Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Sponsor-a-day

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:

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:

Happy Birthday, Barbara!

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Today was sponsored by Jessica Mayhew in honor of her mother, Dr. Barbara Lopez-Mayhew!

Jessica plays several valued roles within our chimpanzee family. In addition to being an Assistant Professor in Anthropology and Director of the Primate Behavior and Ecology Program at Central Washington University where she works alongside the many student interns and volunteers who help us care for the chimps and their home, she also generously gives her time as one of our Board members and a volunteer caregiver. She adds to the chimps’ lives in countless ways and today we’re so lucky to celebrate her mother, Barbara with her. Jessica shared this really beautiful message about her mother:

“This day is in celebration of my amazing mother and her birthday. She has always led by example, and from an early age taught me critical life lessons about tolerance, celebrating diversity, standing my ground in the face of a challenge, and about speaking up for the things I believe in. She has been my biggest champion, and I credit much of my success to her teachings. She is so loved!”

Jessica, thank you so much for sponsoring this day of sanctuary! We can’t thank you enough for everything you bring to the lives of all the primates here at CSNW! We’re so lucky to call you part of our family and are honored that you would choose to celebrate your mother this way.

Happy Birthday, Barbara! We’re so happy to share in your special day with you and your family and all of us wish you the happiest of birthdays yet!

And in even more exciting birthday news, you are now pals with the Queen herself, Negra:

Happy Birthday, Donna!

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Today we have a lovely day of sanctuary sponsored by long-time friend of the chimps, Donna Dinsmore! Donna shared this note about her wonderful gift:

“This is my birthday and I would love to have the chimps celebrate it with me!”

Donna, thank you so much for sharing your special day with the chimpanzees! What a generous thing to do! Your support over the years has made a lasting difference in the chimps’ lives and we’re so happy to celebrate with you. Have a beautiful, chimp-style day!

Jody:

Foxie and Jody:

Today is for Becky and Karen

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This day of sanctuary was gifted to the chimpanzees by our wonderful friend, Robin Lundy! She shared this note about her gift:

“I am sponsoring this day for my friend Becky and her sister Karen. June 8th would have been Karen’s 61st birthday. Although Karen and Becky were perhaps not as rambunctious in their interactions with each other as when Foxie and Jamie wrestle themselves into the shape of a furry pretzel, or when Missy and Annie chase each other around Young’s Hill to grab each other’s toes, nevertheless, they were each other’s best friends.”

Robin, this is so lovely. Thanks so much for choosing to celebrate the special gift of best friends and sharing that with us all.

Becky, we hope your heart is full of joy, love and comfort on this special day. We’re so happy to think of you and Karen and are grateful to think of her legacy rippling out to make a difference in the chimpanzees’ lives.

Annie and Missy:

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:

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: