Chimpanzee Enrichment-Making Party

Join us for vegan snacks and stay for an hour (or two, or three!) to make enrichment boxes for the chimps in sanctuary at Save the Chimps in Alamogordo, NM.

In addition to enjoying three nutritious meals full of fresh fruits and vegetables each day, the chimps (rescued from years of abuse at the notorious Coulston Research Laboratory, exploitation in circuses, the "pet" trade or other cruel circumstances) get special goodies, called "enrichment". The special goodies, which might be a tasty food treat, game or toy, stimulate the chimps and "enrich" their lives!

To make the enrichment packages: healthy volunteers (no colds or flu) with sanitized hands or wearing rubber gloves, put clean shredded office paper and a small handful of treats inside of a small box, wrap - or - tape the box with masking tape, and if resources allow, place that wrapped package inside of anther box with shredded paper and so on! It's fun to do and the chimps love ripping into their gifts to get the goodies!

Bring some snacks for the chimps if you can -- Unsweetened, Unseasoned and Salt-free when applicable please! Raisins; Cranraisins; Dried Fruit and Vegetables - Any Kind; Nuts in Shells - Any Kind (Peanuts are OK; remember, no salt); Sunflower Seeds; Rice Cakes, Cheerios or similar type unfrosted cereal, for example. The chimps also like Animal Crackers and Oyster Crackers. Any clean small boxes (like the kind your shoes, cereal or Boca burgers, etc…. come in) are also appreciated!

As always, the chimps welcome gently used blanket donations (no heavy quilts or bedspreads please.) Powdered Grape Gatorade drink mix is also needed - powder only – it’s their favorite (and hard to find in Alamogordo!) Thanks to the Arcus Foundation, financial donations are matched dollar for dollar! Until next year, your $10 donation is worth $20 to the chimps!!

Supplies will be provided, so if you can't bring anything this time - don't worry! We just want you to come help assemble and wrap enrichment packages for the chimps! If you have a super big vehicle and are willing and able to transport the load of goodies to Alamogordo, please email: mrokke@aol.com.

This event is an independent volunteer effort to benefit Save the Chimps. If you have questions, please email mrokke@aol.com or phone 466-1692.

You can find more information about the chimpanzees' needs at: http://www.savethechimps.org/

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Comment by Michele Rokke on October 22, 2009 at 9:54am

In December, we'll be wrapping the goodie boxes in festive holiday paper for the chimps' winter party! We'll need lots of elves to help!

Instructions for making an enrichment box:

1. When making enrichment boxes, it is important that the participants be in good health (no colds or flu), and they wear gloves or sanitize their hands. This is to avoid transferring viruses and bacteria to the chimps. (Please refrain from snacking on the chimps' goodies while wrapping as you'll have to re-sanitize your hands after each nibble!)

2. A cardboard box (approximately Triscuit or cereal box size, no large staples) is stuffed with shredded paper.

3. One handful of nutritious treats (e.g. a mix of nuts and dried fruit) is mixed into the paper.

4. The box is taped shut with masking tape. Wrapping is optional.

In Summary: The chimps tear open the boxes and search through the paper to find the treats!!

Instructions for making an enrichment box that is layered:

1. When making enrichment boxes, it is important that the participants be in good health (no colds or flu), and they wear gloves or sanitize their hands. This is to avoid transferring viruses and bacteria to the chimps. (Please refrain from snacking on the chimps' goodies while wrapping as you'll have to re-sanitize your hands after each nibble!)

2. A cardboard box (approximately Triscuit or cereal box size, no large staples) is stuffed with shredded paper.

3. One *handful of nutritious treats (e.g. a mix of nuts and dried fruit) is distributed between:
A) toilet paper rolls (stuffed with shredded paper, taped shut and placed in the cereal box,) or
B) other small boxes (stuffed with shredded paper, taped shut and placed in the cereal box,) and
C) the shredded paper of the larger cereal box (which now also contains the stuffed rolls and small boxes)
(*When layering enrichment boxes, please be conscientious and use ONLY one handful of nutritious treats per finished package, no matter how many layers you've added! The chimps enjoy the fun of foraging as much as eating and we don't want to encourage overeating!!)

4. The box is taped shut with masking tape.

5.(optional) The box is wrapped like a present.

In Summary: The chimps tear open the boxes and search through the paper and small tubes to find the treats!!

Suggestions:

• Pick a pal and stuff and wrap together!
- One of you can stuff;
- One of you can wrap! Now switch!

or,

• Pick a couple of pals!
- One of you can stuff small tubes or boxes with shredded paper and a couple of treats each (approximately 1/2 Tablespoon of nuts, cereal or dried fruit);
- One of you can tape or wrap the small tubes; and
- One of you can stuff a Triscuit sized box with shredded paper, the already stuffed small tubes or boxes, and any remaining treats from the one handful of treats allotted to each box!

- For example: If you want to put two stuffed toilet paper rolls into one Triscuit sized box, you will put one-third of the treats into each toilet paper roll and one-third into the shredded paper in the Triscuit sized box! 1/3, 1/3, 1/3!