Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

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HOOT! Sponsors Pam Lehnert & Marc Warner

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This is the first in a series of blog posts highlighting sponsors of the HOOT! 2017 Spring Fling gala.

We thought it would be fun for everyone to get to know the people behind the generosity and learn how they became involved in helping Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.

Pam Lehnert and Marc Warner are Happy Hour Sponsors (learn more about sponsorship levels and details for individuals here).

Here is Pam’s description of how and why she and Marc became involved in the sanctuary:

In June, 2008, there was an article in the local Cle Elum/Roslyn paper announcing an open house for a soon-to-open chimpanzee sanctuary. Marc and I immediately made plans to attend, as we thought this was likely the only opportunity we would have to see this private facility. Little did we know that this would be the first of many trips to Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest as we became involved as volunteers – and that the names Negra, Jamie, Missy, Annie, Jody, Foxie and Burrito would become part of our extended “family tree”!

Having a home in the area, we were fortunate to be able to get to know not only “The Cle Elum Seven”, but the wonderful humans involved with this organization as well. One fateful night, J.B. and Diana were at our cabin having dinner when the subject of doing a fundraising event in Seattle came up. After taking a deep breath, I admitted to Diana that I had some experience with auction events – and as they say – the rest is history and we have been involved with CSNW events ever since.

I always say that the chimps brought us to the sanctuary, but it is in large part the staff and volunteers who have kept us involved. Their willingness to share their knowledge and selfless dedication never ceases to amaze us. Marc and I feel lucky to have been a part of this special group from the beginning and look forward to supporting Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest during this exciting time of growth… and further expanding our family tree.

Pam glossed over the countless hours that she has spent making CSNW events what they are. From planning to decorating to editing to organizing, Pam has been an integral part of events, and she and Marc have also helped the sanctuary in many other ways too, including some back-breaking physical work, creative building, food preparation for humans and chimpanzees alike, and many, many other endeavors.

They also have a very friendly rescued pup named Toby:

Big thanks to Pam and Marc for choosing to sponsor the HOOT! 2017 Spring Fling and helping to make this event a success before it even happens.

See all current sponsors on the HOOT! 2017 event page and find out how you too can be a sponsor!

 

In remembrance of Pat Trotta

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This day of sanctuary was also sponsored in remembrance of Pat Trotta by a wonderful friend of the Cle Elum Seven, Wanda Trotta, and her family:

“A day in remembrance of Pat Trotta who when we visited the “7” a couple of years ago was also taken by them.  He, like Jamie, was a leader –  in his field of optics. He leaves an enormous hole in our lives but fills our hearts with a 1/0 of love.  Enjoy being whole again, Pat and we’ll see you soon.

We love you 1/0, The Trottas”

We’re so glad that the chimps touched your lives, and honored that you chose to remember Pat in this way. In memory of Pat, here’s Jamie, as she so often does, leading her family on a walk around Young’s Hill:

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Today is for loved ones

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Very appropriately for the day before Valentine’s Day, today’s day of sanctuary was sponsored by two caring people in honor of loved ones.

 

Doris Wunch is honoring her husband, William Goodman, with this sponsor-a-day message: “This Friday, February 13, is my husbands birthday. As a animal lover, he will be honored to share his day with these fun loving chimpanzees as they enjoy their freedom in the beautiful northwest.”

 

Virginia Ray sponsored the day in honor of her mother with this message, “In memory of my Mom who raised me to have a great love of all creatures.”

 

It’s very touching for the humans at the sanctuary to learn more about donors and their loved ones through the Sponsor-a-Day program and to be able to share wonderful people and touching messages with our supporters. And these messages of love are also helping to provide for the care of the chimpanzees.

On our social media sites this week leading up to Valentine’s Day, we’ve been sharing “Love is…” images. With these loving messages for today’s day of sanctuary from Doris and Virginia, it only seemed fitting to share them in this post

 

William, we wish you the happiest of birthdays filled with the things you love, and Virginia, we hope you will have many memories of your mother today remembering what made her the happiest in life. Thank you for being a part of the chimpanzees’ happiness.

