Congratulations to everyone who reached a major milestone (5/10/15+ yrs) in May!
Josh Wittmer – 15 yrs
Emily Johnson – 5 yrs
NEW SAFETY POLICY
We have a shared responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our workplace. Please remember to follow our new safety policy, effective 5/20/20. This applies to anyone reporting to work at a PWF or PacWhale Eco-Adventures facility (including vessels and skiffs).
Before reporting to work you must:
Take your temperature and answer screening questions
Email your supervisor and HR (Hazen Witemeyer) with CLEAR or NOT CLEAR
If you are NOT CLEAR, you must stay home; HR will follow-up with you
The following safety measures we implemented on 4/17/20 are still in effect:
You are required to wear a face covering; if you are in an area by yourself, you can remove it but you must put it on if someone else shows up
You are required to maintain social distancing at all times (at least 6 feet apart)
You are required to wash hands frequently or use hand sanitizer
You are required to disinfect work surfaces each work day
Everyone is expected to use good judgment to prevent the spread of germs
COVID-19 RESOURCES
Keep up with the latest information to stay safe and healthy.
Lindsey Gomez – Marketing Assistant
Mona de Crinis – Copywriter
Cynthia Lallo – Interim Advancement Director
Dean Taylor – General Maintenance
Luana Laird - Purser
OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
Take a look at Kelly's quick explanation of how we talk about PWF vs. PacWhale, with the following in mind:
Sea Sport Cruises, Inc. was founded in 1979; PWF purchased the stock/company in 1986 as it's first commercial eco tour permit
Sea Sport Cruises, Inc. does business as PacWhale Eco Adventures
PWF is the SOLE shareholder of PacWhale Eco Adventures
OCEAN LEGACY UPDATE
Ocean Legacy has reached its 2nd milestone:
All major hull frames and bulkheads are installed onto the jig/keels.
We have completed the tunnel assembly and it is also installed and on the vessel.
We are processing the rest of the superstructure now as well as continuing on with the plate forming for the hull.
We have started to work on longitudinal and support structure. And to that extent installed engine girders and some of the deck stringers.
USCG is still suspending inspections until further notice but has allowed for remote meetings and or inspection related correspondence.
See what Pacific Whale Foundation Eco Adventures Australia Director of Operations Andrew Ellis has been up to!
We have been studying humpback whales in East Australia since 1984 and are currently in the process of expanding our work to include education and conservation initiatives for and with the local community.
Here, Andrew hopes to inspire you to visit his home on the Fraser Coast and join him in experiencing a wonderland of some of the best nature based experiences available.
Not only home to arguably the best whale watching on our planet, but a stepping off point to the world heritage listed Fraser Island, the largest and most majestic sand island on the globe. Learn more at https://pacificwhale.com.au/
Today, we are at 40% of our fundraising goal for the year. Because now is not the time to be asking for major gifts, we're imagining a moment where each supporter within our online community of more than 250,000 simply donated $5. This would allow our Research, Education and Conservation programs to thrive through this uncertain time. Please share our $5 fundraiser with your networks, friends and family! There are a lot of unknowns in this situation, but one thing we can be sure of is that our oceans need advocates now, and certainly when we have moved passed this. This situation could have negative effects on important environmental issues, so we must stay diligent and focused on achieving our mission.
Click any of the above to view. Scroll to "Webcasts & Webinars" HERE for a full list of past and upcoming virtual events + recordings.
RECENT VIRTUAL OFFERINGS
Join PWF's Ecuador Research Director, Dr. Cristina Castro, as she discusses her 20-year project to document individual humpback whales in Machalilla National Park, Ecuador, and what she has learned from studying these whales.
Click any of the above to view. Scroll to "Webcasts & Webinars" HERE for a full list of past and upcoming virtual events + recordings.
NEWS
PWF secured a win for conservation recently when the Maui County Council unanimously approved a ban on single-use plastic disposable food ware. PWF provided written testimony highlighting data from our Coastal Marine Debris Monitoring Program that shows over 80% of the debris found on Maui beaches to be plastics. PacWhale also provided oral testimony in support of this ban, outlining the general ease for a small business to make the change away from single use plastics. We feel strongly that legislative wins like this help lead the way for other counties to approve similar bans that work to protect our oceans from the threat of marine debris.
Check out this quarterly update regarding our ADOPT program HERE.
"Four Maui Food Drives Collect Combined 1350 Pounds of Food and $1,318 in Donations" READ
Mahalo to everyone who participated in Pacific Whale Foundation’s #GivingTuesdaysNow Mini Auction from May 5-12, 2020. Whether you were an item donor, an active bidder or a wishful watcher, your presence on PWF’s auction pages helped raise awareness of PWF’s ongoing mission while illuminating the exquisite crafts, products and services of Maui artisans and small businesses as they slowly step from the shadow of COVID-19. The weeklong auction comprised 93 donated items which netted $11, 441 through the silent auction plus $425 raised through straight donations for a total of $11,946 — all of which will continue funding PWF research and advocacy on behalf of whales, dolphins and other marine species that populate the waters of Maui Nui and beyond.
SAVE THE DATE
Later this week, you'll receive an email invitation to our State of the Company virtual meeting, scheduled for May 28 at 2 PM. In the meantime, we need your help.
The objective of the meeting is to share the latest information on how COVID-19 has impacted the organization, what we're doing to address the challenges, and what our path forward looks like at this point in time.
In addition, we look forward to answering any questions you may have in a collective effort to share information and strengthen our PWF 'ohana. Please take a few minutes to share your perspective on the organization and submit questions for the meeting by taking this short survey.
The PacWhale Kōkua Project rolled out mid-April as the federal Paycheck Protection Program brought PacWhale Eco-Adventures staff back onto the payroll. In response to COVID-19’s new workplace normal and under the direction of Volunteer Program Coordinator Emily Johnson, the Kōkua Project empowers PacWhale employees to use unapplied time to help our Maui neighbors in need.
PacWhale Eco-Adventures staff have logged 59.6 volunteer hours to date. Please be sure to reach out to Emily to participate!
The Hydrophone employee eNewsletter is meant to be a listening station and communications relay, which is a 2-way street. What do you want to hear about in the next issue? What questions do you have? Are there employees that you'd like to see recognized, stories that need to be told or ideas to share?
