson Building Friday evening, featuring food, drinks, community and more than 100 combined live and silent donated items on the auction block. David Traylor Zoo Director Brenda Young says the amount of support that is shown for the event each year is “mind-boggling” and something she has never seen before coming to Emporia.
Young says the turnout and support are vital to continuing the event, which itself is vital to the continued operations and quality the zoo has become known for.
The auction came with a lot of change on the horizon for David Traylor, with auction co-chair John Kretsinger noting the zoo is in the midst of preparing for a new capital campaign, which is currently in its “silent phase.” Full details are not yet ready for public release; however, Young says it is a successor of sorts to the Oasis Capital Campaign, set to bring more changes to the zoo in the coming years.
Kretsinger also couldn’t divulge all of the details of the new campaign, but says it will focus heavily on the new North American River Otter exhibit, among other additions.
For more information on upcoming improvements or details on the upcoming campaign, be sure to find the David Traylor Zoo on Facebook or visit EFOZ.org.
Click here for a YouTube Short from Friday’s auction.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
