For Hometown News
FORT PIERCE -
More than 50 Wal-Mart associates volunteered to paint buildings on Sept. 7 and 10 to spruce things up in advance of Save the Chimps Sanctuary's member day event.
STC is the world's largest chimpanzee sanctuary, located in Fort Pierce, and is home to nearly 300 chimpanzees that have been rescued from research laboratories, entertainment and the pet trade.
Caring for the chimpanzees is an undertaking that requires a full staff of nearly 60 employees, two veterinarians and countless, devoted volunteers who support the sanctuary in many ways.
Save the Chimps' most recent expression of that generosity is the addition of volunteers from Wal-Mart's Fort Pierce Distribution Center No. 7038.
STC was selected to be the recipient of Wal-Mart's "Making Life Better" day where associates spent their day off painting four of the chimpanzee buildings. The effort will help spruce up the sanctuary in advance of STC member day, which will take place Sept. 15 when more than 300 members will tour the sanctuary, which is closed to the public.
"We first became aware of Save the Chimps from one of our managers, Robbie Crandall, who volunteers at the sanctuary," said Jennie Shalala-Hartman, manager of Wal-Mart's Fort Pierce Distribution Center.
Ms. Shalala-Hartman has spearheaded the volunteer effort, securing the participation of her fellow employees and collecting donated supplies from four stores, as well as the transportation division and distribution center.
"Since then, we've developed a great partnership and will continue to do what we can to provide these amazing beings with a peaceful retirement," she said.
Their team goal is to reach a total of 250 volunteer hours. If that is achieved STC will be receive a $5,000 grant from Wal-Mart.
Save the Chimps is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing permanent sanctuary for the lifelong care of chimpanzees rescued from research laboratories, the entertainment industry and the pet trade.
For more information, visit www.savethechimps.org.