Chimp Champs
Save the Chimps relies entirely on private donations to provide nearly 300 chimpanzees the highest quality of care including three daily nutritious meals of fresh fruit and vegetables, a loving care staff, veterinary care and lifetime retirement.
This page is dedicated to those who have found their own
unique way of helping out.
Here’s to our Chimp Champs!!!
To find out how your business, school or community group can help support the chimps read the "Off-Site Volunteering" section of our
volunteer page.
2010 Chimp Champs
January 2010
Dr. Forrest "Woody" Hayes
Dr. Forrest “Woody” Hayes is a veterinary consultant helping to provide high quality preventative and emergency medicine for the chimpanzees at Save the Chimps.
Prior to specializing in ultrasounds and endoscopy, Dr. Hayes owned a small animal practice for 16 years. His mobile imaging practice has been providing veterinary hospitals all over Florida with advanced diagnostics for 14 years.
Although very busy, he always fits us in when one of the chimps needs his help. He is passionate about medicine, compassionate about the chimps and tireless in the pursuit of a diagnosis. Save the Chimps’ veterinarians Dr. Bezner, Dr. Gregard along with everyone else at Save the Chimps thank him for being such a chimp champ!
2009 Chimp Champs
December 2009
Brandon Wood
Brandon has been researching chimpanzees for the past month, although he has always had a love for chimps, gorillas and monkeys. Like many of us, he is a big animal lover. He thought it would be wonderful to have a baby chimp as a pet considering how adorable they are. Brandon began doing more research on the web and quickly learned about chimpanzees being exploited and what happens to them when they become pets and entertainers. This saddened him. Not only did it change his mind about ever owning a chimpanzee, it also inspired him to hopefully one day work with them.
He knows that the best way he can show the chimps love is to let people know what has happened to them and help support them so he decided to organize his own fundraiser. With the help of a friend, he quickly created a blog titled
“Make a Chimp Smile!! Save the Chimps”. Like most of our young supporters,
Elway became Brandon's favorite chimp. Elway is clever, brave and mischievous. His father “Boy” is still in New Mexico awaiting his trip home. But there’s an even more important reason Brandon connected with Elway – Brandon and his father are apart but for a very different reason. His father, Rickey, is serving in Afghanistan. Rickey is an army veteran and a water specialist stationed in Afghanistan for 4 months now; prior to that he was in Iraq. He left for Iraq just after Brandon started Kindergarten.
Brandon posted his blog with the goal of raising
$2500 to sponsor Boy’s migration to Florida. He states “My goal in starting this was to have Boy migrated. If he is lucky enough to migrate before I can raise enough money, all donations will still be going to Save the Chimps. It is very expensive to care for these chimps so every little bit helps”. In just a matter of days , Brandon raised $120 dollars – all donations but one have been made by other soldiers in Afghanistan working with Brandon’s father.
We thank Brandon for loving the chimps. And we thank the troops who are so far away from their homes and families sacrificing themselves and encouraging a very special little boy to help save the chimps!
November 2009
Alison Chapot and her Prime-mate Sally
Save the Chimps wants to introduce you to our newest Chimp Champ – Alison Chapot!
Alison, a California resident, has been a loyal and dedicated supporter of STC since 2006.
Alison tables west coast events for Save the Chimps – helping to spread the word about the work we do and has even orchestrated three fund raisers! In 2007, she hosted Two Tickets to Paradise a fundraiser filled with auction items and fun activities which raised over $5,000.
The proceeds sponsored the migration of two chimps to Florida. In 2008 she held screenings of One Small Step: The Story of the Space Chimps at libraries and bookstores in an effort to raise awareness and this past year she held a birthday celebration / fund raiser aptly named Prime-mates, heralding her and Save the Chimps resident Sally – both these great ladies were born on November 7th. Alison raised over $500 and boxes of in-kind donations were delivered to the Florida sanctuary specifically for Sally to enjoy.
We celebrate Alison for her love, compassion and enthusiasm for the chimps!
October 2009
Lucy’s Ladies Golf Tournament
From left to right: Lucy's Ladies golf tournament participants, enjoying lunch after a hot day and Grand Prize winner of one-of-a-kind Melody painted tote bag and Melody adoption.
It was tee-time at Indian Hills Golf Course in Fort Pierce on October 10th, all thanks to Lucy Posa who orchestrated the third annual Lucy’s Ladies Golf Tournament, all to benefit Save the Chimps! The event is all about fun and has grown each year. The first year over $600.00 was raised, last year over $800.00, and this year over $1,000.00 was generated by entry fees, raffle tickets, and even beverage tips generously donated to Save the Chimps. The proceeds will be matched by the Arcus Foundation.
Over 40 ladies spent their Saturday morning hitting the links, enjoying each other’s companies and testing their golfing expertise on this par 72 course. After they completed their 18 holes, the ladies gathered for lunch, conversation and the raffle drawing. The grand prize was a one-of-a-kind tote bag made from fabric painted by one of chimps, a copy of the PBS Emmy-award winning documentary – Chimpanzees: An Unnatural History, a plush Lil’ Elway doll and an adoption of Baby Melody - which of course was the hit of the afternoon!
