Hollywild Animal Park
Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard!
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AARP Events for Wellford
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Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication
Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET
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Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET
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Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility
Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Zoom
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"Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. 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(In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors. </div> <style> .report_button_message { color: #333; font-size: 12px; clear: both; } </style> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024" href="/wellford-sc/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-wy-holiday-harmony-qigong-and-nonviolent-communication-with-nate-12282024-5gnv7r5fl8f.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HARMONY-QIGONG-AND-NONVIOLENT-COMMUNICATION">Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication</a></h2> <p class="time">Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-nm-fitness-virtual-balance-mobility-class-12302024-nrnkwqmc9wq.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-BALANCE-MOBILITY-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-STABILITY">Balance & Mobility Class: Strengthen Your Stability</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-moving-with-milly-12302024-3nnjscp6rzn.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-MOVING-WITH-MILLY-CHAIR-EXERCISES-FOR-IMPROVED-MOBILITY">Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark 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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 242]Code Context<?php // if (!$nowrapper) (Globals::$language == 'es') ? include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer_es.html") : include(APP . "/Resource/aarpe_footer.html"); ?><?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBDinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors. </div> <style> .report_button_message { color: #333; font-size: 12px; clear: both; } </style> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024" href="/wellford-sc/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-wy-holiday-harmony-qigong-and-nonviolent-communication-with-nate-12282024-5gnv7r5fl8f.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HARMONY-QIGONG-AND-NONVIOLENT-COMMUNICATION">Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication</a></h2> <p class="time">Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-nm-fitness-virtual-balance-mobility-class-12302024-nrnkwqmc9wq.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-BALANCE-MOBILITY-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-STABILITY">Balance & Mobility Class: Strengthen Your Stability</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-moving-with-milly-12302024-3nnjscp6rzn.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-MOVING-WITH-MILLY-CHAIR-EXERCISES-FOR-IMPROVED-MOBILITY">Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of" name="description"/> <meta content="Hollywild, Animal, Park, Wellford, SC" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.americantowns.com/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="place"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="place:location:latitude" content="35.026199"/> <meta property="place:location:longitude" content="-82.140297"/> ', 'title_for_layout' => 'Place Detail - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors. </div> <style> .report_button_message { color: #333; font-size: 12px; clear: both; } </style> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024" href="/wellford-sc/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-wy-holiday-harmony-qigong-and-nonviolent-communication-with-nate-12282024-5gnv7r5fl8f.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HARMONY-QIGONG-AND-NONVIOLENT-COMMUNICATION">Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication</a></h2> <p class="time">Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-nm-fitness-virtual-balance-mobility-class-12302024-nrnkwqmc9wq.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-BALANCE-MOBILITY-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-STABILITY">Balance & Mobility Class: Strengthen Your Stability</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-moving-with-milly-12302024-3nnjscp6rzn.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-MOVING-WITH-MILLY-CHAIR-EXERCISES-FOR-IMPROVED-MOBILITY">Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark 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Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118
Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBDinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors. </div> <style> .report_button_message { color: #333; font-size: 12px; clear: both; } </style> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024" href="/wellford-sc/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-wy-holiday-harmony-qigong-and-nonviolent-communication-with-nate-12282024-5gnv7r5fl8f.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HARMONY-QIGONG-AND-NONVIOLENT-COMMUNICATION">Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication</a></h2> <p class="time">Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-nm-fitness-virtual-balance-mobility-class-12302024-nrnkwqmc9wq.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-BALANCE-MOBILITY-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-STABILITY">Balance & Mobility Class: Strengthen Your Stability</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-moving-with-milly-12302024-3nnjscp6rzn.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-MOVING-WITH-MILLY-CHAIR-EXERCISES-FOR-IMPROVED-MOBILITY">Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP South Carolina Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP South Carolina Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpsc" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpsc" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpsc">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />South Carolina</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:SCAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">SCAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/south-carolina/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP South Carolina</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/weve-moved/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-WELLFORD-SC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AARPSC" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Twitter"><img alt="Twitter icon" title="Twitter icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/x-logo-black.png"></a> </div> </div> </div></div> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail left-bot"></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail right-bot thin-rhs"></div> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> </div> <div class="row oneColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-12"><!-- script to activate navbar --> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(".channelBarMain ul.left li a").click(function() { window.location = jQuery(this).attr('href'); }); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of" name="description"/> <meta content="Hollywild, Animal, Park, Wellford, SC" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.americantowns.com/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="place"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="place:location:latitude" content="35.026199"/> <meta property="place:location:longitude" content="-82.140297"/> ', 'title_for_layout' => 'Place Detail - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors. </div> <style> .report_button_message { color: #333; font-size: 12px; clear: both; } </style> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024" href="/wellford-sc/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-wy-holiday-harmony-qigong-and-nonviolent-communication-with-nate-12282024-5gnv7r5fl8f.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HARMONY-QIGONG-AND-NONVIOLENT-COMMUNICATION">Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication</a></h2> <p class="time">Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-nm-fitness-virtual-balance-mobility-class-12302024-nrnkwqmc9wq.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-BALANCE-MOBILITY-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-STABILITY">Balance & Mobility Class: Strengthen Your Stability</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-moving-with-milly-12302024-3nnjscp6rzn.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-MOVING-WITH-MILLY-CHAIR-EXERCISES-FOR-IMPROVED-MOBILITY">Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> 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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]Code Context<?php if (!$nowrapper): // MLW - Spanish wrappers TBDinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of" name="description"/> <meta content="Hollywild, Animal, Park, Wellford, SC" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.americantowns.com/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="place"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="place:location:latitude" content="35.026199"/> <meta property="place:location:longitude" content="-82.140297"/> ', 'title_for_layout' => 'Place Detail - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. 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Warning (2): include(/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html) [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]Code Contextinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. 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} </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of" name="description"/> <meta content="Hollywild, Animal, Park, Wellford, SC" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.americantowns.com/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="place"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="place:location:latitude" content="35.026199"/> <meta property="place:location:longitude" content="-82.140297"/> ', 'title_for_layout' => 'Place Detail - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. 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</a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-wy-holiday-harmony-qigong-and-nonviolent-communication-with-nate-12282024-5gnv7r5fl8f.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HARMONY-QIGONG-AND-NONVIOLENT-COMMUNICATION">Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication</a></h2> <p class="time">Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-nm-fitness-virtual-balance-mobility-class-12302024-nrnkwqmc9wq.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-BALANCE-MOBILITY-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-STABILITY">Balance & Mobility Class: Strengthen Your Stability</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-moving-with-milly-12302024-3nnjscp6rzn.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-MOVING-WITH-MILLY-CHAIR-EXERCISES-FOR-IMPROVED-MOBILITY">Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark 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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]Code Contextinclude (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");$viewFile = '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp' $dataForView = array( 'content_for_layout' => '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors. </div> <style> .report_button_message { color: #333; font-size: 12px; clear: both; } </style> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024" href="/wellford-sc/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-wy-holiday-harmony-qigong-and-nonviolent-communication-with-nate-12282024-5gnv7r5fl8f.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HARMONY-QIGONG-AND-NONVIOLENT-COMMUNICATION">Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication</a></h2> <p class="time">Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-nm-fitness-virtual-balance-mobility-class-12302024-nrnkwqmc9wq.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-BALANCE-MOBILITY-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-STABILITY">Balance & Mobility Class: Strengthen Your Stability</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-moving-with-milly-12302024-3nnjscp6rzn.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-MOVING-WITH-MILLY-CHAIR-EXERCISES-FOR-IMPROVED-MOBILITY">Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; 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}); </script> </div> </div> ', 'scripts_for_layout' => '<title>Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC</title> <meta name="page_title" content="Hollywild Animal Park - Wellford, SC"/> <meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow"/> <meta content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of" name="description"/> <meta content="Hollywild, Animal, Park, Wellford, SC" name="keywords"/> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.americantowns.com/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://vccstaging.local.aarp.org/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"/> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="og:type" content="place"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Hollywild Animal Park"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/thumbs/generic-icon.jpg"/> <meta property="place:location:latitude" content="35.026199"/> <meta property="place:location:longitude" content="-82.140297"/> ', 'title_for_layout' => 'Place Detail - AARP' ) $content_for_layout = '<div class="row twoColumnLayout"> <div class="col-md-8 left-rail"><div class="module clearfix"><div class="ar-basic-box"> <div class="module-spacer"> <header><h1 class="article-headline">Hollywild Animal Park</h1></header> <div class="row"> <div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer"> <p> <div> <div>2325 Hampton Road</div> <div> <span>Wellford</span>, <span>SC</span> <span>29385</span> </div> </div> </p> <div> <i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> <a href="http://www.hollywild.com/" target="_blank">Hollywild Animal Park</a> </div> <div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 864-472-2038</div> </div> <div class="col-sm-6 module-spacer"> <iframe width="100%" height="220" frameborder="0" style="border:0" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed/v1/place?key=AIzaSyCU5aZylcrTOLke9e3U0F2mXovlZ4bL8yk&q=Hollywild+Animal+Park%2C+2325+Hampton+Road%2C+Wellford%2C+SC+29385" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer clearfix"> Mission:Hollywild Animal Park is committed to providing an interactive and enlightening experience for our visitors, as we continually improve the lives of our animals in an enriching and respectful environment.History:The Meeks' family involvement with animals began in the 1940's on their farm in rural Spartanburg County. (In fact, the park is located on their original home-site, but includes the acquisition of a few surrounding properties). Their collection contained typical farm animals, such as goats, cows, chickens and horses. It soon grew to include South Carolina native species such as squirrels, opossums, foxes and raccoons. Early on, David Meeks, the youngest son in the family, showed an affinity for animals and a powerful talent to handle and understand them. "It just comes naturally to me," he said. "I can read an animal's body language with ease."This talent and affinity led to a fortuitous event in college, when David's assigned roommate showed up with a monkey. After the monkey destroyed their dorm room, David made a deal with his roommate: Give me the monkey and I'll repair the room. The exchange was the first step, which led to the fulfillment of David's childhood dream of being able to work with animals from around the world. Steadily, species by species, the backyard menagerie grew. As more and more strangers were attracted to the yard, the Meeks decided to structure their property in a way for people to enjoy it.In 1970, father and son opened the M & M Zoo, housing deer, swans, monkeys, capybaras, tigers, pheasants, lions, ducks, bears and otters. Donna (1967-2007), the Asian elephant, still one of the most beloved animals ever at Hollywild, also found her adoptive home in their back yard. It is not often one is called to adopt an elephant! But David and his wife, Lucia, had a larger vision for the project. They both knew such an extensive animal collection could and should serve a greater educational purpose. They purchased the elder Meeks's share and began building what would become Hollywild Animal Park in 1985. Neighbors and family were not the only ones who noticed David's animal-handling talents; Hollywood also took notice. To date, Meeks has provided animal talent for more than 65 feature films. Hollywild's animals have appeared in numerous national advertising campaigns, photo shoots, brochures, art exhibits, conferences, private parties and nativities. The hand-reared animals and David's expert handling make them adaptable to many environments, including movie sets.David and his animals have appeared in films from Barbra Streisand's Prince of Tides and Tom Cruise's Days of Thunder. David worked on location in Utah filming Steven King's The Stand and on the Christmas movie Prancer. Pippi's spotted horse from The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking and one of the models for Disney's The Lion King are favorite residents at Hollywild. These projects have provided a solid financial backbone for the park for many years and led to the renaming of the zoo to Hollywild Animal Park to reflect the Hollywood connection.Today, David's dream lives on with the help of many people. The Park's wildlife collection is comprised of over 500 animals from around the world. In 1999, Hollywild became a 501 (C) (3) Non-Profit Organization focused on fostering a love and appreciation