« La Journée Mondiale des Grands Singes » (World Great Apes Day) was a very special event organised last Saturday in different Zoos of France.
Great Apes organisations had been invited to participate at the event and J.A.C.K. Sanctuary had its place among the guests of the Parc of Saint Martin la Plaine, a huge parc not far from he city of Lyon. This zoological area is known for its apes (mainly gorillas!) and for its Founder/Director, Pierre THIVILLON, a wildlife lover and rescuer!
Roxane Chantereau, co-founder of DRC chimp sanctuary J.A.C.K., left Lubumbashi earlier last week to reach the French destination. Franck couldn’t fly with her; one of the sanctuary founders always has to stay with the chimps!
Several volunteers and Friends of J.A.C.K. had been called for help: Lucette P, Emilie R & her husband, Isabelle G, Justine P & her lovely family.
Sanctuary founders’ son and young chimp ambassador, Quentin, followed his mom for this particular journey and was there too!
All the volunteers did a great job: spreading awareness, talking about J.A.C.K. action, selling J.A.C.K. home made and hand made items for the chimps…
The team had a very nice time together which strengthened their wish to suport JACK chimps in France!!
J.A.C.K. had much interest and success. Also, Roxane met many virtual friends and sponsors she had never had the chance to see before because of the distance and this of course provided a lot of emotions to this particular event!
4 other primate organisations where at the Zoological Garden of St Martin la Plaine: Kalaweit France, Association Gorilla Rescue Center, Eco Bonobo and our friends of Lola ya Bonobo France. It was nice meeting great apes’ colleagues too!
As you can understand, J.A.C.K. and its French team had a wonderful day! Therefore, we would like to thank many, many people for this great event:
Many thanks to
- Pierre & Eliane Thivillon (Founders of the Parc of Saint Martin la Plaine) who love J.A.C.K. so much and do support our sanctuary!
- David Gourdot, CEO of Association Gorilla Rescue Center, who had the idea to launch the French World Great Apes Day throughout different zoos;
- the kind team of the Zoological Garden of Saint Martin la Plaine and mainly Jérémy Boivin who, together with volunteer Laure Bruey, did all the organisation and communication regarding the event;
- J.A.C.K. volunteers mentioned above who did a wonderful job!
- J.A.C.K. friend Karine Barbier from ATOUT WAX who kindly offered handmade items made of African batiks (jewels, hair slides, brooches, etc) to put on sale for the chimps;
- J.A.C.K. best friends Sandrine and Mbachi who designed and offered the expobanner;
- all the friends, donors and sponsors of J.A.C.K. who came for a short visit on that special day!
- all the new friends J.A.C.K. made thanks to this event
Thank YOU all for THEM!
