In 1980, San Diego Chargers placekicker Rolf Benirschke, son of Dr. Kurt Benirshke, kicked off a wildly successful campaign to raise funds to support conservation projects at the Zoo’s Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES). He called it Kicks for Critters, pledging $50 for every field goal he kicked during a game, and he challenged San Diegans to pledge at least $1 for every field goal he made. By 1987, Rolf and thousands of football fans had raised more than $1 million to help endangered species!