• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

  • Our Family
    • The Chimpanzees
    • The Cattle
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • Visiting the Sanctuary
    • Philosophy
      • FAQs
      • Mission, Vision & Goals
      • Privacy Policy
    • The Humans
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Founder
    • Annual Reports
    • The Future of CSNW
    • CSNW In The News
  • You can help
    • Donate
      • Become a Chimpanzee Pal
      • Sponsor A Day
      • Transfer Stock
      • Be A Produce Patron
      • Be a Bovine Buddy
      • Give from your IRA
      • Personalized Stones
      • Bring Them Home Campaign
    • Leave A Legacy
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Volunteer
    • See Our Wish List
    • Events
  • Resources
    • About Chimpanzees
    • Enrichment Database
    • Advocacy
      • Apes in Entertainment
        • Trainers
        • Role of the AHA
        • Greeting Cards
      • Chimpanzees as Pets
      • Roadside Zoos
      • Chimpanzees in Biomedical Research
      • Conservation
        • African Apes
        • Orangutans
  • Shop
    • Merchandise Store
  • Contact
  • DONATE NOW

Volunteers

99 Reasons to Volunteer at CSNW

July 6, 2024 by Krissy Brasfield

Prior to the last 2 months, I had been volunteering at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest for 4.5 years.  I can easily say that it was the best way I spent my time!  It was so incredibly meaningful for me that I decided, at 52 years old, to pursue a career change and am now a full time staff person!  How lucky am I?  So I compiled a list of reasons that YOU TOO should become a volunteer.  We’d love to see your smiling faces  🙂

  1. Burrito
  2. Terry
  3. Foxie
  4. Annie
  5. Cy
  6. Jamie
  7. Missy
  8. Gordo
  9. Dora
  10. Mave
  11. Honey B
  12. Willy B
  13. Negra
  14. Lucky
  15. Rayne
  16. Diana
  17. JB
  18. Anna
  19. Dr.Erin
  20. Kelsi
  21. Grace
  22. Jenna
  23. Chad
  24. Katelyn
  25. Sabrina
  26. Ellen
  27. Krissy
  28. Deer families
  29. Marmots for days
  30. Raven shenanigans
  31. Frogs – you may have to save them from the playrooms (Negra will eat them!) **
  32. Snakes – no wait, that’s a different list!
  33. Volunteering is incredibly rewarding
  34. Free snacks!
  35. Raspberries – the kind you blow, not the kind you eat, also known as a Bronx Cheer
  36. The property is breathtakingly beautiful!
  37. Only one chimpanzee throws poop 
  38. Bragging rights – your friends will be so jealous (which is why they should become volunteers, too!)
  39. We share 98.76% of our DNA with chimpanzees – so that makes us family
  40. Jamieween
  41. Trifecta Jubilee
  42. Enrichment prep parties – such as pumpkin carving for Jamieween
  43. Making chow bags (actually, that’s why WE want you to volunteer)

