‘We bring the passion.’ Brookfield Zoo relies on hundreds of volunteers to keep things running smoothly

Volunteering at Brookfield Zoo not only keeps you young but can also lead to romance.

The zoo recently celebrated National Volunteer Week by highlighting three of its 400 volunteers.

The first, North Riverside resident Frank Veselak, is 96 and thinking about volunteering when he hits the century mark.

The other two, Susan Martin Miniutti, 74, and John Miniutti, 85, of Oak Brook, met while volunteering at the zoo, fell in love and married last October.

Regi Mezydlo, director of volunteer engagements, said the zoo relies heavily on people like these three to keep things running smoothly.

“We bring the passion,” Mezydlo said. “It’s not just here at the zoo. When volunteers go out to their communities, talking to friends, family, co-workers, they are community conservation advocates for Brookfield Zoo.”

Veselak is a familiar face at Tropic World.

“Everybody adores Frank,” Mezydlo said. “He is our oldest active volunteer. He comes in every Wednesday without fail for a four-hour shift.”

Veselak, who was a top gunner on a B-29 in the Army Air Force in the South Pacific during World War II, said he enjoys meeting people.

“He is constantly cheerful. He is always amiable. He is friendly. He has a wonderful sense of humor,” Mezydlo said.

She’s impressed by his dedication, saying the only time Veselak has missed work was during the height of the pandemic when docents were not needed at the zoo.

Veselak has volunteered for 34 years, ever since he retired after working 41 years at Sears. Wife Marilyn, who used to work part time in the zoo’s education department, suggested he volunteer at the zoo.

“I said I’d give it a try,” he said with a laugh.

Thirty-four years later, he’s still volunteering.

“I like talking to the guests, especially the school groups,” Veselak said. “If I don’t know the answers, I’ll try to find out. The keepers were really helpful and I also learned on the job.”

He enjoys asking children if they know the difference between monkeys and apes. “Monkeys have tails. Apes do not,” he explained.

Children often ask if the animals know him by sight. They don’t. “But they do know the keepers,” he said.

Unlike Veselak, Susan and John Miniutti don’t work in one specific area. They wander the zoo’s 216 acres, answering any and all questions.

They had been guest guides, working in information booths, before they became docents.

“I wanted to learn more about the animals, to talk with people about the animals,” Susan said. “It’s a nine-month process to become a docent. We took classes and followed another docent around for three or four months.”

A self-described “Navy brat,” Susan is retired after working 37 years as a labor delivery nurse at La Grange Hospital.

John, who was born in Los Angeles, moved around the country before landing in Philadelphia.

After he retired from his job in computer sales and marketing for IBM, he moved to Chicago area to be near his daughter.

“I started volunteering here and met this young lady,” he said, nodding toward Susan.

It is the second marriage for both.

Susan began volunteering in 2010, John a year later. They look forward to “going out to talk to people and see what the animals are doing,” Susan said.

For example, nine baby otters were recently born, John noted.

Susan said she often is asked about elephants.

“We haven’t had any elephants here for 10, 11 years,” she said. “The rules have changed. You need a larger facility for elephants.”

John said the question he hears most is about names.

“They always want to know what is the animal’s name,” John said. “The mammals have names. The birds don’t.”

The both smiled when reminded they are still newlyweds, six months into married life.

“It’s a beautiful late in life love story,” Mezydlo said.

“It makes us so happy that not only do we have these wonderful volunteers, not only where they bonded with their love for animals, but they made a life commitment for it as well,” she said.

Brookfield Zoo’s volunteer program began in 1971.

Currently, Brookfield Zoo is not recruiting volunteers, but plans to begin again are expected in spring 2023.

“Usually in normal times we have 500 to 600 adult volunteers,” Mezydlo said. “It’s quite a big operation.”

Volunteers enjoy another special health benefit, and it’s more than the 10,000 steps walked by both Susan and John each Wednesday.

“Our volunteers often tell us that no matter what may be going on in their lives, that may be stressing them, when they walk through the South Gate arches, they feel all the stress melt away and they’re totally relaxed,” Mezydlo said. “It’s wonderful.”