The Celebrate the Seven auction last night was beyond incredible. I am overwhelmed by the support that people showed of the chimpanzees and the sanctuary. Beyond the financial success of the evening (which we’re still tallying), just seeing everyone in that room at the Abbey having a good time and learning more about the Cle Elum Seven was something I will never forget (and, of course, something I hope we can repeat!) I want to thank everyone who participated. It would take a novel to thank everyone individually, but here’s a start:

*Helen Payton of Blue Sky Productions for donating her valuable time, knowledge and expertise.

*Karen and Don Young, our Honorees, for kicking off the Fund-an-Item donations by starting off the greenhouse project with their generous at-a-distance donation of $20,000

*Pam Lahnert and Marc Warner for your incredible support. Pam was involved in every aspect from beginning to end and recruited an amazing crew of her friends to volunteer at the event. Then she and Marc gave so generously at the auction, including a matching gift of $2500 for the greenhouse. In case you were wondering – it was Pam, with the help of her crew and Booshoot Gardens, who transformed the Abbey into a green escape.

*Kathy Cochran of Cochran Productions who kicked off the fund-an-item with a $2500 gift. She also designed all of the blog-post and live-auction posters for the night, plus the Sanctuary: Year One book that we had available for people to order (look for it in the website store soon).

*Margaret Parkinson and Karen Creason who gave so generously at the auction on top of Margaret’s contribution of artwork, including the much-talked-about Negra in the Sun and her work on the Sanctuary: Year One book. Margaret and Karen – I hope you see 300 eagles on your float trip donated by the Bersches!

*Jack Butcher – congrats on winning the Foxie’s Lucky Troll ticket! And thanks for turning around your fortune to the chimps in the Fund-an-Item.

*Laura Michelak, auctioneer genius. No more needs to be said.

*Michelle Esteban was the greatest Master of Ceremonies. I’m so glad that the Cle Elum Seven brought her to us.

*People RAVED about the food, which was donated by Araya’s Place, Pizza Pi, The Essential Baking Company, Field Roast Grain Meat Co., Fredericks Catering, Healeo, Montlake Ale House, Two Tartes Cafe and Catering and Upper Crust Catering.

*The wine donated by Cedergreen Cellars, Naches Heights Vineyard, Chinook Winery and Northwest Totem Cellars was fantastic – and poured by great people!

*How about those “chimp-tinis”? Cascade Peak Spirits has something pretty incredible going with their Organic Nation vodka and gin.

*Ambience Jazz Quartet with vocalist Leah Natale and saxophonist Tobi Stone for literally providing the ambience for the evening.

*Our business and individual sponsors – thank you for offsetting some of the costs of the evening: Abbott’s Printing, Pom Wonderful, Theo Chocolate, Sterling Savings Bank, Alphagraphics, Bruce and Deb Wagman, an Anonymous friend of the Cle Elum Seven, Barbara Lauterbach, Michelle Coburn, Gregg and Tracy Baeckler, Jessica Martinson, Olive Kemp, Victoria Gwiasda, Nicole Shaw, Melissa Davis, Cara Wiseman, Rosanne Galak and Heather (Wynn) Kerr.

*All of the generous individuals and businesses who gave auction donations. You impressed and pleased a lot of people.

*The Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest Board of Directors for supporting the event both before and during. I’m so glad all of the local directors were able to attend.

*The volunteers and staff (i.e. Jackie and Elizabeth) who helped pull the whole thing off.

Now it’s time to build that greenhouse and allow the chimps full access of the outdoor area all winter long!