Archives for November 2023

Monica Best wanted to do something special for J.B. so she composed this incredibly nice note below and sent him a gift card to Lowes.

J.B. has spent the last two days, with the help of new part-time employee Jake, constructing the start to new structures on the hill. With the end of the Comfort & Joy auction yesterday, where we exceeded our goal for all of the Big Funds, including climbing structures, it seemed appropriate to relish the Comfort & Joy aspects of today and also to take a moment to acknowledge J.B. for all of his hard work.

Here’s Monica’s message to him:

Dear J.B.

I can still remember watching the video of The Bray being unveiled.  As I excitedly watched the chimps explore the fascinating new addition to their home,  I remember being in awe of the new structures.  Then, I recalled a conversation I had with Diana a few months prior.  Just a normal “hey, how you doing” chat.  She was updating me on the chimps and said you were out working on the new structures for The Bray.  Almost jokingly, I asked if you were doing it by yourself.  When she said, “pretty much”, I thought, that’s a lot of work for one person.  At that moment I believed you were Superman.

Now, jump forward to the unveiling and realizing just how incredible the structures were and how much work you must have put into them, I thought, he’s not Superman, he’s a magical unicorn.

I called Diana and told her how incredible the structures were and how flabbergasted I was that you had done all that work on your own.

I asked her if we could do something to show our appreciation and gratitude.  At first, we came up with a whole J.B. Appreciation Week.  But, soon realized that, like most Magical Unicorns that create amazing things, grant magical wishes and can turn a barren piece of land into a Chimpanzee Paradise, with a simple touch of their alicorn;   They, themselves, don’t always prefer grand, flashy declarations and constant praise.  That kind of laud actually can make them uncomfortable.

As sometime went by, and the Comfort and Joy Auction was getting started, I asked Diana if this might be a good time to quietly show our appreciation for your tireless devotion and care of the chimps we all love so much.  It just seemed fitting, since you bring the chimps so much

Comfort and Joy (and so much more), never asking anything in return.

So, Diana has a little present for you, that will hopefully help to get some tools and supplies, to aid in your magical unicorn tasks, that bring so much to the chimps.  Diana also had a wonderful idea to add a fund a cause to the auction, to raise money for new structures….and I know the amazing Sanctuary supporters will make sure the goal is reached.

I truly don’t know how to tell you how much you and all your hard work and dedication are appreciated by so many.

I’m always in awe of everyone at the sanctuary and all you do to ensure the chimps live their best lives.  Lives filled with joy, friends, enrichment, safety….and so much more.  Lives where the atrocities they endured, before arriving at the sanctuary, have slowly faded into the back of their minds and the fear, pain and loneliness of the past are become a distant memory.

Words can never be enough….

But, thank you for all you do.

With love from all CSNW supporters, volunteers, staff and most importantly….The Chimps.

P.S. Regarding the nest-building contest – Amanda and I quickly conceded to Grace and Ellen, who were seen in the video. Now that we know what the competition is like, we might challenge them to a rematch in the future.