Local moms plead: 'Oprah, save our zoo!

Keena Landrum, left, Linda Kellner are petitioning Oprah Winfrey to help save The Zoo. The pair of "stay at home moms" wrote Oprah's website and were surprised when a producer contacted them and asked them to submit a video about Gulf Breeze and The Zoo.

Two local women are taking the plight of The Zoo to a higher authority: The Oprah Winfrey Show.

"We're just stay at home moms, and we love The Zoo," said Keena Landrum.

She and Linda Kellner are faithful watchers of the Oprah show, and one day Landrum visited the show's website where there was a question about "Why is your community so great?"

"I sat down and just started typing," Landrum remembers, telling about the Zoo and the lemonade stands, coin cans and yard sales being organized to save the attraction, which is located east of Gulf Breeze.

"It's a great feeling to live in a community that cares to much that the little people will step up to do this," Landrum said.

Landrum was stunned to get a certified letter from a producer on the Oprah show asking for a five-minute video describing the area and The Zoo in particular.

Cox Communications donated a camera crew and editing for the video, which will be evaluated for inclusion on the show. If it makes the final cut, Oprah herself may include Gulf Breeze and the Zoo as a stop on her upcoming tour.

"It's gong to be like a wave," Landrum said, "When they find out what other businesses are participating (in saving The Zoo), they'll jump on the bandwagon."