    Volunteer Katie making chow bags
  44. Volunteering is FREE
  45. Friendship
  46. Strengthens our community
  47. Volunteers know the inside scoop – they’re part of the team
  48. Plenty of parking
  49. Troll toss with Foxie ***
  50. The sanctuary couldn’t do it without volunteers!
  51. Learn chimpanzee facts that you can use at cocktail parties  (do people still go to cocktail parties?)
  52. Watching meal service from Mechanical Room 3
  53. Satisfaction gained through a job well done
  54. Witnessing sweet moments between chimps
  55. Dancing with Terry ***
  56. The opportunity to bond with another species
  57. Combats depression
  58. Taking walks around the hill
  59. Grooming ***
  60. Volunteers make the staff very happy – think Norm entering Cheers
  61. Tug-o-war with Burrito ***
  62. Most of the time, the spit flying at your face is just water
  63. Gain career experience
  64. Espresso machine
  65. Meet new people
  66. Negra kisses ***
  67. Camaraderie
  68. You can make a difference
  69. The rare opportunity to groom Missy ***
  70. Gardening
  71. We have ice!
  72. And air conditioning!
  73. Bipedal Annie
  74. You get to go home early!
  75. You become a more interesting person
  76. Lunch forages
  77. You’ll want chimp tattoos
  78. You can check out books from our library
  79. Cows
  80. Teeth clacking during grooming
  81. Chimp laughter
  82. Looking for enrichment outside of chimp house (finding old dolls/boots/magazines)
  83. Barn Kitty – look but don’t touch!
  84. The excitement of Cy’s group when we roll out the food cart for meals
  85. Acquiring chimp art through online auctions, and such (first to know)
  86. Burrito’s toes
  87. Lizard (Travis)
  88. Gordo/Rayne in a box
  89. Gatorade pools
  90. Willy B eating lettuce/bok choy/celery, and such
  91. Making forts **
  92. Making paper braids – just kidding, they’re a nightmare, but lots of enrichment is fun to make!

    Volunteer Sarah S making firehose knots
  93. Annie bird noises and hair/face washing
  94. Otter pops
  95. Making nests **
  96. Dora’s head bobble
  97. It makes you happy!
  98. Watching the big boys display – gets your heart pounding!
  99. IT’S JUST PLAIN FUN!!!!!

Now that you are ready to fill out an application to volunteer, you need to know about the different levels of volunteer:

*Level I – tasks include doing laundry, washing dishes, preparing enrichment, lunch prep, putting produce away, etc.  Please note, Level I volunteers do not interact with the chimpanzees, besides a polite head nod.

** Level II – in addition to Level I tasks, Level II volunteers assist in cleaning enclosures.  Please note, Level II volunteers do not interact with the chimpanzees, besides a polite head nod.

***Level III – In addition to Level I and II tasks, Level III volunteers serve meals and engage in protected physical and non-physical interactions with the chimpanzees.

You can fill out an application to become a Level I or Level II volunteer.  Trustworthy and dedicated volunteers are invited to train to become Level III volunteers – while all levels are rewarding, you and I both know that the real magic happens when you work to become a Level III volunteer.  It’s so worth it!

Filed Under: Sanctuary Tagged With: Volunteers

In Memory of Karen Creason

January 26, 2024 by Diana

Many of you know the names Margaret Parkinson and Karen Creason. Margaret and Karen were early donors to the sanctuary. We first met them in person when they came to the open house event before the first group of chimpanzees arrived in 2008.

I remember them pulling up in the driveway with their car overflowing with blankets and toys for the chimpanzees-to-come and balloons sticking up and whipping around in the wind above their sun roof.

They stepped out of the car with smiles a mile wide, laughing and full of joy.

In the early days, they were kitchen volunteers in the chimp house, baking treats, making night bags, doing laundry, and charming us all.

Over the years, J.B. and I managed to insert ourselves into their lives, which was quite easy because they were so welcoming and also overly complimentary of our work. If ever we were feeling overwhelmed or down, a call or visit with Margaret and Karen would lift our spirits immediately.

Karen would remark over and over how wonderful we were and how delightful it was to be together as we shared stories of the chimpanzees. She had a particular connection with Negra.

Karen had many interests, and we would often talk about current events or movies or documentaries. She was a collector, an advocate, an artist, and a writer, and she lit up when sharing her latest writings or treasured objects with us.

She and Margaret last visited the sanctuary together in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. Of course, for these two, a plain ordinary mask would not do…

Karen passed away on December 31st, Margaret’s birthday.

Margaret was with Karen through all the difficulties that aging and declining health introduced. Their lives together are an inspiration for what love, marriage, and commitment can be, and we feel so lucky that they happened into our lives.

If you would like to make a donation in Karen’s honor, you can do that on our donation page or by becoming a Pal to Negra. I will be sure to let Margaret know!

