Ape Ambassador newsletter #2

THE APE AMBASSADORS NEWSLETTER. KIDS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

APE PAPER

THE

2016 | ISSUE 02

ENDANGERED: ART4APES ART CONTEST OPEN UNTIL OCT 2, 2016

COOL KIDS!

MEET KIDS WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

BOOK WORMS BARK Reading to shelter dogs

FALL 2016

WWW.CENTERFORGREATAPES.ORG

NEWS FROM NEWSMAKERS

THRU THE GR A PEVINE SMART >

ART4APES >

YOUNG ARTISTS

ABOUT APES

Florida teenager Alison Irving, won the 2015 Young Artists category of the ENDANGERED Art & Photography Contest.

Her piece, titled “Protect Me For Tomorrow�, was featured at the ENDANGERED Exhibition in Miami during Art Basel week. Alison also designed the special exhibition t-shirt (pictured). The ENDANGERED Art & Photography Contest is an online, juried contest. Young Artists can enter until Oct 2, 2016 on the contest tab at Facebook.com/art4apes.

The Center for Great Apes is offering Ape-ology workshops for fans, members, and supporters interested in expanding their knowledge about great apes and learning more about CGA's residents.

Workshops include: an educational presentation (on a specific topic for that month), a tour of a specific area on grounds related to the topic, and a special behind-the-scenes opportunity to observe the apes and talk with their caregivers, unique to Ape-ology.

Donation cost is $30 OR $25 for current members. Must be at least 15 years old. The current schedule is as follows: Aug 13: Are You as Healthy as an Orangutan? (Healthcare) Sept 10: The Scoop on Palm Oil Oct 8: The Start of CGA (History) Nov 12: Current Status of Captive Great Apes Student Tours: Group tours are available for students in 4th grade through senior year in high school (10 years old and up) for a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 25 people. The donation cost is $5 per student and $10 per adult chaperone. All tours of the sanctuary are by appointment only.

For more info, contact: outreach@centerforgreatapes.org

READ >

READING In March, Stephen Messenger of the DODO reported on a program that took reading to a new level. The Humane Society of Missouri has a Shelter Buddies Reading Program. Kids read to dogs as a way of preparing the dogs for forever homes, and at the same time "instilling a greater sense of empathy in the youngsters," wrote Messenger.

It is a great idea," says Miami veterinarian Sloane Robins, whose children are both Ape Ambassadors. "

Kids improve their reading skills and the dogs get much needed interaction time." Robins, who helps Paws4You.org, says kids help all the time by walking the animals. "Now we will encourage our young helpers to read to the dogs." "

At the Center for Great Apes, the orangutans and chimpanzees enjoy books as well. One of their favorite enrichment items are the board books that toddlers read.

THE PAPER

INSPIRE >

COOL KIDS McClain Hermes is headed to Rio this September as a member of USA Paralympic Swimming Team. McClain, who is legally blind, is known for accepting challenges and surpassing expectations.

In 2009, at 8 years old, McClain Hermes accepted a challenge from her dad to collect 1000 shoes for the homeless.

She reached that goal and started a non-profit organization, Shoes for the Souls, which has donated over 15,000 pairs of new and slightly used shoes to the Atlanta Mission, a homeless shelter.

Be sure to watch McClain at the Paralympics in Rio and learn more about her at http://mcclainhermes.com

CLASS ACTION Students at Alexander Montessori in Miami, Florida participated in Zara's Ambassador Program (ZAP) and were able to raise enough funds to send four Zara's kids to school for an entire year. See the group photo on the back page. To learn more about the ZAP program, and the Zara Center in Zimbabwe, visit. http://www.zarascenter.org/

Makayla Vazquez with the basket she won. Her mom, Melissa Soto bought tickets every day to enter.

HEALTHY SUPPORT IN SARASOTA Kelli Barritt and the team at HealthSouth in Sarasota held a special fundraiser in April 2016. An "Ape-ril" basket raffle was held to raise money for The Center for Great Apes. There were a variety of baskets available. One of the most popular was a youth-themed basket. The basket included an orangutan stuffed animal and t-shirt donated by the Ape Ambassadors, an orangutan pillow donated by artists Philip and Roberta Herman, and a handmade afghan by Karyl Hansen.

The basket raffle was a big success, raising money and awareness for The Center for Great Apes. The winner of the basket, Makayla Vazquez, age 5, was very excited to come pick it up.

Congratulations to Makayla, and all the basket winners!

VISIT THE SANCTUARY WHEN: December 10, 2016 HOW: Become a member ($75 for a family of two) WHY: The December member event is the Holiday Open House. In addition to bringing items off the Wish List for the apes, you can see them open their gifts as you explore the sanctuary. It is a hoot! Visit CenterforGreatApes.org to become a 2016 member.

APE AMBASSADORS IN ACTION 08 Ape Ambassadors get firefighters and Junior Officers at a Miami car show to sign a request to Jiffy Lube to stop using chimpanzees in ads.

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10 Ape Ambassador Scout hits her goal to raise $10,000 by her 10th birthday.

14 Students and Ape Ambassadors in Miami support Zara Center in Zimbabwe.

22 During a lemonade stand raising money for the Center for Great Apes, the Ape Ambassadors paint a GRAPE APE to enter in the Art4Apes.com contest.

13 Ape Ambassadors ask guests at Volksblast car show in Miami to sign a request asking Starbucks to adopt a sustainable palm oil policy.

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Ape Ambassadors

Ape Ambassadors is a club for kids and teens. Anyone can join and there is no cost to be a member. The club is designed to involve kids in raising awareness and funds for the Center for Great Apes, a non-profit sanctuary for orangutans and chimpanzees rescued from undesirable living situations.

Www.ApeAmbassadors.com