As a former volunteer for San Diego Coastkeeper, I can tell you how much Coastkeeper values its volunteers as important members of the organization. Whether it is a time to celebrate or a weekend spent in the lab testing water samples, volunteers take part in the action. Every year San Diego Coastkeeper hosts a Volunteer Appreciation Party honoring and thanking all those who contribute to supporting the mission of the organization. Our volunteers are artists, engineers, teachers, students, nature enthusiasts, members of the community, lovers of San Diego and the ocean, but most of all they are part of our family. Our volunteers monitor San Diego’s waters, eliminate trash and educate the public on marine debris – Is there anything volunteers don’t do?
This year, we held our party at Mission Bay Yacht Club (MBYC) thanks to the generosity of the Yacht Club’s Kendal Wild. As our Executive Director Gale Filter said, “volunteers are the eyes and ears of this organization” and our efforts during and following the Los Penasquits Lagoon sewage spill are testament to that.
Coastkeeper recognized volunteers for their tireless efforts in Water Monitoring and Volunteer Core. With 27 Volunteer Core Hall of Fame Inductees and 41 Water Monitoring Inductees, it was one awesome party.
Special thanks to our community partners such as the Hattie Ettinger Conservation Fund at The San Diego Foundation, Patagonia and REI.
And I’d like to send out a special note of congratulations to Taya Lazootin, San Diego Coastkeeper’s Volunteer of the Year!
2011 Volunteer Core Hall of Fame
Amanda Sousa
Sierra Basegio
Taya Lazootin
Rebecca Kanter
Kevin Straw
Amy Havens
Bonnie Benitez
Chris Gunst
David Babiarz
Jaime Somers
John Freutel
Karen Wytmans
Kathleen Kelly
Katelyn Hailey
Kelsey Flynn-Granquist
Lili Canellas
Maya Wasserman
Molly Troup
Patty Malecke
Ruby Teague
Tom Bernitt
Tori Baird
Travis Johnson
Victoria Rios
Stephanie Killion
Yana Titova
2011 Water Quality Monitoring Hall of Fame
Adrian Kinnane
Al Barret
Amanda Sousa
Beth Hendershot
Bruce Hendershot
Cathryn Henning
Cynthia Gorhan
Debby Knight
Dan Murphhy
Frank Kawasaki
Graham Szybala
George Liddle
Jack Marshall
Jim Brown
Kacey Cinciarelli
Karen Waggoner
Rebecca Kanter
Rexanne Dayes
Steve Kwik
Taya Lazootin
Tom Bernitt
Allison Scofield
Ashley Brock
Chris Swanson
Dale Dalrymple
David Babiarz
Elana Colby
Glenda Poliner
Katie Jocelyn
Kelly Gallagher
Lucas Salazar
Melissa Ta
Noah Thoron
Paige Decino
Roderick Michener
Shane Mudd
Shelley Reid
Stephanie Hines
Tara Pelan
Tom Mills
