Kelli Bello has received a lovely surprise in the mail.
Bello was the woman who purchased an Aksarben ball gown at an estate sale of Mary (Donahoo) Seina and donated it to the Durham Museum.
Bello received a photo of Seina wearing the dress for the 1961 ball from Seina’s best friend Linda Andersen, who was also a princess that year.
“What a thrill to receive this tactile evidence of Mary Seina looking so stunning in her gown, the final puzzle piece. She was glowing,” Bello said. “Holding the photo made these women come alive for me: both Mary Seina and Ann Lowe.”
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Lowe was the woman who designed the dresses.
Zoo announces summer lineup
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium has announced its lineup of experiences for the 2024 summer season.
From the reimagined Hubbard Orangutan Forest to the return of Late Nights at the Zoo, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at the No. 1 zoo in the nation.
The newly reimagined Hubbard Orangutan Forest opens to the public on June 14. The enhanced and expanded exhibit promises an immersive experience, allowing guests to see primates in an environment that resembles their natural habitat. The expansion will include an all-new indoor and outdoor siamang exhibit, the updated elevator building and plaza that connects Hubbard Orangutan Forest to Hubbard Gorilla Valley, a café, walkway and seating area.
Late Nights at the Zoo is back and bigger than ever on select Thursdays this summer. The sips, bites and wild sights begin May 30. There will be more food trucks, themed nights and live local bands.
When you purchase a Wildlife Safari Park and Zoo combo membership, experience the coolest adventure in town: Ice Age Adventure. Thirty eight prehistoric animals from the Ice Age will come to life in this interactive drive-through addition at the Wildlife Safari Park.
Black calf born at Crane Trust
A rare black calf has joined the bison herd at the Crane Trust.
Normally, bison calves are born as cinnamons.
“We added a couple of bulls from Caprock Canyon’s herd a few years ago, and they have a recessive gene that sometimes produces a black calf,” the trust’s Matt Fong said.
No More Empty Pots holds competition
No More Empty Pots and Midwest Dairy have partnered to offer a Pitch Competition to advance local entrepreneurship, foster innovation in product development and contribute to the growth of the local dairy industry.
Food entrepreneurs in Omaha whose menu includes dairy products are encouraged to participate for a chance to earn funding that enhances and grows their business ventures.
“Midwest Dairy is proud to embark on a new partnership with No More Empty Pots to offer this Pitch Competition. The Pitch Competition is not a new concept to Midwest Dairy as we have seen success in this idea before,” said Mitch Schulte, vice president of ag affairs. “We are eager to experience the outstanding food and beverage entrepreneurs in the Omaha area who truly value dairy products in their ingredients and want to continue to grow their business while supporting the hard-working dairy farmers of the Midwest.”
Applications are due May 13. Contestants will advance through three rounds of pitching and participate in mentorship sessions to help refine their business pitch. The final round of pitches will be held on June 6. Interested entrepreneurs should visit nmepomaha.org/pitch-contest for application instructions, eligibility criteria and the contest schedule. Prize earnings include a $10,000 check prize, six months of kitchen rental at No More Empty Pots and other business development opportunities.
Girl Scouts open DreamLab
Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska has announced the grand opening of the Girl Scout DreamLab, an innovative program-based experience center concept designed to enhance the Girl Scout presence in communities and host one-of-a-kind programming for the community and Girl Scouts.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration will take place on May 20 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the DreamLab location at 8601 West Dodge Road, No. 102.
Sign up for the event at bit.ly/43WKomr.
The Girl Scout DreamLab is a pioneering initiative reflecting the organization’s commitment to nurturing leadership and fostering creativity among girls from diverse backgrounds. The facility will house a state-of-the-art-hands-on STEM center, Girl Scout retail area, podcast booth, bouldering wall, versatile gathering spaces and modern conference rooms.
African Culture Event set for Playhouse
The Omaha Community Playhouse will be the setting for celebrating African culture at the African Culture Connection annual community event, Kubatana, a dance and drumming fest.
The family-friendly event will take place on May 18.
Kubatana means “coming together” in the Shona language and for the first time in Omaha, six international artists from six countries in Africa will come together to share their culture through drumming and dance. This is a first for ACC as well as the Omaha community.
The live performance will feature African Culture Connection’s local artists who will showcase their talents, alongside the six international guest performers: N’Tifafa Akoko, from Senegal; Fode Sylla from Guinea; Sylvestre Acakpo from Togo; Rujeko Dumbustshena from Zimbabwe; Stanislaus Degbo from Nigeria; and ACC founder and executive director Charles Ahovissi, who will be representing his home country of Benin.
The dance portion of the event will start at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets to the event are $50 for adults and $25 for children 12 and under, and will include the performance, light dinner by the House of Bah and access to the vendor marketplace. For more information or to buy tickets, call the ACC office at 402-556-5143.
Patriotic Parade is set for May 25 in downtown
The fourth Patriotic Parade will be held in downtown Omaha May 25 and will feature the Fort Riley Mounted Patrol and the First Infantry Division Band.
The 10 a.m. parade winds its way through the Old Market and begins with an Air Force flyover.
The event honors Gold Star families and veterans, promotes patriotism and reminds people of the importance of Memorial Day. For information, go to patrioticproductions.org.
Visually impaired cyclists invited to tandem ride
Omaha nonprofit Outlook Enrichment invites visually impaired bicyclists along with bicyclists of all visual abilities and experience levels to attend the first Tandem Bike Club ride of the season Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m.
Bikers will ride the Keystone Trail, a 10-mile round-trip. Standard stand-up tandem bikes and seated recumbent bikes will be available along with sighted volunteer bike captains. The group will gather at Outlook Enrichment at 4125 S. 72nd St. and then head to the Keystone Trail.
Go to outlooken.org for more information.
Short Takes is a compilation of lightly edited press releases from various organizations. If you’d like to have your information included, send it to ducey@owh.com at least 10 days before the item needs to run.