Whoop!! It’s the most wonderful time of year!! While the humans of the sanctuary, and possibly even the chimpanzees and bovines (the Californians :)), may be split between Team Autumn and Team Summer, I think it’s safe to say the season of “Jamieween” (aka Halloween/October) stands as a firmly honored and beloved time and tradition. So Happy Day to all you lucky lucky fellow October revelers!
Jamie!! We’re celebrating this amazing chimpanzee woman and her 46th birthday on October 31st! While we only know Jamie’s birth year, we cannot think of a better day to celebrate her honorary birthday. We could not have more love and admiration for this incredibly unique, brave, resilient, adventurous, curious, intelligent, beautiful, and often spooky, intimidating, silly, trickster of a person.
Jamieween past (Burrito, naturally):
Needless to say, it’s been a delight to introduce Cy and his group to Jamieween:
Willy B:
As much as we all look forward to this incredible celebration each year, I’d be remiss not to say that it won’t be without bittersweet memories this year. If you’ve followed us for awhile you will know that one of the highlights of the festivities in the past few years has been the anticipation of the appearance of “The Great Pumpkin Thief”, none other than our beloved Jody. Every year was a complete delight to see if and how she would go about absconding with the Jamieween pumpkin. Last year there was a title upset and Burrito was the first to claim the prize (though Jody wound up with it in the end). While it will still be a delight to see whether Bubbie, or someone else appears this year, Jody will always be the reigning Great Pumpkin Thief in our hearts.
Another special celebration this month is Negra’s son, Noah, who turns 34 on October 17th (photo courtesy of Save the Chimps). On their website, Noah is described by his caregivers as playful, excitable and rambunctious, so while he may not exactly have taken after his mother personality-wise, he sure does looks like her. This sweet face. We’re so grateful Noah is safe, loved, cared for and celebrated in his own sanctuary home with Save the Chimps:
Mama Negra:
And last but far from least, while early giving has already begun (thank you so much to those of you who have been in a position to donate so far!), today is the 10th annual Giving Day for Apes! Presented by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, it’s a day of global giving in support of over 30 qualifying sanctuaries and rescue centers caring for chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, orangutans and gibbons throughout North America, Africa and Asia. It’s an incredible opportunity to help so many amazing organizations raise awareness, support, and vitally important funding for the care of all the special individuals who depend on them for their safety, survival, well-being, and healing, and for the second chances for the lives they deserve. Every single donation, no matter the size, can make a huge difference in the lives of so many individuals.
Happy October birthdays, friends! Thank you for being here through all of our days and years, celebrations and heartaches, joys and hopes. We appreciate you more than you know. May this time of year be so magical and beautiful to you and yours!
I will miss Jo on the day of great pumpkins, but there are so many other reasons to be happy about Jamieween that I still look forward to it!
Delightful pictures and post. The Crew is so thoughtful in their presentations. Thank You, Katelyn
Thanks for frequently remembering our chimps’ biological family members, even though they may live far away, never to see each other again. I could go back and research, but don’t we have a mother and daughter here at CSNW, one in each groups? And now they can at least see each other when both are outside, even with no knowledge/remembrance of their special bond.
Mark, yes, Honey B is Missy’s daughter. 🙂
Jamie! Jamieween! A CSNW tradition I truly look forward to every single year. In my heart I celebrate Jamie every day, but Jamieween is the cherry on the top of honoring this magnificent person. And you bet that this year the celebration will hold a bittersweet component, but I somehow believe Jody wouldn’t want anyone to see it that way. Jody would want to keep October 31st as a day of celebration with a bountiful harvest, and most importantly, the day of the great pumpkin heist!! She will be in attendance, I feel certain of this.
Thank you, Katelyn, for your monthly birthday posts. I look forward to these. This month I am savoring the photo of Noah and the amazing similarity to dear Negra. It warms my heart.
Happy month long wait for Jamieween to everyone!
(Very excited about your possibilities for a win in Giving Day For Apes. Hope you blow past your goal and nail some more golden tickets!!)
Jody is in Awe!……She has an All you can Eat Patch where she is……Jody will be looking down and Smiling…….Roll some Pumpkin Heads and Corn out…….Let’s celebrate Jamie on her DAY:maple_leaf::maple_leaf::maple_leaf::maple_leaf::kissing_heart:
Thank you for p;osting ALL of these beautiful photographs today. That close-up of Jamie’s beautiful eyes, Burrito and Cy getting in over their heads in pumpkins, Willy posing as if taking being photographed for the cover of his new CD release of hoots and tub-thumping, beautiful Negra and her beautiful son, and, lastly, the Great Pumpkin Thief of my heart (and so many others), Farmer Jo!
Many thanks for posting these gorgeous photos of Jamieweens past. Bittersweet photos of dear Jody, but she sure looked like she was having a ball and I truly believe she will be with you all in spirit on 31 October. I will follow you on the Halloween day (allowing for the time difference from this end of the world!) filled with fun, pant hoots and a touch of naughtiness as the chimps compete for the goodies. Bless you all for being there for these amazing residents of your beloved sanctuary.
Jamieween! Truly the best part of the autumn season. I can’t wait to see what kind of delightful party (presumably full of boots and books) staff have cooked up for the esteemed Boss Lady this year.
It’s bittersweet knowing that Jody won’t be able to attend physically, but I know she will not be far away on that day, cheering on whoever decides to heist the pumpkin this year.
Of course, it’s also wonderful to see Neggie’s son (and Bubba’s half brother!) Noah celebrating his birthday in sanctuary. It’s always so interesting to compare their appearances. Noah definitely has his mom’s eyes and her fabulously expressive lips!
oooh! maybe the chimps could “trick or treat” by having staff stationed around various greenhous and food chute points with treats for them!
….unless certain Bossy people just decided to sit in one spot and monopolize….
I cried seeing the great pumpkin thief. It will be a bittersweet Jamieween but maybe Jody was coaching Burrito on how to do it so he could begin the new pumpkin thief reign. Notice it’s not Great yet.
Go get it Burrito-Jody will be watching! Thank you for all the photos. They are wonderful!