WINSTON, Ore. (KMTR) -- If you're a fan of elephants and are eager to get into the holiday spirit, the Wildlife Safari in Winston has got a perfect experience planned for you.
Each year the Safari's elephants Alice and George show off their talents and paint Christmas ornaments with their trunks! The keepers use elephant-friendly paint, hold out an ornament and let Alice and George create their masterpieces.
They've sold the ornaments for many years, but this is the first time ever that the Wildlife Safari has offered people the chance to see the artists in action.
"People can come on down to the barn and watch Alice do beautiful works of art," says Stephanie Gallivan, one of the elephant keepers at the Safari. "We're going to do these ornaments that are our holiday special going on right now and [the public will] get a chance to purchase them afterward. We'll also do petting and feeding, which is a great hit."
The encounter is $10 and starts at 12:15 on Saturday, November 24 only. If you're planning to attend, the Safari asks that you check in before noon.
The ornaments are on sale now and will be through the holiday season. They're $15 dollars for a small ornament and $20 for a large one. All of the proceeds both from the ornaments and the special encounte, go straight back to the elephants. The Safari is hoping to expand the elephant exhibit in the coming year, making it much bigger and adding some ponds. This special encounter, along with the ornaments sale, will help make that expansion possible.
