In this E-letter:
HTO Earns GreatNonprofits Badge!
Hooray for a RR Crossing at Santa Claus Lane
Los Olivos is One Step Closer to Getting Off Septic Systems
Catch a Wave with HTO at our 2021 Imaginary Gala!
HEAL THE OCEAN EARNS
GREATNONPROFITS BADGE
Heal the Ocean has been named a “2021 Top-Rated Nonprofit” by GreatNonprofits, the leading website for community recommendations of charities and nonprofits! The Top-Rated Nonprofit Award is based on the rating and reviews that Heal the Ocean has received from volunteers, donors, and recipients of HTO's help. We are so honored to have received this badge of support!
GreatNonprofits is the largest donation website for nonprofits and where people share stories about their personal experiences on more than 1.6 million charities and nonprofits. The GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Awards are the only awards for nonprofits determined by those who have direct experience with the charities – as donors, volunteers, and recipients of an organization's work.
THANKS TO ALL OUR GREAT SUPPORTERS FOR
GETTING THEIR STORIES, AND VOTES IN FOR US!
HOORAY FOR A RR CROSSING
AT SANTA CLAUS LANE!
Getting MarBorg’s heavy equipment across the RR tracks at Santa Claus Lane was a huge challenge.
Photo by Hillary Hauser.
At the end of May 2021, a huge trawler washed ashore at Sandyland/Padaro Lane and immediately began to break up in the surf. These boat crashes are the worst of polluters, spreading toxic materials, gasoline, batteries, pieces of boat, and metal shards far and wide along the beach and into the ocean. A boat drifting on the loose along the south Santa Barbara coastline tends to land on this stretch of beach– specifically Sandyland, a popular public beach. There is no railroad crossing here, so it took quick thinking on the part of Brian Borgatello of MarBorg Industries to organize a makeshift bridge, to get his heavy equipment to the crash area without sinking in the sand.
Heal the Ocean was able to reach Union Pacific by phone, and quickly get permission for the MarBorg equipment to cross the tracks – but with another mishap, we knew might not be so lucky. HTO Field Advisor Harry Rabin and HTO Executive Director Hillary Hauser contacted Union Pacific about them putting in a RR Crossing, not only to help future salvage efforts but for public safety. Many people cross the tracks here, to get to the beach. The happy news was given to both Hillary and Harry: that a RR Crossing is going in at this spot. The project was approved by County Planning Division at the end of September.
LOS OLIVOS IS ONE STEP CLOSER
TO GETTING OFF SEPTIC SYSTEMS
Last week, on Thursday, September 30, the Los Olivos Community Services District (LOCSD) learned that it has successfully been approved to receive State Grant Funding for the design of its wastewater water recycling plant. LOCSD can immediately proceed with its Preliminary Design for the project, which will service the entire Los Olivos community.
The State Water Board notified the district on Thursday, September 30, that the district can almost immediately start the design of the project. LOCSD plans to authorize the Notice to Proceed during its Board meeting on October 13, 2021. Heal the Ocean has been working on the problem of septic systems in the Santa Ynez Valley for over 20 years, and we had run into numerous dead ends. When LOCSD formed to tackle the problem, we fought them at first, but with the excellent advice of HTO Field Advisor Rick Merrifield, who as former Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Director, suggested we get help for LOCSD anyway we can, we switched gears and have joined LOCSD to support the project. Our goal is now to dig up more state grant funds to help pay for this important project. We thank LOCSD for including, from the start of planning, the entire district, all the residents of Los Olivos.
CATCH A WAVE WITH HTO AND SURF DOG!
Heal the Ocean's Honorary Top Dog Julia Louis-Dreyfus invites you to jump in the ocean with Surf Dog and us, for Heal the Ocean's Imaginary Gala 2021. It is guaranteed to be the "best party you never went to!"
Heal the Ocean's Imaginary Gala events have always been a hit and they instantly sell out! We show you here our 2021 Imaginary Gala GoFundMe. Please do click on this short video - filmed by HTO Board Member/Event Manager, Heather Hudson, Graciegirl LLC. it includes project updates from HTO Executive Director, Hillary Hauser, and you can hear what Heal the Ocean is doing right now. Click here to donate and join us on our epic ride!
All supporters who donate by October 29, 2021, will be recognized in the Santa Barbara Independent and the Montecito Journal as our way of shouting out a big public “Thank You!”
We thank you right now for supporting Heal the Ocean. The ocean needs healing more than ever.
Love from all of us.