SDHC Board Member Iris Engstrand on Panamanian Delegation to Promote 2015
Oct 31, 2012
The republic of Panama, whose canal, in effect, put San Diego on the map a century ago, is in talks with local leaders to play a role in the 2015 Balboa Park centennial celebration.
A delegation returned about two weeks ago after meeting with tourism and canal leaders and promised to prepare a proposal by December for Panama to consider. Ideas include a pavilion or exhibits that explore the canal’s history and its present expansion, the country’s tourist attractions and growing presence of American retirees.
Three years ago, Tom Fetter gave his wife, Jane, an unusual birthday gift valued at a half-million dollars: a redesign of the San Diego Zoo’s Galapagos tortoise exhibit. The couple had been inspired by a recent vacation in the Galapagos Islands and as a 24-year veteran of the zoo’s board, Fetter knew the tortoise habitat was in serious need of repair.
