It turned out that 11-year-old Hannah Dixon, of Lansdale, Pa., wanted to have a real hands-on experience, not simply a tour or a public relations event.

So for one weekend in early December, Dixon worked alongside Young. And her parents and two brothers also got in a trip to Bright Nights at Forest Park and the Magic Wings butterfly conservatory in South Deerfield.

Since 1980, the national Make-A-Wish Foundation has worked to grant wishes to give hope, strength and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Dixon, speaking recently from her home, said, "I really, really enjoyed it. It's like the best thing I ever did in my whole entire life."

Young said that when a foundation representative asked him about having Dixon come here, he thought, "Why do you want to come to my little 5-acre menagerie?"

But the larger zoos contacted had not been able to offer the kind of experience Dixon wanted and her family found out about the Junior Zookeepers program here. Young said Alison Summers, director of education, took part in the visit by Dixon.

"I really wanted to make it worth her while," Young said. "I was really nervous. I just wanted to make it a pleasant experience."

Young, who has been at the zoo for nearly 30 years, said he has developed a close relationship with his animals.

"When I go walking around I get a reaction from everybody and she enjoyed that," he said.

They played with some animals, and then Young brought the family to Trigellis Fiber Farm in Hawley, where the zoo's camels winter. They had a tour of the working farm.

On Sunday it was more zoo work, feeding animals and visiting the new young kangaroo, Baby Joey.

"She laughed an awful lot with the busy babies," Young said. "Gizmo the bush baby jumped on her dad's head and kind of gave him a wet willy. I think she liked everyone but she was pretty much found of Gizmo."

The lesser galago, also called bush baby, is one of the smallest primates, about the size of a squirrel. Despite its size, it is exceptionally vocal, producing loud, shrill cries surprisingly like those of a human baby.

Dixon said that when she grows up she wants to work with animals at a zoo or as a veterinarian. Her family has three rabbits, two of whom are brothers that were rescued and one is a retired "class pet" from school.

Dixon said that working with Young feeding the animals, looking at the kangaroo baby, playing with the bush baby, was unforgettable.

Young got an e-mail from Dixon that began, "Hi John and your family at the forest park zoo. Thank You SSSOOO Much! In My eye you are my Hero! You made my wish come true."

She said that her mother and she want to make a scrapbook for the pictures from her visit, "so I can always remember them, you, the zoo, and all the animals."

Hannah Dixon, of Lansdale, Pa., helped out at Forest Park Zoo as part of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.



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