November E-Letter

In this E-Letter:

HTO’s Imaginary Gala has been a Major Success!
Jean-Michel Cousteau to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
Surf Legend Marge Calhoun Recognized with "Silver Surfer" Award
Bookmark HTO’s Santa Barbara Resource Guide!
HTO Salutes our Military Veterans

HTO's Imaginary Gala 2023: Celebrating 25 Years - Our Most Successful Fundraiser, Thanks to You!

WHAT A GREAT SHOW! Heal the Ocean’s Imaginary Gala 2023 has been our greatest annual fundraising drive to date! This year’s annual fundraising drive, in the Non-Event “Imaginary” style, commemorates our Silver Anniversary, marking 25 years of HTO's dedicated operations.

Your generosity has been instrumental in helping us reach this significant milestone, and we extend our heartfelt thanks for being an essential part of our journey. Thank you!

Jean-Michel Cousteau to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
(He happens to be on HTO’s Board of Directors, too)

Renowned explorer, dedicated conservationist (and esteemed HTO Board Member) Jean-Michel Cousteau is set to be honored with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday November 11, 2023 at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort during the “A Voice for the Ocean" event. This event is part of a three-day festival, “Highlights of a Lifetime of Adventure & Discovery," at the Bacara from November 10-12, 2023.

The event honors Cousteau's tireless dedication to ocean conservation and his inspiration for global efforts to protect marine life. The highlight of the Bacara occasion is the "78 Years of Diving & Discovery Gala," where Cousteau will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ritz-Carlton. Proceeds will support the Ocean Futures Society, dedicated to ocean exploration, global education, and highlighting the ocean's crucial role in sustaining life on Earth. We at Heal the Ocean salute Jean-Michel, and are proud to have him on our Board of Directors since our beginnings in 1998.

Read the full Santa Barbara Independent article here.

Heather Hudson Accepts “Silver Surfer” Award for Surf Icon Marge Calhoun at the California Surf Museum Event

On Saturday November 4, 2023, another HTO Board Member, filmmaker Heather Hudson, took the stage in Carlsbad, California, at the 15th Annual Gala Fundraiser of the California Surf Museum. This prestigious event featured the presentation of the coveted "Silver Surfer" awards. Among the honorees was Marge Calhoun, a prominent figure in Heather's celebrated "Women in the Waves" film series. One film, "Letters from Marge," pays tribute to 20th-century surfing icon Marge Calhoun, who was the women’s world champion of the 1958 Makaha International surfing contest, and who continued to ride the waves until her passing in 2017 at the remarkable age of 93. In a retrospective acknowledgment of her groundbreaking contributions to women's surfing, Marge Calhoun was awarded posthumously at the Surf Museum event, with Heather Hudson accepting the award on her behalf.
Read more about the event here.

Check Out HTO’s Santa Barbara Resource Guide

HTO is proud to announcing our newest addition to our webpage, the Santa Barbara Resource Guide, which connects community members with resources from local organizations, ranging from wildlife rescue centers, compost facilities, or environmental home improvement. After taking the CEC’s Climate Stewardship Certification Program, HTO’s Operation Manager Jasmin Tupy created the Guide in response to the community's need for a centralized platform to access information about existing environmental organizations and resources. Read more about the HTO’s Guide in CEC’s Interview here.

HTO encourages all Santa Barbara residents to bookmark the Santa Barbara Resource Guide webpage for easy access to a wealth of available resources.

If you are aware of a resource that could be included in the Guide, please don't hesitate to reach out to jasmin@healtheocean.org.

HTO Pays Tribute to Veterans Day

Saturday, November 11, 2023 is Veterans Day and Heal the Ocean is taking a moment to honor and express our deep gratitude to the brave individuals who have served and continue to serve our nation. This special day reminds us of the countless stories of courage, resilience, and unity that have shaped our nation's history. It's an opportunity to recognize the unwavering commitment of veterans who have stood strong in the fight for freedom, upholding the values that make up our country.
Don't forget the Veterans Day memorial ceremony at the Santa Barbara Cemetery (as well as at other cemeteries throughout Santa Barbara County) on Saturday. In Santa Barbara, the graveside ceremony will start at 11 a.m.