All of the chimpanzees slept off their Thanksgiving feast from yesterday and are eager to get outside in the gift of late November sunshine today!
We’re all feeling very thankful.
Today is the fourth day of thanks highlighting seven different donors and their seven ways of donating + the seven chimpanzees at the sanctuary.
If you missed the first three, day one featured legacy donor Bruce Davidson + Burrito, day two featured event donor Kathy Cochran + Annie, and day three featured recurring donor Julie Olson + Jody.
Today we are featuring Monica, who has made a big difference with her competition/challenge donations. She’s also a recurring donor and participates in our fall online auctions in a big way. This year, Monica was instrumental in getting us way beyond our goal for Giving Day for Apes. In truth, she really coaxed me into the spirit of the competition this year in a way that I would not have if she had not been so enthusiastic and hopeful for the sanctuary’s chances of winning some additional cash prizes.
Why does Monica give? Here’s her answer:
For seven of the most beautiful beings in the world. You helped save my life, now I will do anything in my power to help give you Hope. Love. Home…Sanctuary.
I really like matching and competition donations because it gives everyone a chance to get in on the fun of giving at whatever level they are able. For challenge pledges, they know every dollar they give will be doubled. It’s great to see everyone come together to reach a goal. On Giving Day for Apes this year, it was so amazing watching everyone rise to the challenge to help the chimps. I had tears in my eyes as I saw the donations and beautiful comments streaming in on the donation page.
I know that Queen Negra plays a special role in Monica’s life, so I’m just going to follow up those inspiring words from Monica with this photo I recently took of CSNW’s Royal Highness:
With Giving Tuesday just a few days away, it seems appropriate to be deeply thankful for those who give towards these specific limited-time fundraising challenges like Giving Day for Apes and Giving Tuesday. They are a big part of our budgeted income for the year, and it means a ton that CSNW donors are so eager to rise to the challenge and respond when others have pledged matching donations. Stay tuned for info on the matching donation pledges on Tuesday!
Back to Negra. I know that she fills a lot of hearts out there. She’s the perfect combination of sweet plus fiesty and demanding. She really does epitomize, in my mind, why sanctuaries for chimpanzees are so important. She was captured in Africa as a baby and served the interests of humans for more than three decades. She deserves to be as fiesty and demanding as she wants.
And she deserves all the blankets our arms can carry (and then some):
Negra’s slower pace at exploring her sanctuary world makes her adventures all the more special. Each year she discovers a spot on Young’s Hill that she has never been to before, and it takes our breath away.
Thank you, Monica. Thank you, Negra. And thank you in advance to everyone who is participating in Giving Tuesday!
The beautiful Queen!
Thank you to Monica, your challenges are always such fun for me to follow and partake in! The chimps are so fortunate to have you in their lives.
Negra makes my heart skip a beat and her brave explorations out of her comfort zone will always bring tears to my eyes. I love HRH Negra for who she is and I cannot even begin to express what she means to me, there are no words, just a rush of feelings.
I second the previous statements. I love all of the Cle Elum Seven, but I hold a special reverence for Negra. Her life story is truly the story of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, how it came into being, and why refuges like it are so important for our evolutionary next of kin. Whenever I see a picture or video of Negra climbing a structure on Young’s Hill or brachiating inside of the greenhouse, I am reminded that she is a survivor, in body and spirit alike. The pictures posted above exude the beauty of her spirit and being.