Hi, everyone!
I’m sure you’ve seen us talking a lot lately about our upcoming HOOT! Fundraising Soiree and Mission Gala. I think I can confidently say that it’s our biggest event each year and I’m proud to be on the team working to put it together for you. It’s a pretty wonderful group of passionate humans to work with that includes current and previous staff members, as well as volunteers.
One of the things I’ve been working on lately is some of the videos that will be playing at both the in-person and virtual event. This task has had me searching through photos, videos, and blogs from the very beginning of CSNW. From day one, we have made it a priority to be transparent and honest with you in our daily blog posts as we share our residents stories. This has led to a rather impressive blog archive- with the first post being from October 15, 2007 by our founder Keith LaChappelle. One of the most amazing things about this archive is that it shows, in real-time, what has been made possible by our supporters.
I have been involved with CSNW since I was a graduate student at Central Washington University in 2017. CSNW was founded in 2003 and the Cle Elum Seven arrived in 2008, so I know that my time here so far has been a short blip in the grand scheme of things. I still wasn’t prepared for how much looking back through those initial posts would hit me right in the feels. I wanted to take the opportunity to share a few of them with you- as a thank you, as a reminder of why we do what we do, and as an ask for the future.
On December 7, 2007 Keith posted a photo of the original kitchen addition:
Flash forward to 2023, the CSNW Chimp House currently looks like this (from the front):
And, with the two additions for Honey B, Willy B, and Mave and the Lucky Six, from the back it looks like this:
To see the growth of the sanctuary itself is special, because it symbolizes the home and care we can provide to our original and newest residents. These photos don’t even touch the other massive construction projects that have been completed- the renovation of Young’s Hill, for example, into the Young’s Hill / Bray side-by-side outdoor enclosure. Or, the addition of our little herd of cattle that joined the family in 2018.
What really hit me, though, were these photos.
Jamie, Negra, and Jody just after arriving at CSNW:
From then, to now- Jamie, Negra, and Jody (from March this year, before her passing):
These before / after photos don’t include Missy, Annie, Burrito and Foxie- not on purpose, but merely because I don’t wan’t to overwhelm with photos. If you have the time, though, I would highly recommend looking back through those initial posts.
Sometimes, I think it’s important to look back at how far we have come- especially when it comes to our residents. We have the absolute privilege of caring for and loving these souls, whether we are near or far, and with that privilege comes a lot of responsibility. This responsibility is day-to-day, with direct care, but it is also long-term. It would be a disservice to them to not look to the future and wonder how we can continually do better for them, as well as for others who still need sanctuary.
This is why events like HOOT! are so important- so that all of us who love and care for these individuals and causes can come together to support them.
So that we can look at how far we have come, as we also look to the future.
Thanks for going on this trip down memory lane with me. 🙂
