Living Today
by Fred Tasker

Monday, July 30, 1984
The Miami Herald


Miami to say,`Welcome back, Zonker’

A signal honor awaits Miami.

It has been chosen as the site of the one and only, worldwide, official, authorized "Welcome Back Party" for Garry Trudeau's cartoon strip, “Doonesbury.”

It happens Sept. 29, the day before Zonker and Joanie and B.D. return to the comics pages after the 19-month sabbatical they took to come to grips with today’s society.

There’s a very good possibility that Trudeau will be a part of the celebration. And some other very big names might be there (watch this space).

The black-tie, champagne-and-popcorn soiree will include a showing of the 1977 Doonesbury TV special that won the Cannes Film Festival. It benefits the Miami-based National Foundation for Children, run by Drs. Joseph and Laurie Braga, professors at UM Med School.

Also benefiting the kids, 60 of the animation paintings Trudeau made for the movie will be on sale at $200 to $1,800. After the party, the paintings will remain on sale at ArtSpace/Virginia Miller Galleries in Coral Gables.

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