Anne Page Chiapella’s generous support of the Smithsonian doesn’t just benefit the visitors, teachers, and researchers, it makes a difference to the natural world too, including the furry friend she’s pictured with here.
“Volunteering is very important to me,” said Anne Page Chiapella, a long-time supporter of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and its conservation efforts around the world. “Many of my global travels have been volunteer related.”
Anne’s volunteer adventures began in college, when she spent a summer working with Gambian students to improve the campus of Yundum Teachers College, located in a rural area outside the capital. The West African project was part of Operation Crossroads Africa, a precursor to the Peace Corps. “The experience changed my life,” she said.
Since then, Anne has assisted with conservation efforts around the world, including in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Thailand, Belize, and the Amazon, among other destinations. She has traveled across northern Africa in an old Volkswagen bus and trained briefly with mahouts and their elephants in northern Thailand. She recently visited the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, where she was particularly fascinated by the bats. “I enjoyed the outstanding facility, staff, and programs,” she recalled. Anne has also helped survey various wildlife populations. “I really like meeting locals and participating in projects when I travel,” she said. “It keeps me going. I hope to travel to Iceland next to assist with whales.”
When she is not traversing the globe, Anne may often be found volunteering at the National Zoo’s Amazonia exhibition—at least prior to the pandemic. “Amazonia does not feel like a typical zoo enclosure,” observed Anne, who enjoys early-morning shifts caring for the tropical vegetation that is home to the exhibit’s two-toed sloth, other small mammals, and many bird species. “I also appreciate interacting with the staff and volunteers who care for the animals and facilities,” she said. “I look forward to the Zoo’s indoor enclosures re-opening so I can get back to ‘the Amazon’ following the Covid-19 epidemic.”
“I have benefited greatly from the Smithsonian,” said Anne, who recently established two charitable gift annuities and has made other contributions that support its future. “I want to share the Smithsonian and make it more accessible to others.” As a member of the Friends of the National Zoo for more than 30 years, she has also made named gifts in honor of her mother and sister.
“The Smithsonian is my favorite part of the city,” she said. Through her volunteer work, sustained membership, and legacy gifts, Anne is advancing the Smithsonian’s myriad efforts to inspire curiosity, discovery, and collective contributions to a better world.
The Smithsonian features prominently in Anne’s past and present, as a source of learning and elevating experiences. Reflect upon your favorite Smithsonian memories and ensure that many others enjoy them too, by contacting the Office of Gift Planning at 888-419-7584 or legacy@si.edu.