Thank you pant-hoots go out to Lucy and her fellow golfers for her continued generosity and support. We look forwards to next years’ tournament! We’re sure it will be another hole-in-one!
September 2009
How to be a better bowler in one easy step – Bowl for the Chimps!
Phyllis Marino (3rd from left and members of her bowling league)
Loyal supporter Phyllis Marino coordinated a bowl-a-thon to benefit Save the Chimps this past May and raised over $1200.00! Phyllis is a U.S. postal employee whom we met at a CFC kick-off campaign this past January. Since meeting her, Phyllis has been nothing short of an angel to the chimps – collecting and delivering watermelons, bananas, blankets and toys for them!
Phyllis belongs to a bowling league and came up with the idea of holding a fundraiser for the chimps. Held at St. Lucie Lanes in our hometown of Fort Pierce, over 30 bowlers enjoyed an afternoon of bowling strikes AND gutter balls and chatting with friends - both old and new.
On her own, she secured great raffle items such as tool kits, spa treatments, gift food baskets and dinners at area restaurants. There were even door prizes for those who didn’t hold the winning raffle ticket – so everyone was able to walk away with a memento of the afternoon’s activities. Phyllis even contacted the local news affiliate and the fundraiser was featured on the 6 o’clock news!
Phyllis bowled a perfect game for Save the Chimps!
A Tribute to a Beloved Friend and Supporter of Save the Chimps
Save the Chimps would like to pay tribute to a dear member of our family, Carol Webb, who passed away on July 23, 2009 of heart failure. Carol was a long time dedicated supporter of STC and a great ambassador. On many occasions, she hosted her own fundraiser on behalf of Save the Chimps, cleverly naming it the “Chimp Chomp” Luncheon. With everything from a custom donation menu to freshly made “chocolate-chimp” cookies, Carol opened up her home in an effort to introduce friends and neighbors to her much-loved chimp friends.
Carol was a proud adopted parent of Liza, and advocate for them all. She introduced many to STC and her kindness and loyalty will always be remembered.
February 2009 Chimp Champs!
Rio Grande Elementary, Ms. Mitchell’s Second-Grade Class
A Sweet Idea!
Ms. Mitchell’s second-grade class at Rio Grande Elementary in Santa Fe, New Mexico came up with a “sweet idea” to raise money for Save the Chimps.
Ms. Mitchell’s class performs community service work each year and after attending private fundraisers last spring, Ms. Mitchell was inspired to help Save the Chimps.
After sharing her experience with her students they decided to make chocolate truffles for Valentine’s Day in the hopes of raising enough money to adopt a chimp – well Ms. Mitchell’s class raised $1115.00!
We’re sure they’re going to have fun picking their adopted chimps and the truffles look simply yummy – we’d like to try one too!
It goes to show each and every one of us that you’re never too young to care and no idea is ever too small.
January 2009 Chimp Champs!
Harry Hmura
Save the Chimps had the blues in November.
Guitarist Harry Hmura and Musicians for Apes organized a benefit at the Falcon House in Delray Beach, Florida this past November raising almost $700.00 in an evening filled with the sounds of not only the blues, but jazz too!
A special Thank You goes out to everyone at the Falcon House who made this possible!
Harry travels around the country, be sure to visit his web site at:
http://www.musiciansforapes.com/
He may be playing at a club near you!
Enrichment Party
Michelle Rokke, Donna Minor and Carolyn Kenny
Love can be found in a cardboard box. Santa Fe residents Carolyn Kenny, Donna Minor and Michele Rokke made sure of that by organizing a Chimp Enrichment Party for STC’s 135 New Mexico residents.
You may be wondering “what is enrichment?” Enrichment is a variety of items or activities provided to the chimps to keep them active, challenged and entertained.
The enrichment party rallied over 20 participants to donate non-perishable food items, pack and wrap 2-½ truck loads of enrichment wrapped boxes for our chimps. The chimps were delighted to tear open gift-wrapped boxes and find them stuffed with dried fruits, cereal and other treats!
This benefit was organized to commemorate the passing of Rick Minor, animal activist.
2008 Chimp Champs
November 2008 Chimp Champs!
Karen and Don Young
In an unparalleled act of generosity, Karen and Don Young are the first supporters to sponsor an entire migration of chimpanzees from New Mexico to Florida.
The Youngs are retired and live in Montclair, New Jersey. Animals have always been central to family life for them and their children. Their house has been filled with everything from hermit crabs and ant farms to rabbits, birds, cats and dogs. The Youngs now support many animal groups including animal shelters in Manhattan, Montclair and the Grand Cayman Islands.
Save the Chimps' Director of Development, Triana Romero, explains the magnitude of the Youngs' gift: "What the Youngs have done is beyond words. Ten amazing chimpanzees will live the rest of their lives in comfort and peace because of Karen and Don's generosity. No one has ever sponsored an entire migration before, no one, ever. They are not just generous; it is beyond that, they are heroic!"
It was through their son, Ryan, that the Youngs were introduced to the plight of chimpanzees in the United States. After generously supporting the New England Anti-Vivisection Society's Project R & R, Karen and Don wanted to further focus their time and money to helping chimpanzees who are in sanctuaries or who are trying to reach one. At that time, they contacted Save the Chimps.