 

Lovie is for Annie

 

Love is for Burriot

 

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Love is for Jamie

 

Love is for Jody

 

Love is for Missy

We will post Negra’s message on our social media sites tomorrow – you can view our public Facebook page even if you’re not signed up with your own Facebook account.

 

Don’s Birthday Party

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As promised, here are photos and video of today’s party. The chimps enjoyed a forage of leeks, red bananas, broccolini, sweet peppers, lettuce, and corn. We also put out cups of warm herbal tea with almond milk, party hats filled with peanuts, and pinatas stuffed with grapes, as well as a fresh bale of alfalfa (a nest you can eat!).

We’re big on recycling around here, so for today we re-purposed the Christmas tree as a “Birthday tree.” Annie and Burrito took turns picking treats from its branches:

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Negra went straight for the corn, while Missy hunted for red bananas:

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Foxie guzzled all the tea she could find:

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Somehow, Missy got to the party hat pinata first, so all Jamie could do was scrounge for leftovers. Don’t feel sorry for her, though – she ate almost everything else:

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Watch the video:

It’s fitting that the chimps enjoyed a forage in the greenhouse today, and that Jamie walked around the hill to her heart’s content. Both the greenhouse and Young’s Hill were made possible in large part by Karen and Don Young.

So Don, thank you (and Karen) for caring so much about these seven chimps. We hope you enjoyed your birthday – the chimps certainly did!

what to do with all that money you saved on Black Friday

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Hopefully you all saw the Thanksgiving blog post yesterday with the video full of food squeaking that included Burrito inhaling a piece of Celebration Roast made by our friends at Field Roast.

For most Americans, now that the big feast is behind us, it’s the dreaded or celebrated Black Friday, the day that shoppers everywhere are searching for the best deals, and non-shoppers are tucked away in their homes avoiding the madness (maybe some of them doing some secret shopping online).

Pal Candy CaneLucky for all of you, we have a way for everyone to feel good about today – join our Holiday Pal fundraising contest!

Your donations literally put the food on the table for the chimpanzees (okay, maybe it’s not really a table, but you know what I mean), and we particularly rely on monthly donations to keep the bills paid and keep us inspired to do more, so please consider the Alpha Pal or Best Friends Pal donation levels.

Right now Foxie is ahead in the Pal fundraising, but that could change at any minute. Keep updated by watching the photos fill up the chimps’ candy canes!

You can become a Pal online, send us a check, or even give us a call (509-699-0728). I’ll personally take your donation over the phone today – there’s no way I’m facing any shopping crowds, so I’ll just be sitting here in the office with the phone waiting for you to call.

If you’re still looking for shopping deals, Zazzle is offering 60% off calendars (and a bunch of other sales), so you can pick up your 2014 Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest calendar for a bargain price. You may as well get a few for gifts. Just visit the CSNW Zazzle store, get your shopping fix by selecting lots of items, and enter the promocode: BLKFRIZAZZLE when you check out. Let us know what you think about the calendar this year!

2014 calendars

Hang in there, and don’t forget that you can always come visit the blog to watch videos and see photos of the chimps to remind you of your primate family at a distance and take your mind off of shopping or any other holiday stress. The chimps are here for you because you are there for them.

Thank you, Kathleen!

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The celebration continues! Kathleen Kemper also sponsored yesterday in honor of the sanctuary’s five year anniversary!  We are thrilled by the overwhelming support and positive comments that have been flooding in.  Kathleen, thank you so much for your generosity and for helping us to usher in the beginning of the next five years of sanctuary, and beyond, for these amazing beings.

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Happy Birthday Pam Lehnert!

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Today is Pam Lehnert’s birthday and her friend Jill honored Pam with a Sponsor-a-Day as a birthday gift. Since Pam bought this chair for Jamie (and the other chimps, of course), I’m bring back the first photo we got of Jamie sitting in her hand chair.

I really don’t know what I would do without Pam’s help with our event fundraisers, so I try to celebrate Pam Lehnert everyday, particularly leading up to the auction.

Happy day to you Pam! And thank you Jill for sponsoring this day!

jamie in the hand chair