It’s not only humans who experience the joy of giving.

We’ve watched Hope, a mother chimpanzee, share mango pieces with baby Grace. Then Jewel — who is not related to little Grace — also shared fruit with the young chimpanzee.

Sarah, long owned by a language-research lab, met Oliver, another chimpanzee, at our sanctuary. As you may know, Oliver is one of the elders at our refuge, and is almost completely blind. Sarah knew it immediately, and brought grapes over to Oliver, and Oliver accepted them and ate them.

It appears to us that all primates enjoy sharing. Why else would Primarily Primates have so many caring and generous (human) contributors?

Which brings us to our reason for writing.We’d like your membership with Primarily Primates’ for the coming year. Invest $25 or more, and you’ll help us set the pace for 2009.

And because we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit, ‘tis the season to make a gift that might reduce your tax bill in 2009. Won’t you consider a gift membership in the name of a friend or relative as well?

Here’s why we’re asking — the big picture. We need to raise one million dollars for a year of fresh fruit and vegetables, heating, top-notch habitats, and full-time veterinary medical care.

And here are the details. $25 will feed a chimpanzee for3 days; $50 covers a week. $75 covers the annual medical exam for a macaque monkey. $100 buys medicine and nutritional supplements for an elderly animal. $200 covers a day’s heating bill. With $250, we can usually cover transportation to send an abandoned animal to Primarily Primates.

We are now completing the attractive new bedrooms for 50 monkeys and lemurs. And we do make every dollar matter. Jerome, a retired construction worker from the local area, is donating the work. We are paying $600 in materials costs for each bedroom.

And that’s not all. Primarily Primates has shown that those who wanted the refuge shut down two years back were wrong. The lives of more than 400 animals were at stake. What a sanctuary needs is public support.

Our restructured board is putting your trust to good use, working diligently, with openness and transparency.

We’re ensuring that the sanctuary is consistently tidy, safe and well-run — a model refuge, committed to lifetime respect and care, with a staff that follows through. Every year, every day, every hour.

The refuge enters its thirtieth anniversary year revitalized. We’re defending animals’ interests in living their lives, and, as a newly accredited member of the American Sanctuary Association, we play a leading role in defending the sanctuary movement itself.

We can’t do it alone. By investing in Primarily Primates, you make it happen.

Thank you for helping and for caring. Every gift makes a difference in the daily experiences of ananimal at our sanctuary.

 

 

 

Please make a Support Primarily Primates donation.

Very truly yours,
Priscilla Feral, President 
Stephen Rene Tello, Executive Director

An important PS: You’ve seen the cost of goods and services rising lately. That’s true for animal refuges as well; and now we need to be ready to home even more unwanted animals because people are less likely to think they can afford caring for them. Your help is needed now.

Each year, we’ll expect to be on solid footing to care for the animals who need us. We’re strengthened because you feel the same. Thanks for reading, and being a part of our team.