I have wanted to tell everyone about my chance to meet Harry Hmura and my surprise visit to the Center for Great Apes. I thought since this week is Florida Week for the Animals put on by Animal World USA it would be a good time! Animal World USA is a non-profit that works bringing people and organizations together. They are dedicated to spread awarness of the plight of the animals in the world.
Well, I knew I was going to be able to meet Harry because he called and said he was coming to Florida. Which was really cool!!! I know most of you who follow my blog and facebook group "Make a Chimp Smile!" already know who Harry is but for those who don’t I’ll tell you!
Harry is from Chicago and one of the coolest musicians out there! He started playing when he was only seven years old and likes to play blues and jazz. For my friends that play Halo you probably don’t know it but you have heard Harry play. On the soundtrack of Halo 1, Harry played the “Rock Anthem for Saving the World. On Halo 3-ODST there are many soundtracks that he played and on Halo Reach he performed the song “We Remember”. I think that is really cool!!! You can learn more about Harry and his music by visiting his website at http://harryhmura.com/ and follow him on facebook.
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| Harry Hmura |
I didn’t know it but when my mom was driving me over to meet Harry we were meeting him at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida. I was really surprised and everyone was really nice there. First I watched a movie about the sanctuary and the great apes and then I got a tour of the sanctuary.
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| Me & Harry at the Center for Great Apes |
When you walk through the sanctuary you can hear the chimps and orangutans getting excited to have visitors. There are lots of trees and bamboo growing around the big enclosures. It is almost like being in a forest. A really cool thing is there are chutes and tunnels where the apes can follow you as you are walking through. They can also go visit friends in other enclosures by going through the tunnels.
Click on Sanctuary Habitats to see pictures.
I really liked meeting all the apes but I was really excited about meeting the orangutan Sammy. He was in the movie “Dunston Checks In”. I really liked that movie but now I know it is wrong to use great apes in entertainment. I also got to meet Bubbles. He was Michael Jackson’s chimp. He likes to fill his mouth with water and spit it on you. He can spit water really far and he got me and my mom. I liked that! Now I tell everyone Bubbles spit water on me!
The best part of the visit was hearing Harry play for the great apes. The chimps and orangutans really liked it. They would watch him and some would even move to the music. When Harry would stop playing they would start hooting. I think they were telling him to keep playing! You can tell the chimps and orangutans know Harry and love his music.
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Harry playing for his friends the great apes! |
I wanted to thank Harry & Everyone at the Center for Great Apes for the special visit! I am hoping everyone will learn more about the Center for Great Apes. Please go to their website http://www.centerforgreatapes.org/ so you can meet all the apes and learn about the Sanctuary. Also when you make a donation a 100% of it goes to the care of the chimps and orangutans. You can also become a member which is really cool because you will get an invitation to Member’s Day where you can visit the sanctuary. I have been saving my money to become a member because I can’t wait to go back!!!
Here is a great video!!!
THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALWAYS MAKING CHIMPS SMILE!!!!
your chimp friend
Brandon (:(|)
Wow Brandon! This is all so cool! CFGA and meeting Harry all in one day! It's interesting how the chimps tell him to keep playing music. Such a cool blog post. Keep making chimps smile!
ReplyDeleteYour Friend,
Olivia
hey olivia!
ReplyDeleteyeah it was really cool!!! i hope i can go back again for members day!!!! need to save up some money. thanks olivia!!!!