Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Volunteers

Project Days

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We are so fortunate to have so many amazing volunteers. They are always willing to jump in no matter how big or small the task is. Today, we tackled a big project and all of our awesome volunteers came to our aid! We were trading out the old wood chips in the Green House for some fresh new wood chips. This is no small task, though it is a satisfying one! We do this at least once a year depending on how long the chips last. However, we do change out the heavily soiled areas more often. But, it takes quite a few helping hands!

Here they are hard at work:

Here is the what the Green House looked like after!

Meanwhile, Jamie took a break from supervising to make a nest and relax a bit.

Jamie was actually really in the mood to have her photo taken.

Foxie came to say hello.

And left her doll for Jamie.

After, the Green House transformation everyone went out onto Young’s Hill for a perimeter check.

Even Neggie came out to soak up the sun.

Mave also found a comfy place to nest.

Willy B just wanted to play chase all day. Sorry it’s a little blurry, we were in mid-chase!

 

 

 

A New Structure!

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A new structure was built today! We had a wonderful group, Thrivent Financial, come out and build this two-story deck! The chimps anxiously waited to see how it would turn out.

These awesome volunteers worked so hard throughout the entire day:

Before it was finished:

After:

We are so excited for this structure. I can imagine Negra lounging in the shade while warm summer air breezes by her or Foxie playing with her dolls at the top! I can also envision Mave, Willy B, & Honey B concurring their fears and climbing up this sturdy structure!

Jamie, Jody, Foxie, Missy, & Annie were able to go out and explore on the new play structure. Of course, a new structure means someone has to inspect it, which is what Jamie and the rest of the girls did!

After inspection, there were patrols to do:

And than back on the the new play structure. The girls seem to be in approval of it!

Even Foxie who can be suspicious of new things, was hanging out!

We just want to give Thrivent Financial a big thank you for building this amazing structure!

Play All Day (while the humans work)

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Lately, Missy and Annie have been doing what they do best – playing all day!

Meanwhile, the humans have been busting their butts to move caging, glass, and other material from the former Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute (CHCI) at Central Washington University before its demolition.

The building had sat largely empty in the years since Tatu, Loulis, and many of the staff and students associated with Friends of Washoe moved from campus to the Fauna Foundation in Canada. When the university determined that the building would be torn down to accommodate construction of a new dorm, they agreed to remove as much reusable material as possible and donate it to CSNW for use in our upcoming expansion. (Click here for a video from local news channel KAPP about the donation). But a jump in the timeline for the building’s demolition meant we had to get the material out with little notice. Thankfully, an emergency call to our local supporters on Facebook was met with an enthusiastic response, and just days later we had trucks, trailers, and lots of manual labor lined up and ready to help. In only a few hours, we loaded thousands of pounds of caging, steel doors, and 270-lb chimp-proof windows…

…and then unloaded it all at the sanctuary.

Alan, an CSNW intern, made the mistake of volunteering on the day that we needed to manually unload the nearly 4,500-lb of glass from the trailer. He is young, however, and likely had the use of his arms the next day, unlike some of us.

Our expansion project has been full of frustrating setbacks throughout the permitting process – lately around the location and design of a new driveway we are required to put in – but we are getting closer! And when we do break ground, we will do so knowing that we will be putting this material to good use and saving thousands of dollars in the process. It is a small but significant part of CHCI’s legacy, and a great way to remember and honor the chimpanzees that taught us so much.

Animal Sanctuary Caregiver Day

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Caregivers are the heart and soul of every animal sanctuary. To recognize their vital contribution to the well being of thousands of rescued animals around the world, the North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance has teamed up with the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries to create a day in their honor. Today, we are proud to celebrate the first annual Animal Sanctuary Caregiver Day!

Here at CSNW, it’s impossible to overstate the love, dedication, and commitment that our caregivers demonstrate every day. Every moment of playfulness we share on this blog, every picture of contentment you see, is the product of thousands of hours of hard work by CSNW’s caregiver crew.

The staff and volunteer caregivers clean for five hours a day, seven days a week. It is a never-ending job.

They prepare the chimps’ many meals, forages, and food puzzles each day.

They invest countless hours in training so that they can help serve those meals safely.

They wash and fold 70 or more blankets a day so the chimps can build fresh, clean nests.

They plant gardens and tend to them throughout the summer so that they chimps will have the freshest produce possible.

They throw parties for the chimps to keep life exciting and interesting.

They spend countless hours building trust and developing friendships.

They tend to wounds and ensure that medications are administered daily.

They engage in hundreds of hours of positive reinforcement training so that the chimps learn to cooperate with physical exams.

They walk for miles around Young’s Hill in the blazing sun and the pouring rain to keep Jamie and her friends company.

They work weekends and holidays because the chimps never take a day off from needing our care. And when Jamie insists on staying out all night and walking in the moonlight, they are there too – even when they might rather be home in bed.

Caring for chimpanzees is hard work. It’s physically demanding and, at times, emotionally draining. But it can also be unbelievably rewarding. We are lucky to be surrounded and supported by people who find fulfillment in working hard for the benefit of others; people who measure success by the amount of good they can do for the animals who so desperately need our help.

