Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest
Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary
This morning, as usual and despite the cold temps, Jamie was eager to take a walk. I got a boot and proceeded to walk up the hill to meet her (me on the other side of the fence, of course). At first I couldn’t find her, then I spotted her on one of the climbing structures. She was too distracted by her task to take the walk, so I went back and grabbed the camera instead.
I’m trying something new here and embedding a video posted on Facebook. Let me know what you think!
This week we’ve expressed our gratitude for everyone who plays a part in helping Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest fulfill its mission. Staff, board members, and volunteers are integral people who dedicate so much of their lives to helping the Cle Elum Seven chimpanzees. In-kind donations of services and goods help us stretch every dollar we can, and grants and foundations help us complete big projects. But you—our donors—are literally the heartbeat that keeps the sanctuary pumping.
Donations have forever changed the lives of the Cle Elum Seven with projects like Young’s Hill and the on-site mobile veterinary clinic. Not only do donations contribute to big projects, but they keep the sanctuary going day-to-day. As JB wrote about last week, staff members are devoted, long-term friends and caregivers of the Cle Elum Seven, and they keep the outreach and volunteer programs going as well as working on development and operations. Your donations bring our hard-working team together to make CSNW the best possible home for the Cle Elum Seven and an all-around amazing organization.
On the eve of Thanksgiving, we want to take a minute to reflect on how far we have come with your help, and how your role will take us so much further. We simply cannot ever express with enough gratitude how appreciative we are for every dollar that is given, and every minute someone spends telling their friends and family about why they support Annie, Negra, Jody, Jamie, Burrito, Foxie, and Missy.
It’s hard to put into words the impact that all our donors have had on the lives of seven very special beings. Perhaps words can never truly express the importance you’ve all had in their lives, but maybe these “before and after” pictures can illustrate that effect.
Annie
Negra
Jody
Jamie
The outpouring of support during the last six and a half years is evidence that our donors really do have the biggest hearts, and it is because of you that the Cle Elum Seven finally have a second chance at life.
Your donations have given Burrito hope.
You’ve given Foxie love.
You’ve given Missy a home.
You’ve given these chimpanzees the sanctuary they so deserve—and for that, we thank you!
Yesterday, J.B. introduced you to our Seven Days of Thanks by posting about the dedicated, full-of-heart staff caregivers that give so much every day to the chimpanzees.
Today, I would like to shout from the highest mountain a thank you to the founder of the sanctuary, Keith LaChappelle, all past board members, and our current board of directors.
There would certainly be no Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest without the vision, foresight, commitment, and determination that Keith and the founding board harnessed to start this organization from scratch – taking it from an idea to help chimpanzees in need to a physical sanctuary that has cared for seven of the greatest primates I know for the last six and a half years.
J.B. and Keith during construction of the chimpanzees first outdoor area (what is now the greenhouse):
Negra and Keith:
Keith and his friend Nick, helping with the sprinkler system installation this summer:
There are a lot of people who have the desire to start a sanctuary, but only a fraction of them see their dream become a reality. Starting a sanctuary is not easy in any respect, and it takes a profound amount of work in so many disparate areas to be successful.
Keith officially founded Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest in 2003 by bringing together people with varied expertise and the shared desire to make a difference and personally purchasing the sanctuary property to lease to the organization. Ground breaking for the sanctuary began soon after, but it wasn’t until 2007 that the future inhabitants, the seven chimpanzees we all love so much now, were identified.
There have been many incredible people involved in the important work of leading the strategy of the organization as members of the board of directors over the last eleven years, making critical and sometimes difficult decisions. Board members are often the unseen and unsung heroes of nonprofits, carrying the huge responsibility of the organization’s health and vision.
We recently had our annual board retreat, which renewed my admiration for our current and past board members. Having a team of people focused on the same mission, with the same goals for the future, is essential and also inspiring.
Thanks to our retreat facilitator Susan Howlett for the above photo that looks staged – we really were all concentrating that hard!
The best way to show the impact of the work of Keith and all board members who have carried the organization from it’s idea phase to today is to show how far we’ve come.
Below are a few shots of the different phases of the sanctuary over the years:
And here is the very first photo that I put on our website after the chimpanzees arrived on June 13, 2008 – a photo of Negra:
Negra in the same spot this morning:
These photos of Negra reminded me to let you all know that sculptures of Negra via artist Jason Shanaman are available as part of our eight ways to celebrate the holidays! Check out Holiday Central for more info.
It’s fall time and that means apples are very plentiful. Today we decided to let the chimps bob for apples! We filled buckets with water and added small whole apples. As predicted, no one really “bobbed” for their apples—they just used their hands 🙂 But they definitely loved the forage—food squeaks were echoing through the chimp house as we scattered the buckets around.
Jamie in particular loves whole apples and she gets very excited whenever we include them in forages. Today was no different, and she was sure to get her share (and then some!) But everyone else enjoyed the forage as well.
Jamie:
Annie:
Jody:
After all that foraging, Jamie curled up for a nice nap in the sun:
Eye contact can be a powerful and effective way of communicating between individuals. Sometimes all it takes to form a deep and everlasting connection with someone is to stare into each other’s eyes. No words need to be exchanged to solidify the connection or explain what the other is thinking. A long gaze into each other’s eyes can act as a recognition of kindred beings; an exchange that allows for acceptance of one another.
Sharing such an intimate act as eye gazing with each of the chimpanzees here at the sanctuary is something I truly cherish. It has helped create and solidify a bond of friendship, connection, acceptance and compassion over the years.
I understand that many of you may not have the chance to personally look into the eyes of a chimpanzee, so I wanted to share with you as best I can what it is like to look into the eyes of these seven magnetic beings.
Can you guess whose eyes are whose?
I was taking a few close-up photos of Burrito enjoying his chow bag after lunch today, and he realized that he could see his reflection in the camera lens. He seemed pleased with what he saw.
We have said it before – and I’ll say it again now – no one, whether human or chimpanzee, can bring out the goofiness in Jamie like Foxie can. This video is a must-see if you need a little boost to your day.
And here’s that chimpanzee pretzel photo:
