By Chris MacDonald
When the oil spill recently shook our world, the Bolsa Chica wetlands were spared but Talbert Marsh to the south wasn’t so fortunate,” said Patrick Brenden, Bolsa Chica Conservancy CEO. “We needed to do something to help our neighbors at the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy because they would be in emergency reaction mode, trying to deal with the intrusion of oil into the Talbert Marsh.”
“When we launched the Oil Spill Emergency Response Fund, our goal was to provide a conduit for donors to contribute to organizations that were directly impacted by the oil spill,” he said. “We presented a $10,000 check to the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center and a $5,000 check to Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy. This is a great example of how we can all work together in the face of adversity.”
Debbie Wayns, Operations Manager of the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center, said, “We’re so grateful for the donation, which will be used for indirect costs from the spill, including housing for over 200 birds that could not be released until the environment was deemed safe and clean as well as increased utility bills & other costs.
“These incredible donations exemplify the OneHB spirit. When times are challenging, the HB community comes together and offers help wherever help is needed, ” said Huntington Beach Mayor Kim Carr.
“The Visit HB team was stoked to help spread on our social media platforms, the Bolsa Chica Conservancy’s online request for donations to two nonprofit organizations directly impacted by the recent oil spill,” said VisitHB CEO Kelly Miller. “This is another win-win example of how HB’s Tourism industry works with our community partners, especially in time of crisis.”
You can learn more about these Local Groups at: http://www.bolsachica.org, http://www.hbwetlands.org and http://www.wwccoc.org.