for all living things. An energetic Board of Directors works hard to set direction, to overcome challenges and to achieve ambitious goals for this unique park. Hollywild is committed to providing an educational and entertaining experience for all who visit; from church groups to school classes to the general public. "Animal Parks are a work in progress," says Meeks. "Hollywild continues to grow and develop better habitats for the animals and better educational opportunities for the public."Visit often to see the many great changes that are constantly taking place and relish the fruit of millions of hours of work and love. Enjoy the great opportunities for interacting with wildlife. Join the Friends of Hollywild today and become a regular at the park. Become a part of the dream. After all, this living place is also your backyard! </div> <div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;"> <form method="post" action="/wellford-sc/report/place/hollywild-animal-park-wellford-sc.html"> <button type="submit" class="btn btnregister pull-right" style="margin-bottom: 10px;">Flag This Place</button> </form> </div> <div class="report_button_message">Please use "Flag This Place" to alert us about content that is inappropriate or needs immediate attention. Nothing you submit will be shared with other site visitors. </div> <style> .report_button_message { color: #333; font-size: 12px; clear: both; } </style> </div> </div> </div><div class="module clearfix"><div class="module-spacer tout-homefit-750"> <a data-formelementid="CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024" href="/wellford-sc/home-and-community/?intcmp=CSN-LOCAL-HC-PLSK-02272024"><img class="img-responsive" alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a> </div></div></div> <div class="col-md-4 right-rail thin-rhs"><div class="module clearfix"><!--default--> <!-- module_RHS - AARP Events --> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <div class="pull-right"> <a href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS"> <img style="width:30px;" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/template/icons/aarp_event_icon.png" alt="Upcoming AARP Events" /> </a> </div> <h2 class="visible-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> <h2 class="hidden-lg">AARP Events for Wellford</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-listing snippet"> <ul class="list"> <li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-wy-holiday-harmony-qigong-and-nonviolent-communication-with-nate-12282024-5gnv7r5fl8f.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-HOLIDAY-HARMONY-QIGONG-AND-NONVIOLENT-COMMUNICATION">Holiday Harmony: Qigong and Nonviolent Communication</a></h2> <p class="time">Saturday, Dec 28, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-nm-fitness-virtual-balance-mobility-class-12302024-nrnkwqmc9wq.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-BALANCE-MOBILITY-CLASS-STRENGTHEN-YOUR-STABILITY">Balance & Mobility Class: Strengthen Your Stability</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li><li class="item" data-pageindex="1"> <h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-moving-with-milly-12302024-3nnjscp6rzn.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-MOVING-WITH-MILLY-CHAIR-EXERCISES-FOR-IMPROVED-MOBILITY">Moving with Milly: Chair Exercises for Improved Mobility</a></h2> <p class="time">Monday, Dec 30, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET</p> <p class="venue">Zoom</p> <p class="loc">Online Event</p> </li> </ul> <p><a class="link-red" href="/wellford-sc/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_53475" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_53475', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="card-tout card-dark membership-tout" style="margin:0 0 30px 0;"> <img class="img-responsive image" title="image of two AARP membership cards" alt="image of two AARP membership cards" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/tout-two-cards.png"> <div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div> <ul class="list"> <li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li> <li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li> <li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li> <li>FREE second membership</li> </ul> <div class="action"> <a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Join AARP</a> <div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-WELLFORD-SC">Renew</a> or <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div> </div> </div> <style> .membership-tout {padding:16px 20px;} .membership-tout .list li { margin: 0; } </style> <div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper"> <div class="aarpe-ad en clearfix" id="300x250_93505" data-adsize="300x250"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof AARP.ads !== 'undefined'){ AARP.ads.slots({ id:'300x250_93505', size:'300x250'}); } </script> </div> </div> <div class="module-spacer text-center"> <div class="fb-page" alt="Image of AARP South Carolina Facebook Page" title="Image of AARP South Carolina Facebook Page" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpsc" data-tabs="timeline" width="320" height="" data-small-header="false" data-adapt-container-width="true" data-hide-cover="false" data-show-facepile="true" lazy="true"> <blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/aarpsc" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpsc">Facebook</a></blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer"> <header> <h2>Contact AARP<br />South Carolina</h2> </header> <div class="wrap"> <div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:SCAARP@aarp.org " target="_blank" rel="noopener">SCAARP@aarp.org </a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/south-carolina/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP South Carolina</a></li> <li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/weve-moved/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-WELLFORD-SC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aarpsc" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" 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