Man Of The Forest!

It’s that time of year again, when I start thinking about a calendar for the upcoming year.

This year I have decided to purchase a calendar to help support one of my favorite causes. 

Since I was a little girl I have loved all animals, but I've always had a fascination with primates.   Every time I would see a show or a photo of any primate, it brought (still does) a smile to my face.

The name “orangutan” literally translates into English as “man of the forest”.  It comes from Malay and Bahasa Indonesian orang (man) and hutan (forest).

My heart holds a special place for orangutans.  And it saddens me that their homes are recklessly being destroyed by deforestation and they are being killed by poachers.  [Their main threats are:  destruction of the rainforest due mainly to encroaching palm oil plantations, illegal logging, fires and poaching. ]

There are ways that we can help them to NOT become an endangered species.  

Glenn Alderson and Bev Luff  together are raising awareness about the deforestation and near species extinction and raising funds to try to help both COP and OLT in achieving that goal. 

The Borneo Project:  Glenn Alderson Photography and With Compassion & Soul are donating 100% of the profits from the sale of all framed prints, non-framed prints, 2012 calendars, cards and all other merchandise from this project to:  The Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) and The Orangutan Land Trust (OLT).  

Visit the page below to read more about The Borneo Project and to purchase an item to help out.   The photographs are absolutely amazing.

http://glennalderson.com/borneo-project.php

I will be doing my part by purchasing a 2012 calendar of those beautiful babies to display in our kitchen.   I hope you will take some time and check out the websites I have listed and learn more about how to help the orangutans; and learn more about the programs and people who are helping them currently.

Here are a few more ways to help out:

If you have any slightly used purses you would like to get rid of, check out the following websites. 

http://redapes.org/purses  or  http://pursesforprimates.webs.com

Purses for Primates is a non-profit group which collects gently used purses, scarves and jewelry to re-sell at parties.  100% of all money raised is donated to the orangutan outreach through www.redapes.org.

You can also recycle old cell phones and pagers for orangutan conservation.  Check out this website for details:   http://www.orangutan.com/how-to-help/cell-phone/

There are so many fun ways to help out and donate to this cause.  Go to http://www.redapes.org/shop and check out the neat stuff they have for sale. 

(Here is my husband's stuffed orangutan who currently hangs around in our living room!  I purchased this little guy for my husband and donated money in his name a few years ago.)

If you would like to learn more about orangutans and the people who are helping to keep these animals from extinction, be sure and check out the websites on the right-hand side of my blog.

I'd like to end with one of my favorite quotes:

"Animals do have a voice.  If you ignore their suffering, I will remind you of it.  If you don't understand them, I will translate.  If you don't hear them, I will be their voice.  You may silence them but you cannot silence me as long as I live."  ~Anita Mahdessian