The inaugural 2016 Ocean Awareness Challenge (OAC) weekend brought together a community of like-minded people who care about the health of our oceans. The OAC event was a three-day weekend specifically designed to draw attention to the condition of our ocean, to build awareness of this problem, and to challenge participants to think about how they can collectively make a difference. Over the three
-day weekend, in September, 2016, adult attendees heard from expert speakers in the field of marine science and ecology. Participants also had a first-hand look at our local protected marine areas through a variety of hands-on activities in a fun, summer camp environment at the Mountain & Sea Adventure Camp at Emerald Bay, Catalina Island. Proceeds raised through the weekend will be used to fund scholarships to send underserved youth to the Mountain & Sea Adventure Camp where they will learn how they can be world changers in the effort to help Save The Blue Heart Of The Earth. Thanks to the support of so many of you, we blew the doors off of our fundraising goals and will be sending a donation which will fund 1-2 classrooms full of students to attend the Mountain & Sea Adventure Camp. The OAC originated in early 2015 with a group of passionate women sailors who are a part of the Women’s Sailing Association – Orange County (WSA-OC). As concerned citizens of the ocean-loving community, the members of WSA-OC were distressed about the fragile state of our ocean’s health. Trash, acidification, plastics and over-fishing are only a few of the huge problems that are affecting our oceans and our planet. They were inspired to help improve the situation and launched the OAC to "Help Save The Blue Heart Of The Earth." The overwhelming success of the 2016 OAC event was due to an amazing team of volunteers, donors and supporters and became a more complex event than was originally conceived. As a result, the OAC will be spun off as its own organization dedicated exclusively to ocean awareness events to allow it to grow and pursue its mission and objectives most effectively. Contact Susie Campbell if you wish to be part of the 2017/2018 planning committee for OAC at [email protected]