Filed Under: Sponsor-a-day, Thanks, Volunteers Tagged With: donors, karen creason, margaret parkinson, memorial, Sponsor-a-day, Volunteers

A Day in the Life of a Caregiver!

August 10, 2023 by Anna

A peek inside the busy day of our staff and volunteers!

Filed Under: Caregivers, Chimpanzee, Latest Videos, Sanctuary, Volunteers Tagged With: caregivers, day in the life, staff, Volunteers

The New Kid in Town

February 23, 2023 by Grace

Hi, everyone! Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a volunteer here at CSNW? More specifically- have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a level III volunteer who interacts and serves the chimps? Worry no more- today is the first in a series of Guest Blog Writers! We have some amazing Level III Volunteers who have volunteered (because they’re awesome) to write a post or two about their experiences here, so be on the lookout for them over the coming months.

First up to bat, we have Dusty-  a level three volunteer in training! She has volunteered with us for about six years!! So, without further ado, check out Dusty’s blog below!

The New Kid in Town, by Volunteer Caregiver Dusty

As a volunteer, it’s a lengthy training process to learn how to serve the chimpanzees their meals. There are books to read, videos to watch, observations to be made, steps to take, lessons to learn. This intimate activity must be done with the utmost thought and care, after all I am entering their private home. Imagine someone new coming into your home to serve you
breakfast. Who would get the first apple? Maybe you like your smoothie before your chow. Maybe your sibling likes the pears you are served better and takes yours away. This experience is exciting and humbling and I’m constantly reminded by the sixteen – I’m the new kid in town – which transports me back to 1976 when The Eagles released “The New Kid in Town” song as part of the Hotel California album. If you’ve never heard this song (where have you been?) or to refresh your memory, take a listen to the song at the same time you read about my training experience below.

The New Kid in Town
There’s hoots in the hall, it sounds so familiar
Initiation time, all the chimps are watching you
Smoothies and plums, how do I serve them
Even though they know me they treat me like I’m someone new

Dusty come lately,
The new kid in town,
Better serve the food right,
or they won’t come ’round.

I look in Terry’s eyes, his Bronx cheers began to play
Gordo sprays me with water, here we go again
Rayne runs to hide, Lucky looks the other way
It’s those precious hearts I want to mend

Dusty come lately,
The new kid in town,
Better serve the food right,
or they won’t come ’round.

There’s so many things Jamie should have showed me
Serve her pears first, serve Neggie slowly, slowly
Jody got extra oranges, holy moly!

There’s hoots in the hall, it’s there to remind you
Doesn’t really matter which side of the caging you’re on

You’re walking away, they’re plotting behind you
Initiation will continue ’til somebody new comes along.

Dusty come lately,
There’s a new kid in town,
Better serve the food right,
or they won’t come ’round.

Just another new kid in town
Everybody’s gawking
There’s a new kid in town, I don’t want her apples
There’s a new kid in town, I don’t want her bananas
There’s a new kid in town
There’s a new kid in town
Everybody’s hooting
There’s a new kid…

Serving Jamie at breakfast:

Still in training, so Chad is close by!

Bonus Photo: Honey B being goofy while caregivers cleaned her front rooms.

Filed Under: Caregivers, Chimpanzee, Sanctuary, Volunteers Tagged With: chimpanzee sanctuary, Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest, chimpanzees, Volunteers

One for the Road

January 23, 2023 by Anthony

Disclaimer: It’s after midnight and I’m drafting this blog post while listening to some of my favorite records. (Check out Turnover’s Peripheral Vision if you want to share my current vibe.) The post will be my 188th entry since I authored my first in the summer of 2019, and I am feeling a bit sentimental about it. I honestly don’t know how it’s going to come together. Right now it seems a bit disorganized, so you’ll have to forgive my excessive use of semicolons and parentheses (because one consequence of living with ADHD is that each thought “has a corresponding sub-thought” to go along with it).