To Elizabeth, Katelyn, and Anna, who dedicate their lives to the Cle Elum Seven, to the dozens of selfless volunteers and interns who give up their free time to serve these deserving chimpanzees, and to sanctuary caregivers around the world: Thank you for all you do and Happy Animal Sanctuary Caregiver Day!

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Making Sanctuary Possible

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Here is a great photo of Jody that J.B. took:

Jody climbing

This is the Jody who spent decades in research laboratories and was used as a breeding machine, having at least eleven pregnancies beginning when she was eight years old. This is the Jody who lived in cramped quarters in a dirty basement in Pennsylvania, waiting for her sanctuary home along with Annie, Burrito, Foxie, Jamie, Missy, and Negra.

Jody had an adventurous day yesterday in the spring air and spent a lot of time today nesting and grooming her friends.

Sanctuary is so important. For Jody it might mean being able to climb once in a while and having piles of blankets to move from one area to another. Getting to know the chimpanzees and catering to their individual personalities is what Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest is all about.

But in order to do that truly effectively, there’s all this other work that has to happen. The Share the Chimp Love video that we made last month shows what it takes to directly care for the chimpanzees, but it didn’t show the hours answering emails, preparing for fundraising events, construction projects, budgeting, ensuring our non-profit status and various business licenses are in order, or strategic planning for the future.

Just like the direct care of the chimpanzees, this other work is essential to their well being, and we are extremely lucky to have so many people who volunteer their time, ideas, supplies, and support in order to keep the behind-the-scenes operations running smoothly.

Recently we had two volunteers who have added a tremendous value to our operations – both of them named Sharon! Sharon Burke has helped us immensely by serving on our Finance Committee and advising us on financial tracking, reporting, and procedures. Sharon Clinton, just a week after retiring, took several days and magically transformed our filing system. I am not exaggerating when I say that our files are now a thing of beauty to behold.

Just like the generator, made possible by the NAVS Sanctuary Fund and Karen and Don Young, I never imagined myself getting excited about a filing system or financial coding, but I really am now enthusiastic about these things. I understand that they are incredibly valuable to the chimpanzees and their future. And I’m so grateful for the Sharons of the world who not only contribute to the chimps’ lives financially, but also volunteer their invaluable skills to make Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest a better organization.

Jody is counting on us to take care of her in every aspect for the rest of her life, and I know that her large community of supporters means that she in very good hands.

Vote for Crafty Projects

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Back in July, I posted about a “Pinterest Challenge” asking crafty people to take some misprinted sanctuary shirts and make something new out of them. Several people responded. Then the fire hit.  Following up with crafters, updating the challenge, and spending any time on Pinterest ended up being sacrificed for other work.

We did, however, receive three quite phenomenal projects that I’m excited to share with you right now. Please comment on this post with a vote for your favorite (#1, 2, or 3), or, if you’re undecided, tell us what you like about each of them.

 

#1

dog collar sleeves

The first project we received was hand delivered at the Troll Olympics by volunteer Carrie Parker, so she gets the award for the fastest-craft-turn-around. Her speediness did not take the place of quality, though! These better-than-bandana reversible sleeves thread onto your canine companion’s collar to spruce up his or her look and advertise the sanctuary. Aren’t they neat?

 

#2

blanc's shirt basket

The second project we received was made by friend of the sanctuary Blanc Weber. She contacted me and said she wanted to use the shirts for a crocheted basket. Not being all that crafty myself, I couldn’t picture what that would look like. I had no idea you could transform ordinary t-shirts into such a cool and sturdy basket! Blanc said Foxie could use the basket for her troll dolls, but I’m not sure I can bear to give the chimps this creation.

 

#3

Jenny's chimp stamped bag

The third and last project we received was an adorable tote bag hand stamped by former volunteer and wonderfully creative human Jenny Chang. You can probably guess my favorite part of the bag – the troll-inspired pink hair on one of the chimps. The straps of the bag, which I did not capture in the photo, are braided and long, making this a useful cross-shoulder tote, in addition to being a one-of-a-kind craft.

 

Okay, vote away!

 

Young’s Hill Update

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Our volunteers are amazing. Over the last two months, they’ve turned out every weekend and often during the week to help work on the hill despite the rain, wind, and sometimes frigid temperatures. Thanks to them, we’ve finished putting the posts in and have begun preparing the posts for the electric wire.

Currently, we are working on fastening the black plastic insulators to each post. They are fairly easy to install, but there are over 6,000 of them! Doug took materials home to finish making all of the brackets for the tops of the posts – our volunteers are even doing homework.

Sarah managed to photograph a rare moment when Anna was not working last weekend. Anna installed hundreds of insulators and got our irrigation system for the bamboo up and running.

The welders are almost finished with the gates and tunnels, and this weekend, volunteer Ken will begin digging the foundations for them. Below you can see the steel plates that will be embedded in the concrete to support the gate posts. This 8′ tall by 22′ wide section of fence will sit at the corner of the enclosure closest to the driveway. It will allow us to access the enclosure with a vehicle and, because the lower section will not be electrified, it will be the main place where caregivers can interact with the chimps when they are out on the hill.

Volunteers have also been helping with quality control to ensure that all playground equipment meets Missy’s standards.