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Ghandi said, "You must be the change you wish to see
in the world."
Margaret Meade said, " Never doubt
that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
These are the two quotes Tom and I (Debbie) have chosen to
live by. Based on this mindset, our project has come to be a primate rescue
more geared toward public education about the practical approach to living with
all primates, human and non-human, in the this world. We worked to achieve
501c3 status so we would be approved as a non-profit charity by the federal
government making us eligible to solicit and recognize donations legally and
apply for grants for funding. We both work full time jobs to support the
project as well. We receive no remuneration for what we do other than
public or private donations. After years of working as volunteers for many primate projects, sanctuaries
and commercial enterprises, my husband Tom and I wanted an opportunity to incorporate many of the ideas gleaned from them
into a volunteer project which would inform the public about the perils of
extinction for non-human primates. We strive to inform the public of some of
the practical things they could do, in ordinary life, which could help the
primates of world while building a symbiotic relationship with them and
improving our relationship with the earth itself. We wanted to create a project which would help the public to look at the
world from a more global viewpoint, incorporating simple methods which would teach recycling,
environmentally friendly landscaping, practical methods of dealing with the
problems nature gives us caused by human naiveté
and human abuse of the land. Tom is an Approved Professional in the
International Green Building Program and as a general contractor here in
Florida, he experiences first hand the lack of knowledge by the general public
in earth friendly building. Our work with the primates has taught us not only
the need for public education, but also it has given us a perfect way to build a
more symbiotic conciousness with the earth around us. We hope to share this
perception of nature and promote more practical ways to approach everyday
ordinary life in a more earth friendly manner. Hence, our project offers the
opportunity to practice what we preach so to speak. Our volunteers not only
help to care for the primates, they also learn practical recycling, methods of
gardening and landscaping, stuctural practicality and at the same time offers
another view of the world from a more global platform. The combination has been a learning experience for us
as well. It has been full of challenges we never dreamed of, a broader
viewpoint on education and most importantly a truly rewarding feeling of
accomplishment on a level we never would have experienced any other way. The
knowledge that we have made a differnce in the life of another primate, (human
and non-human) has been our ultimate goal and in the long run it is all that we
can leave behind. Planting a seed, whether in the mind of another human or in
the earth itself, is all we can do to effect change. We can only hope it is
enough.
"Hope" in the Bamboo | |||