Anyway, here it goes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First and foremost, I want to simply thank everyone who attended yesterday’s virtual presentation. Jenna and I enjoyed showing you our training methods and responding to your thoughtful questions about chimpanzee behavior. Watching Diana’s recording of the live demonstration really drove home just how much progress these individuals have made recently, enabling us to take better care of them in tangible ways (e.g., Terry’s Procedure). Revamping the training program has been a rewarding project and it felt good to share some of our modest successes with all of you.

Now, as many of you already know, my time as a CSNW caregiver is quickly coming to an end and a new caregiver will soon fill my spot on the team. In fact, this Thursday will be my last day on the staff and in my role as the Health and Behavior Coordinator.

I’ve been a caregiver here at CSNW for three and a half years and previously spent two years as a student intern. In total, I have worked in primate sanctuaries for eight years and cared for and studied nonhuman primates in various capacities for over a decade. Like many people who pursue a career in this field, I spent my twenties scraping together my resources to embark on new adventures to remote places, collecting only stories and photographs along the way. My modest tenure here in Washington has actually been the most stable and longest of my adult life by a wide margin, meaning that CSNW and the surroundings are the closest thing I’ve had to a home since I left the one I grew up in.

Given how much this place has meant to me, I wouldn’t have withdrawn from my role here without careful deliberation. Indeed, I spent much of the past year considering how to balance my fondness for the sanctuary with my interest in mitigating human-wildlife conflict, my desire to spend more time with friends and loved ones who live further away, and my everlasting itch for new adventures.

Some of you have expressed curiosity regarding my next endeavor. Last month, I accepted an offer to be the new Wildlife Naturalist at PAWS Wildlife Center, located just north of Seattle. In addition to re-homing animals in need through their companion animal shelter, PAWS also cares for thousands of orphaned and injured animals each year through their wildlife center. As the team’s de facto biologist, my primary role will be to coordinate the releases of rehabilitated patients and document those events for storytelling and scientific purposes. I’ll also be doing outreach to help people coexist more compassionately and sustainably with Washington’s native wildlife, a cause that has been important to me for a long time. (If you need any further proof, just read the post where I “roasted the cat”.) PAWS is now in the process of building a new, state-of-the-art wildlife facility in nearby Snohomish, from the front door of which I will be able to see different faces of the same snow-capped mountains that peak peek at CSNW from behind the surrounding foothills.

One perk of staying in the Pacific Northwest for now is that I can still drive over the mountains to visit the sanctuary as long as the pass remains, uh, passable. I promised Anna that I will periodically volunteer, even if just to remain familiar with all the sanctuary’s primates and keep my squeegee skills on point. J.B. hinted that I should also help him install some new cabinets when they arrive next month (a reasonable expectation given that Sofia and I campaigned the loudest for more storage space in the clinic). I also asked if I could occasionally mow the lawn for free, just like Forrest Gump chose to do when he became a bazillionaire. Meanwhile, Diana has been giving not-so-subtle hints that I need to bring fresh vegan doughnuts from Seattle whenever I choose to swing by, which sounds like a fair deal for all involved.

On that note, instead of writing one last post about the chimpanzees or cattle, I have decided to use my remaining words to express heartfelt gratitude for all the humans who make CSNW the special place that it is.

The aforementioned co-directors Diana and J.B. are amazing role models to the staff and students here at the sanctuary, and their dedication to the cause is unrivaled. They do it all with witty humor, thoughtful self-assessment, and steadfast compassion for humans and non-humans alike. I have never seen two people put so much of their own eclectic personalities into a place without letting their egos get in the way. In fact, they might be two of the most humble individuals I’ve ever worked with, despite all of the sacrifices they’ve made to create a comfortable home for deserving chimpanzees, cattle, canines, cats, and even houseplants. I feel so fortunate to have them as mentors, and I hope I can keep learning from them through the organization’s bright future.

Our manager Anna has been a positive influence on me since I was an intern, not just as a young professional but also as an imperfect human trying to navigate a unique social environment. I’ve learned that her ability to connect with diverse people and penchant for finding practical solutions to complex problems are the two fabrics that hold this team together. I’m not sure if she’ll miss my incessant banter in the foyer when she’s trying to focus on her own blog posts, but I already have it in writing that she’ll miss some of my better qualities. She can’t take that praise back, no matter how much she might regret boosting my ego when I come back to help out.

As for the rest of the staff, they’re an incredible group of individuals and I am so glad I got to work alongside each and every one of them. This group includes:

Chad with his vast knowledge of chimp behavior, sly sense of humor, and “great head of hair”; Grace with her social media expertise, contagious snorty laughter, and enthusiasm for taking on new projects; Jenna with her eagerness to grow the training program, thoughtful contributions to conversations, and impressive cup-stacking skills; Katelyn with her unwavering concern for the well-being of all living creatures, ability to carry an entire cohort of troll dolls at once, and mysterious fascination with the occult that has us all just a little bit spooked; Kelsi with her team-oriented perspective, energetic efficiency, and dubious advice for stopping nosebleeds; Sofia with her confidence and tenacity in the vet clinic, spunky attitude, and habit of reminding us how warm the weather is in Puerto Rico whenever the Northwest goes a few weeks without sunshine; and Dr. Erin with her commitment to making the local community a safer and more inclusive place to live, tendency to show up to parties with a three-legged rescue pig, and willingness to do a deep dive into any obscure health condition that pops up unexpectedly.

The sanctuary also depends on effort given to us by an unparalleled team of volunteers, and I consider these people to be some of the most dedicated caregivers that I have ever met. They spend their available hours laboring alongside those of us on the payroll and have become part of the family in the process. This sentiment was only strengthened by the pandemic, during which a small group of eligible volunteers followed the tightest restrictions in order to continue assisting the staff and entertaining the chimps.

We also benefited greatly from the CWU students and faculty who still found ways to gather donations, create enrichment puzzles, and advocate for the chimps despite having to remain distanced from the sanctuary. I’d also be negligent if I failed to thank all of the talented people who have contributed to the expansion of the facility, allowing us to take in four cattle and nine more chimpanzees during my short time here. Foremost among them are Gary and the Sage Mechanical crew, who have grown to know and love the chimps and take pride in improving their home.

I also appreciate all the people who cared for the sanctuary’s residents in their previous living situations, with a special round of applause for the former staff of the Wildlife Waystation who are presumably responsible for allowing my good friend Honey B to become the adorable little spitfire that she is today. These humans made the best of untenable conditions in order to care for these remarkable individuals, ultimately helping them to reach their permanent sanctuary homes.

Even in the best environments, caring for captive primates is difficult. (Reminder: they don’t belong in captivity.) I can’t possibly explain to you all how emotionally burdensome it can be to grow attached to individuals who have tragic and traumatic backgrounds, complex social and biological needs, and the ability to act violently towards each other in ways we cannot always anticipate or control. When you also consider that even experts rarely agree on the best strategies for managing chimpanzees housed in captivity, making progress in this line of work proves to be incredibly complicated.

I also want you all to appreciate what caregivers go through just to get to the point where they have secure employment in the field. Most of us have taken out loans to pay for college degrees that are unlikely to return that investment, worked part-time service jobs so that we can afford to complete unpaid internships, and moved across the country once or twice to pursue job opportunities, straining our relationships with our friends, families, and partners.

If you happen to meet a chimpanzee caregiver in person, you should probably ask them if they need a hug, or perhaps invite them out to have a stiff drink. Alternatively, you could just write them a check.

Despite the arduous nature of caregiving and the adversity that humans face in this industry, we who have ended up here at CSNW all love what we do and who we do it for. I think I can safely speak for all of us when I say that the opportunity to care for these individuals and contribute to this organization has been worth all the hard times we have endured. I personally feel so fortunate to have served on this team for a few memorable years, and I look forward to being a member of the sanctuary’s extended family for many years to come.

