I'm so proud and honored," Murray
said. "I'm glad I am a part of this wonderful program. "I'll tell
every person who comes in my office about Beach Watchers," Murray
said. After the brief presentation, keynote speaker Curtis Ebbesmeyer
discussed how beaches accumulate loads of plastics, shoes, toys
and other man-made items. The crowd gathered to hear Ebbesmeyer
and Sen. Murray could have been larger if space had been available.
"We had 475 people register but we had to turn
60 people away," Dot Irwin, Beach Watcher coordinator, said. The
475 attendees set a record high for the Beach Watchers' main fundraiser.
Registration cost $25 per person for the keynote speech and three
classes. "Every classroom filled quickly," Irwin said.
Irwin said she'd like to have plenty of room for everyone to attend
but knew of no suitable spot on Whidbey Island that can handle so
many people. "Coupeville's a nice central location," Irwin said.
"We want to keep Sound Waters in Coupeville."
People taking classes at Sound Waters were looking for more than
a way to kill a winter's day. Irwin said people found resources
in classes as well as learned much the island's environment. Linda
Kirk-Fox, Ph.D., WSU's interim dean, traveled from Pullman planning
on taking classes that would apply to her Palouse home.
One such class was Kirk-Fox's first - Raptors in
the Reserve which focused on birds of prey that live
in Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. Saturday, Feb. 5
was Kirk-Fox's first time at Sound Waters, but she'd heard much
about the program.
"A university in a day is a unique concept. It clearly meets the
needs and interests of people ere," she said, looking around the
packed school.
Kirk-Fox said the Island County Beach Watchers
program is a legend in the WSU system where it's known for strong
volunteer base. Kirk-Fox said Beach Watchers are more than volunteer
naturalists. Beach Watchers are ambassadors to tourists and residents,"
she said. "All of WSU is proud of Beach Watchers. As Don Meehan
always says 'This is big!' "
As people trooped off to their first class of
the day, Cheryl May drove by the school. Debris she and volunteers
had collected from beaches at Fort Ebey filled her truck's bed.
May took the refuse to Island County's dump, then headed to Joseph
Whidbey State Park for another cleaning. May and volunteers practiced
tenets Sound Waters preaches: Taking care of Whidbey Island's environment
every way possible.
©
Copyright 2005 Whidbey News Times |
