Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Burrito

Happy Solstice!

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Dylan Most sponsored this beautiful day in celebration of the summer solstice (or winter as the case may be 🙂 )!

Dylan, thank you so much for helping the chimpanzees welcome this lovely time of year at the sanctuary! We love these glorious days of chimpanzees hidden in the wilds of Young’s Hill amid the tall, green grass, afternoons spent lounging in the sun-filled greenhouse and air filled with birdsong and flowers.

Whether your summer or winter, we hope all of you enjoy the particular beauty found in the season just as you make possible for the chimpanzees:

Negra:

Annie:

Mr. and Ms. Bluebird:

Foxie:

Jody:

Burrito:

Missy:

City HOOT! and Country HOOT!

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It’s here!! Our annual gala and auction, HOOT! 2019 The biggest, most exciting party of the year for the humans, who of course are gathering for their love of the chimpanzees and bovines who call Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest their home. The number of people who come together whether as staff, volunteers, guests, or online supporters is truly incredible and we could not be more grateful. The lives that the chimpanzees and cattle are living here, not to mention the humans who care for them, would not be possible without the amazing community that has come together to ensure hope, love, home, and sanctuary for them and for all those who may be calling this their home in the future.

While so many wonderful humans are partying in the city, the chimpanzees, mistresses and master of partying, will of course not be outdone. So while City HOOT! 2019 is happening in Seattle, Country HOOT! 2019 is happening right here in Cle Elum.

On the menu for Country HOOT!: Field Roast celebration roast, rose petal and chive smashed potatoes, green beans, and cherry tomatoes served a bed of lettuce. (Those of you attending the gala may recognize some similarities on your menu, though try not to be jealous that you probably aren’t being served Gatorade in Dixie cups and having whole coconuts smashed on your table. Though if you decided to try something like the latter, you’re at least in the right crowd. And those of you at home, we support you smashing a coconut on your table if you’re so inclined. I mean, it’s your home, right?!):

Apologies for the low lighting and blurry-Jody-in-full-on-the-move-forage-mode, nevertheless…

Jody’s tactic, as is classic Jo, was to gather all she possibly could and eventually find a comfortable spot to lie down and enjoy it:

I’m not sure you’ll have peanut butter pinecones in the Dessert Dash, but one can always hope:

Jamie enjoying chives and a peanut butter Kong:

Annie:

Missy enjoying a firehose knot (we stick nuts inside) after dinner:

Belly full, Burrito is partied out. Again, for everyone at the gala if you, too, are partied out at night’s end, you’re probably still with the right crowd that you could pull this off. At least Burrito won’t judge:

And rest assured, Foxie and Negra had a great time, they were just ladies of the loft and I couldn’t capture a photo. 🙂

Whether you’re attending the gala or following from home, thank you again to every one of you for your support in all it’s varied and amazing ways, every day of these last eleven years, tonight, and for all the chimps’ days forward. HOOT! from these chimpanzees! MOO! from the bovines! Goodnight, all!

Happy, Happy!

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Dear friend to all the primates (and bovines) at the sanctuary, Kathleen Corby, also sponsored this extra special day of celebration! Woot! Or rather, Hoot! Kathleen shared this beautiful, heartfelt message about her gift today:

“Happy Birthday Negra! For eleven years you have been blossoming into your true self and during this time you have shown us what a brave and beautiful chimp woman you truly are. It is an extraordinary pleasure to witness the small, consistent transformations you have made over this short period of time. The love in my heart that I hold for you expands each and every year so I sponsor today to celebrate you on your honorary birthday. Much love to you from me. XOXO And I celebrate eleven (11!!!) years of Sanctuary. Happy Anniversary to all! Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, like Negra, is always growing, expanding, transforming — especially now with your Bring Them Home Campaign. You are one of the finest animal welfare organizations, every thought is filled with compassion and care for the Cle Elum Seven and the new Bovine Gang. Best of everything to you in your 11th year of Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary…. 7 (Seven amazing chimpanzee people). 11 (Your eleventh anniversary). 13 (the lucky day the Cle Elum Seven came to their new sanctuary home) Forever Lucky Numbers now!!!”

Kathleen, we are so grateful for the abundance of love and compassion that flows from your heart. The lives of so many beings are enriched by your presence here on earth. So much gratitude to you for helping us celebrate this special day!

Negra:

Jamie:

Jody:

Foxie:

Annie:

Missy:

Burrito:

And of course, we also celebrate Betsy, Honey, Meredith, and Nutmeg, the bovine members of our sanctuary family:

Among the Tall Grass

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It’s our favorite time of year when the grass is green and so tall that you can barely see the chimps!

Burrito hidden in the grass:

Jody protecting and foraging:

Annie:

Missy:

However, with tall grass means patrolling for snakes becomes even more important (Missy and Annie looking for snakes in the morning which they did find one in later in the day):

And tiny Foxie:

 

Happy Birthday, Karen!

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We’re so lucky to have a double day of sanctuary sponsorship today! To start the day off is a lovely gift from long-time friends of the chimpanzees, sisters, Julie and Karen Olson! Julie sponsored today for Karen with this message:

“I want to sponsor a day for the chimps in honor of my sister Karen Olson’s birthday. She is the biggest animal lover I know. She is the one who introduced me to the chimps. She never misses a day keeping up with their adventures. I never miss a day either! Happy birthday sis!”

Julie and Karen, we so appreciate the love and support you both bring to the chimpanzees’ lives! Karen, may you have the best birthday yet! Happiest of hoots to you!

This guy:

Beyond Love

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Burrito loves food, but there are times when love doesn’t adequately describe their relationship.

With hands full and mouth stuffed, he retreats,

to a quiet, still place.

In these moments, he looks heavenward in a state of transcendence,

and with each bite slips further the surly bonds of earth and time.

Suffering and desire cease to exist. The boundaries of self begin to dissolve.

In these moments, there is only one thing. There is only food.

Unfortunately, every meal has to come to an end.

In memory of Robert Ruggeri

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Rachel Ruggeri sponsored today in memory of her father, Robert Ruggeri, and shared this beautiful note about her gift:

“Today would mark my father’s 83rd birthday. And though he passed away six years ago in July, he is ever present in our thoughts and a part of so many of our conversations. My father loved to laugh and he found so much joy in the everyday antics of animals, most especially primates. He would be comforted knowing that the gang of seven now joined by the bovine bunch had found a future filled with peace and independence at the sanctuary in the quiet hills of Eastern Washington. I like to think that my father has also found that sanctuary somewhere in the ether…high above the clouds, but still within a distance to see all the beauty in the world he left behind. We miss him each and every day, but know that “sanctuary” is where we all ultimately aspire to be…”

Rachel, thank you so much for remembering your father in this way and for the difference you make in the chimpanzees’ lives by doing so. We’re honored to celebrate Robert’s legacy and wish you and your family a day of comfort and joy-filled memories as you hold him in your hearts.

Negra:

Foxie and Missy:

Jamie:

Burrito:

(clockwise) Honey, Betsy, Nutmeg and Meredith (front):

Jody, Foxie and Annie: