Lemur Center supporter is the ultimate re-gifter
Feb 4, 2014 — Debbie Perez threatened to take her boss toy shopping for lemurs. This gal has re-gifting all figured out.
When Debbie recently decided to retire, her company offered a gift of her choosing for her service. Instead of using the $500 on a gift for herself, Debbie wanted to help the lemurs. When the company wouldn’t let her adopt a lemur, Debbie insisted they purchase enrichment toys and activities for the lemurs.
“I wanted to adopt a lemur. I guess this was way out there on the weird factor but the company said no. So I asked if I could have “things” for the lemur center. Again, a lot of head scratching and puzzlement from the company, but they finally said okay. I think they said okay because I threatened to take my boss to Toys R Us to shop for lemurs.”
Debbie called the Lemur Center for a list of items we could use for enrichment. In matter of days, the keepers were hanging brand new boomer balls, puzzle feeders, ropes and baby safe mirrors all over the Center. Items like these help the lemurs stay active and keep their minds sharp so that we have happy, healthy lemurs.
“I love animals,” she wrote of first learning about the DLC. “I wanted to see two in particular, a loris and an aye-aye. I googled them and Duke Lemur Center popped up. You had both of them and you are just “down the road” from Richmond, VA. Knew I had to come.”
Always with camera around her neck, Debbie is a repeat visitor. She’s participated in several Walking with Lemurs tours and photography tours. In our email exchange, she recalled one special moment when she was mobbed (lovingly) by a group of black and white ruffed lemurs. “One ‘kissed’ me. They were the happiest little creatures and so curious,” she recalled.
The only way re-gifting could be done better? Debbie says, “If I ever win the lottery, my lemur peeps will have lots and lots of goodies!” The lemurs and DLC staff could not be more grateful for the contribution.
Inspired to give to the Lemur Center? You can find all the ways to help the lemurs here
Chris Smith serves the Lemur Center as education specialist and was a keeper before that. He completed a masters in Environmental Management from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke in 2011. You may or may not find him at Triangle-area events as Maky the ring-tailed lemur mascot. Find Chris on Twitter @EnvEdChris.
