Kristy Fouht holds an albino Argentine tegu owned by Marie's Exotic Rescue at Moniteau Jr./Sr. High School's Creepers & Crawlers Club community day on Saturday, April 6. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Holly Mead

Moniteau Jr./ Sr. High School’s Creepers & Crawlers Club hosted its annual community day Saturday, April 6, where children and families could get up close and personal with alligators, parrots, tegus and more.

Representatives from rescues, exhibitors and clubs brought dozens of animals to the expo. The event was the club’s annual community day, which this year honored one of the club’s co-founders, Caleb Kiely, who died in a motorcycle crash in 2023.

The event also featured games, raffle baskets, other prizes and food. Overall, the event aimed to educate people about animals and support programs that supported their welfare, according to the event’s flyer.

Cody Hodak, left, shows off his pet alligator to Otto Mitchell and his mom, Mandy, at Moniteau Jr./Sr. High School's annual community day for it's Creepers & Crawlers Club on Saturday, April 6. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Holly Mead

Caison Hillard pets a baby duck at the Creepers & Crawlers Club community event at Moniteau High School Saturday, April 6. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Holly Mead

Cody Hodak, one of the vendors at Moniteau Jr./Sr. High School's annual community day for its Creepers & Crawlers Club, holds his alligator for 5-year-old Adley Compton on Saturday, April 6. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Holly Mead

This parrot, handled by Michelle Chapman of Heart & Soul Exotic Rescue, was just one of the animals featured at Moniteau's annual Creepers & Crawlers Club community day on Saturday, April 6. Holly Mead/Special to the Eagle

Holly Mead