I’ve been thinking about you lately.
Yes, you!
As a blog reader, you are part of an amazing community of curious, caring, clever, and compassionate primates.
The community that has developed around the blog is very special.
It’s one of my favorite things about being a part of this sanctuary. I often look forward to reading blog comments as much as the blog posts themselves. I love hearing from people who are “silent” community members too.
Being the social primates that we are, having a community is important to us humans. Just as important as it is for our fellow non-human primates.
The idea that a human community has formed around the stories and care of a special non-human community is pretty cool.
Like all primate communities, members join and leave, and the community shifts and adapts.
I have been thinking about this blog community and how to celebrate you more. How to bring us all together in other ways. How to inform you of community members who have passed on. How to celebrate you.
This season seems like the perfect time to ponder this, so please let me know if you have ideas.
As we look back on the year of CSNW, I wanted to share how much I value you. You bring inquiry, insights, and inspiration (I’m apparently into alliteration today) to the work that we do.
I can’t imagine this sanctuary without you.
i ? reading the blogs. the news often depresses me so i usually finish my day by reading and watching the blog. my hubby will ask what are you laughing at – my chimps!
Exactly the same for me– often the brightest moment of my day! Especially the last 4 years. Because regardless of our location and differences, we all come together in our love for these amazing, resilient chimpy people, and the wonderful place that they call home.
I love this. Some people begin their days and some end their days with the blog ?
Depending on what time it drops, due to the time difference. ¿Por qué no los dos?:upside_down:
It’s an inexplicable feeling to be out here in blog land where I am able to feel so close to the chimpanzee and cow residents at the sanctuary. All thanks to the writing and videos/photos presented by each individual caregiver. Daily. Year round, never missing a days adventure. As the saying goes—it’s the next best thing to being there.
We all have this connection, staff, volunteers, student interns, and supporters. It’s very powerful in some ways. It is also surprising to know that people from different parts of the world share the same connection I do. Seventeen chimpanzees and four cows. Plus one bran kitty. I could never express how much I value you. This precious little sanctuary is my reason for hope.
I look forward to reading this blog every day. I love these chimps and you all write such interesting insights and give us beautiful pictures.
Thank you, Kathleen. You express emotions better than anyone else I know.
For almost 6 years, I was my husband’s caregiver for a disease we still aren’t completely sure what it was. For almost 6 years, this blog has been something to look forward to, sometimes the only thing to look forward to during our journey. Especialy the last 3 years, being housebound and then on hospice. I love to read the comments on the posts and it does feel like a community. I’ve never commented before, but yoir blog tonight just made me want to add my thoughts. Thank you for the blog and all I’ve learned over these years! It’s lovely to have had a bright spot every day!
Audria – this is so touching for so many different reasons. I’m so sorry for the loss of your husband. I cannot even imagine all that you both endured in that time. I’m glad you were moved to comment, and I’m glad to know you are out there and have found the blog to be a bright spot for your days over the years. Thank you for sharing your story.
I always end my day by watching uplifting things. This sanctuary has brought me so much joy, I am disabled so going out is a rare ocation, I spend lots of time on the internet and these chimps are a delight to watch every day. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Britta – thank you for making the blog a part of your uplifting content! That’s a good practice to watch something uplifting at the end of the day.
The most consitent thing in my life is CSNW, the blog, and just knowing that you at CSNW – staff, chimps, bovines, volunteers, barn kitty are out there doing what you do is a comfort and a rock in my world. It seems to be so for many of us blog readers. I got a good giggle today as I pictured us all gathered to groom each other. See what I did there Diana?.. alliteration rocks 🙂
🙂
A giggling grooming gathering sounds gleeful!
I echo what everyone else has said. This blog and the community really are amazing. It really is the highlight of my daym reading what the sanctuary’s residents are up to each day.
Thank you, Eli! I’m glad you are part of the community.
I don’t comment often , ( from here in the UK), but I never miss a video, photos or blog. They make my days just a little bit more special so thankyou one and all xxx Oh and Merry Christmas !
And a happy new year!
I am so thrilled that the blog has international reach! Thank you, Jan. Happy Christmas to you.
This blog is the very first thing I read when I open my laptop, and as all of us readers, I am looking forward to it every day.
The comments are a source of recognition, it seems I am familiar with the writers, and “know” them a little and frequently laugh out loud when I read them.
This blog is a reward I get for sponsoring this wonderful sanctuary.
Thank you all for taking part in maintaining the home of my friends.
Happy Solstice to everyone.
“This blog is a reward I get for sponsoring this wonderful sanctuary.”
Yes! Yes! 1000 times yes! You nailed it. 🙂
Happy Solstice to you. A special day full of special comments. Thank you for being a friend to the chimpanzees.
As with everyone else, I love this blog. People may think I’m crazy when I talk about my chimpanzees. I love to share what I learn about them in the blogs, how much goes into the chimps daily care, thier day to day activities, and their hilarious and cute antics and behaviors. Friends and family may not be interested, but I share with them anyway and send funny and informative videos to them anyway in hopes that they will catch thier attention. Who cound not want to love them??? The chimps are so endearing. I am so glad I found this sanctuary. I look forward each day to the blog, videos, and pictures. Its something to look forward to, something to care about in this world that has become to unpredictable, so uncaring, and so violent. Thank you to the staff who do so much. Thank you for sharing your daily lifes at the sanctuary. Everyone feels like family. Happy holidays to all !!!!
No one thinks you’re crazy here, Susan. We’re so glad you found the sanctuary too. Happy holidays to you!
While we are on the topic of community, I wanted to share something that I’ve been meaning to mention for a week. This seems like the perfect place to say that I received in the mail, a fundraiser from the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS). And who do you think graced the front of the mailing envelope in glorious full color?! It was none other than our Queen Negra plunked down, chest deep, in her beloved spring grass. Negra looks as if she’s giving a little hoot of happiness. The caption below reads : “Rescued from a lab, now she sits in the grass”. When I saw this, I immediately thought of you, Diana.
The letter inside, asking for people to give generously to their Sanctuary Fund, tells the entire story of Negra’s traumatic journey of being kidnapped from her African home in 1973 to being forced into research by the Buckshire Corporation and then being rented out to the infamous White Sands Research Center in New Mexico. Here, Negra was kept in isolation for over a year and a half just because of a mistake they made in her blood work. As the letter points out “this isolation amounts to torture for highly social species”. Still, after all she’s been through, we are reminded that Negra is among the lucky ones because she was rescued by Chimpanzee Sanctuary NW and brought to her sanctuary home in WA. All the photos prove Negra is thriving despite what she’s gone through and perhaps still remembers.
The CSNW community is probably much larger than any of us imagine. Negra and her family have touched so many lives, deeply and in meaningful ways. Their love for one another, their strength and resilience, and their joy for life and the simple pleasures life brings is something we all strive for in our lives.
Go Neggie! A poster girl and super model and spokesperson……at her age—it’s fabulous!
Thank you, Kathleen. We’re glad to be able to partner with AAVS and the work they do to help sanctuaries. Negra deserves her story to be told and retold. Thank you for bringing it up here.
Thank you Kathleen for sharing your post and the information re Negra. As many others stated, I too find joy in following the CSNW posts, blogs and events.
CSNW truly cares?
I didn’t know this blog existed till right now, when it came up following the video of Jody’s statue being installed and the wonderful photos of Jody (all of which made me happier than I can describe). I agree with those who’ve said seeing and hearing about the chimps is a life and sanity boost to counter the ugliness of so much going on. Please tell them I love them, and the same goes for you humans who care for and love them.
Thank you, Jeri! I’m glad you found the blog. Love right back at you.