Origami February 3, 2016 February 3, 2016 The Board would like to update our membership on some of the good work that is coming from MACNA. This went out to several hobby-media outlets a few minutes ago. Thank you again to everybody that helped, including our various sponsors that had booths. The whole WAMAS family can take pride in both MACNA's success and the good things that we're able to do and support with its proceeds. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WAMAS DONATES $25,000 TO CORAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION WAMAS proudly becomes a Patch Reef Sponsor Reston, VA (February 2, 2016) – The Washington D.C. Area Marine Aquarist Society, Inc. (WAMAS) has donated $25,000 to Coral Restoration Foundation and has become a Patch Reef Sponsor. The generous donation from WAMAS will directly support the Intern Program at Coral Restoration Foundation and provide one intern position over the next two and a half years. “This donation comes directly from the proceeds of our hosting MACNA® 2015 last fall. We are very pleased and excited to be able to offer meaningful support to Coral Restoration Foundation and their leading-edge conservation program to protect and restore at-risk reef habitats. And we hope that, by making this donation, we will inspire other clubs and future MACNA teams to consider similar, philanthropic gestures.” said Tom Land, WAMAS President. Coral Restoration Foundation CEO, Scott Winters, states, “The generous gift WAMAS has provided to the Coral Restoration Foundation is an important step in advancing our education outreach. Our intern program is a unique educational opportunity for the next generation of science-based conservationists. We are honored to partner with WAMAS and hope that it inspires others to commit to conservation focused education." Through the donation to Coral Restoration Foundation, WAMAS is providing educational opportunities in the fields of ocean conservation, restoration of the reefs, diving, and educational outreach. Coral Restoration Foundation is grateful for the donation and looks forward to furthering this partnership for years to come. ------------------------------------------------------ WAMAS is a non-profit educational society committed to promoting interest in and enjoyment of all aspects of the marine aquarium hobby by educating the public on the creation and maintenance of a marine ecosystem. They provide resources to the saltwater aquarium enthusiasts in the Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland area by sponsoring meetings, educational seminars, lectures, online discussions, publications, websites, exhibits, and other means, as a social avenue to connect with other local hobbyists in our area. WAMAS supports education, research and conservation efforts improving marine and coral reef environments. Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) is a 501 © (3) nonprofit conservation organization headquartered in Key Largo, Florida created to develop offshore coral nurseries and restoration strategies for critically endangered coral reefs at local, national, and international levels. To learn more about the restoration efforts of CRF, visit www.coralrestoration.org. ------------------------------------------------------ MACNA® is a registered trademark of MASNA.
TonyK February 3, 2016 February 3, 2016 Second that.......KUDOS to WAMAS and all it's members! Let's all Keep up this great work. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Squishie89 February 3, 2016 February 3, 2016 Don't think I have been this proud of WAMAS since MACNA . This is really awesome.
kyle&amy February 3, 2016 February 3, 2016 Tom this is great news!! Thanks to all that you and the other board,embers do to keeps WAMAS up and running - greatly appreciated!! Tom
smallreef February 3, 2016 February 3, 2016 Very cool ! what a great way to support the reefs and our hobby!
AlanM February 3, 2016 February 3, 2016 Glad to see we're not just going to sit on decades of our yearly operating expenses. 8)
Keraxis February 5, 2016 February 5, 2016 I was wondering when I was going to see these donations starting. Good choice.
Origami February 5, 2016 Author February 5, 2016 Here's a shout-out to Reefs.com who picked up the release, added to it, and posted it to their online blog. Thanks, Reefs.com!
mogurnda February 7, 2016 February 7, 2016 (edited) A quick repost of a photo of their good work. For most of the 14 years we have been diving in Bonaire, there has been little or no staghorn in the area near where we stay. Thanks to a collaboration between CRF and Buddy Dive, a whole new reef is developing in the shallows. It is exciting when a foundation like this can produce such concrete results. Edited February 7, 2016 by mogurnda
Origami February 7, 2016 Author February 7, 2016 A quick repost of a photo of their good work. For most of the 14 years we have been diving in Bonaire, there has been little or no staghorn in the area near where we stay. Thanks to a collaboration between CRF and Buddy Dive, a whole new reef is developing in the shallows. It is exciting when a foundation like this can produce such concrete results. Thanks for sharing, Dave. Those pictures really bring it home.
Origami February 10, 2016 Author February 10, 2016 Update: I received a letter of thanks from Ken Nedimyer, President and Founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation, and thought I'd share a few highlights from it: "As discussed, we will allocate this generous funding to our Intern Program." "Because of supporters like you, our team has made tremendous strides in restoring the Florida Reef Tract - the most extensive living coral reef system in the United States. This year, we outplanted 20,000 staghorn and 1,500 elkhorn corals on reefs thorughout the Florida Keys - a record for us!" "With your donation, you are helping provide crucial habitat for marine wildlife." "Our team continues to engage the general public and our local community in understanding the importance of coral reefs.... This year, we've had scuba clubs, scout troops, school groups, and visitors from around the world visit us to help restore our reef." And, handwritten on the page, Ken adds: "Thanks for the this awesome donation! We had a great time at MACNA this year. Your club did a great job. This donation sets a new standard for future reef clubs! - Ken"
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now