In addition to advocacy work with chimpanzees, Don is publishing a book, You Can Do It! An Easy Step by Step Guide to Financial Security. Karen is publishing an educational and advocacy book on chimpanzees for children, ages 4 to 9, entitled A Chimpanzee Tale, A Tale Told by Hoot the Chimpanzee.
UPDATE! 05/01/09
Don & Karen Young, dedicated supporters of STC, have donated another $25,000.00, which will jump-start the matching grant from the Arcus Foundation.
The Young’s donation will sponsor the upcoming Great Chimpanzee Migration – the translocation of ten more chimps from Alamogordo, New Mexico to their permanent home at the Save the Chimps Sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida.
This is the second migration that the Young’s have sponsored. “It is about sacrifice and giving to a belief and a passion and not buying material things. It is our hope that more people will be inspired to do the same thing” said Karen Young.
Sally-Anne Ryan
Sally-Anne Ryan is a British artist currently living in the U.K. Primarily a companion animal portrait artist, she has been enjoying the challenge of painting chimpanzees for Save the Chimps since May 2008.
Alongside this work she has also painting portraits of pets and donating the proceeds to Save the Chimps. She hopes these portraits will help with the ‘Great Chimp Migration’ assuring each and every chimp gets the sanctuary they deserve.
Aside from painting, Sally-Anne is also a student of canine behavior and training with Alpha Education in the U.K., a group who teach deeper understanding of dogs and who promote humane training methods.
Sally-Anne is very interested in the bonds formed between humans and animals and is training to become a bereavement counselor, working with people grieving the loss of their animals.
Sally-Anne has so far painted Cheetah, Olivia, Dana, Marty & Tanya from Save the Chimps and has fallen in love with each one in the process!
Sally-Anne's artwork can be viewed at www.sallyanneryan.com
March 2008 Chimp Champ!
Louise Mills is committed to making Save the Chimps' Florida sanctuary a better place to nap!
Ms. Mills, who lives in nearby Vero Beach, is determined to make each and every chimpanzee at Save the Chimps a personalized, handmade quilt for nesting.
Louise has spent her life comforting and protecting the vulnerable. After retiring from a career as a program supervisor serving developmentally disabled children, she turned a hobby of quilting into a campaign to provide comfort and security to those in transition or away from home.
Ms. Mills makes personalized quilts with beautiful animal or landscape patterns for the United States soldiers stationed overseas and for dogs and cats living in animal shelters.
She first learned of the amazing chimpanzees at Save the Chimps in late 2007. She says she was "heartbroken" after hearing the stories of isolation and neglect the chimps had survived. She decided to add the chimps to her quilting list and in just a few short months has already made and donated almost 40 quilts for the chimps.
Louise Mills is a life long animal lover. She currently lives with her two "best friends", Philo, a Collie mix, and Princess, a black Cocker Spaniel, and is this month's Chimp Champ!
February 2008 Chimp Champ!
Math Students' Enthusiasm Adds Up for Chimps
By Wendy Lemlin
It was in November of 2006 when high school teacher Gail Lee first heard about Save the Chimps. "I had just seen the PBS show, 'Chimpanzees, An Unnatural History', and it made a huge impression on me," she explained. "I knew then that I wanted to help, and I wanted to do it in a way which would allow my students to become involved as well."
Gail is the Math Department Co-Chair at San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas, CA, a beach community about 20 miles north of San Diego. Every holiday season, each homeroom "adopts" a needy family, raising and donating money for food and gifts. That year, Gail came up with a different idea.
"I showed my classes the PBS video and asked the students what they thought about 'adopting' a chimp from Save the Chimps, instead, and they loved the idea. Our goal was to raise the $120 'adoption fee' for one chimp, but my 3 classes became so enthusiastic in their support that we were actually able to adopt four!"
For the 2007-2008 school year, Gail and her students set an even more ambitious goal: to raise $2500 to sponsor the migration of a chimp from New Mexico to Florida. As of mid-January, they have raised over $1600.
Math students at San Dieguito Academy
"It's really the kids' passion that has made this a success", Gail says. "I show the PBS video on half-days when we have shortened class periods, and every day I pass around the 'chimp change' bucket, and those who want to, contribute. There's no pressure, and most of the kids love doing it."
One day, one of my students brought in $158, excited that his parents had provided matching funds. Now, several of the other parents, somewhat surprised by their kids' generosity, have happily matched their contributions.
We started a 'Save the Chimps' club at school and they're planning a movie night to show the PBS video as a fundraiser, and one of the students has made 'Save the Chimps' buttons to give to donors. The students have also been donating dried fruit and nuts for chimp treats."
Gail sees this whole process as a win-win situation for both students and chimps. "The kids are learning important lessons about appreciating other creatures in their own right, and fighting animal cruelty and neglect. They're learning about generosity and giving, and how even the simplest efforts can make a difference. I can't help but think that this will allow them to become caring and conscientious adults who will have a positive effect on the world around them."
For a math teacher, this adds up to a formula for success.