Last, but certainly not least, I wish to express one final message of gratitude to all of you who follow the blog. As a supplement to the love we receive from our friends and families, your kind words have proven to be the suds in our buckets, the gasoline in our Gators, and the peanuts in our night bags. Your thoughtful questions and insightful commentary help us caregivers to put things in perspective and continue onward with purpose during tough times, and your dedication tells us that the words we write here can have a positive impact on the chimpanzees we care about so much.

So please keep reading along, keep watching the videos, keep sharing your feedback, keep asking questions, and keep giving to the sanctuary (if and when you are able to). It means more to us than you could possibly imagine.

Your friend,
Anthony

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

P.S. Here are some photos for the road.

Filed Under: Caregivers, Thanks, Volunteers-Interns, Wildlife Tagged With: appreciation, blog followers, careers, caregivers, caregiving, donors, gratitude, humans, portraits, staff, supporters, Thanks, Volunteers

for the Winter Warriors

January 4, 2023 by Diana

If you follow the blog, you may have seen the brief mentions from Kelsi and then J.B. of the very eventful end of December that the Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest staff and volunteers endured this year.

For the first time in over a decade (as far as we can remember), J.B. and I had scheduled a short trip to visit family together (together!) on the east coast for some winter celebrations. Almost as soon as we left, things started to malfunction at the sanctuary as Cle Elum was hit with extreme cold temperatures. J.B. helped troubleshoot the issues at a distance, but the staff on the ground had to navigate mechanical failures and multiple days with a non-functioning well, all the while caring for the chimpanzees and cattle, getting to work in icy conditions, and taking turns staying overnight to look after office cat LouLou and pups Abbey and Benny.

The nonhumans were none the wiser to these issues as the staff and volunteers managed to maintain the routine and get creative with procedures as though everything was in pristine working order. Meanwhile, J.B. and I had to extend our time away due to the weather and the complete meltdown of the aviation industry.

All of this, whilst also being away from their own families, the staff carried on with the CSNW Christmas countdown on the blog and the preparation for holiday festivities without skipping a beat.

J.B. and I couldn’t be more grateful. Neither of us worried in the least that this crew of staff, volunteers, and their spouses could handle whatever obstacle Mother Nature and Murphy’s Law presented to them. There was never a doubt that the nonhumans at the sanctuary were in the best hands possible.

Today, we thank them most humbly with this sponsor-a-day post, and invite you, too, to thank them for looking after the sanctuary every day under any and all circumstances!

Filed Under: Caregivers, Sanctuary, Thanks, Volunteers, Weather Tagged With: caregivers, meltdown, Sponsor-a-day, staff, Thanks, troubleshooting, Volunteers, well, winter

more tree-climbing adventures!

October 29, 2022 by Diana

What a day! The video above says it all, but below are a few still photos.

Chad, on his day off, happened to see Missy’s climb as he was accompanying a former chimp house volunteer on a walk around the hill. He and J.B. took some videos with their phones as I walked up with the camera and telephoto lens, which was not working right away, but I did get one good photo of Missy amidst the branches, foraging on pine needles:

and some photos on her way down:

Filed Under: Construction, Featured Post, Jody, Latest Videos, Missy, Most Viewed Videos, Negra, Volunteers, Young's Hill Tagged With: adventure, climb, Construction, doll, Foxie, Missy, Negra, negra on young's hill, tree, Volunteers, work party

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe To the Blog and Get Notified of New Posts First!

Archives

Calendar of Blog Posts

May 2025
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Apr    

Categories

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Footer

PO Box 952
Cle Elum, WA 98922
[email protected]
509-699-0728
501c3 registered charity
EIN: 68-0552915

Official DDAF Grantee

Menu

  • The Chimpanzees
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • You can help
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Donate

Proud Member of

Connect With Us

Search

Copyright © 2024 Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. All Rights Reserved. Site by Vegan Web Design