Jane Goodall in Chicago
 

Any other Fodorites going to see Jane Goodall speak in Chicago this Sunday 3/25?
There is a Chimpanzee Conference going on this week. It is sponsored by Lincoln Park Zoo. The closing speech is open to the public and she is the guest speaker.
I'll be there! Anyone else going?
Lily

Thanks for the information and a great idea to meet other Fodorites. I am sure you'll enjoy Jane Goodall. Wish I could join you.

So did you go? If so, can you give a trip report? Thanks.

Yes I went and she was wonderful!
We got there at 12 noon even though the doors didn't open till 1:00 and the presentation began at 2:00. We wanted to be sure to get good seats because they were NOT reserved. We were lucky. The 1st seven rows were reserved for conference participants. We were able to get the row right behind them.
She has the most peaceful aura about her. It's hard to explain.She exudes this sense of serenity and calm.Of course since she travels doing lectures about 300 days a year it might just be exhaustion!
This is the second time I've been lucky enough to see her. She was here in Grand Rapids Mich a few years ago at a very small local college. A long time ago my son asked me if I could meet anyone in the world who would it be and I didn't have to hesitate with my answer- Jane Goodall! And now I've seen her twice!
This time she was a speaker at a 3 day conference on chimp behavior at Lincoln Park Zoo. The final presentation was open to the public. It was held at Navy Pier in the Grand Ballroom. It was sold out of course.
She spoke about her studies, her programs Tacare and Roots and Shoots that promote conservation at the community level. She always carries a toy stuffed monkey with her that she calls " Mr H." It was given to her by a young man who was blind and wanted to become a magician. He wouldn't take "no" for an answer and he became a magician. He has also gone scuba diving and sky diving. He exemplifies her belief that anything is possible.
The speaker before her summarized much of the conference findings and showed some amazing videos of chimp behavior.
After her speech she stayed for a book signing. I wasn't able to get a book signed when she was in Grand Rapids because that was reserved for the evening fund raiser speech at $50 a plate. So I definitely planned on staying for the book signing this time.
They said she would stay until the last book was signed no matter how long it took. We were near the end of the line but even after she signed our books we didn't want to leave. We just sat and watched her sign books, posters, etc. I told my friends I felt like a stalker, but I didn't want to leave!
I got up the nerve to go up to her after she was done signing books and gave her a hair clip I had made. It was a row of elephants nose to tail along the barrette. I told her I noticed that she always has her hair pulled back and I was hoping she would like the hair clip I made. She thanked me and said "it's beautiful" and her assistant looked over at it and also said "it's beautiful."
I don't think my feet touched the ground on the walk out!
I told my friends she may just pitch it later, but I was proud of myself for having the guts to do it!
There will be another chimp conference at Lincoln Park in 10 years, but since she is already in her early 70's who knows if she will be at the next conference.
She is truly an amazing person.
We lucked out with the weather- it felt like a summer day, not March 25 in Chicago. We took public transportation, 2 different el trains and the free trolley to Navy Pier.
It was a looooong day that started at 7 am and ended with a late dinner at about 9 pm. But it was worth all the effort to get there!
Lily

I am so glad you saw her. If anyone will be giving international speeches at age 80, she will. I've also had the pleasure of seeing her speak twice and Mr. H was part of both speeches, just like you mentioned.

I also had another unbelievable encounter with her. A few years ago I had a long layover in Heathrow enroute to Entebbe where my first stop was volunteering at Ngamba, one of her chimp sanctuaries. I was walking around the airport and suddenly saw Jane Goodall coming toward me, alone, toting a small red carryon. I stopped and called her name. She stopped and said hello. You are so right about that aura and she was just shlepping a carryon in an airport, but it was evident. I told her I was on my way to Ngamba and she replied, "Give them my love." I knew "them" meant humans and chimps.

What a coincidence.

Your transportation to get there was about as long as a flight to Africa!

Well done Lillipets -- so glad you got to meet her, something you will always remember. The vibrant spirit of a naturalist keeps one going so I wouldn't be surprised at all if she is lecturing in 10 years.

I feel similarly about George Schaller and at 70+ he is still doing field work above 14,000 feet for prolonged stints. Perhaps one day I will be able to meet him. I'd also love to see Jane speak if she comes my way, I almost caught her in Denver once but had a previous commitment that I could not reschedule.

Lily - Thanks for the trip report! I'm impressed you got to speak with her - when I had my big opportunity years ago to chat with a journalist I was in awe of and had been dying to meet - I completely lost the ability to speak complete sentences. So, good for you for sticking around to meet her ;)
Hopefully I'll get to hear her speak some day.
Linda

I'll be checking any photos of Jane in the news for a hair clip. A lovely gift idea.

Kaye and I attended a dinner hosted by the Adelaide/Monarto zoological
Society last year to hear Jane speak(it was a fundraiser). After the dinner and speeches I spotted Jane sitting alone - I REALLY wanted to go and hold her hand and say thank you for your work, your life and for sharing the amazing stories in your books and the talk... but I 'got shy" and I REALLY regret to this day that I did not approach her...
Jude