Surfrider's 4th Annual Sessions Fundraiser at the Wickaninnish raised the largest amount so far!

Surfrider Pacific Rim is thrilled to announce that we raised $22,825.00 including a $5000 donation from The Wickaninnish Inn - our new sponsors of the Wetsuit Reincarnation program! We are forever grateful to The Wickaninnish Inn and their team for hosting and sponsoring this fabulous event!

Our 32 Auctions online raised $3,532.00, our live auction and the silent auction raised $14,243.00 combined! Thank you to all those that attended the event and for a list of those who donated please see the Westerly article here Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News – Tofino-Ucluelet News

Surfrider Cascadia Conference at Shelter taking a break with Thriller Dance!

Staff, the Executive Committee, and volunteers all gathered on Saturday, October 9th to virtually join in the annual Surfrider conference organized by our Head Quarters in the US! When asked what would it look like if you were bold enough? The teams replied with: plastic-free zone, waste-free Westcoast holidays, surfrider music festival and mailing back waste to the corporations producing it!

Zim Kingston Container Spill

On October 29th, the Zim Kingston lost 109 containers to the Pacific Ocean, just outside the Juan de Fuca Strait. Within days, they were washing up on Vancouver Island beaches, spilling their contents into the shoreline ecosystem. Surfrider Pacific Rim has been working closely with MPs, First Nations, and fellow ENGOs to mount an emergency response. Long term, we would like to see Canada develop an emergency preparedness plan that would allow for a more immediate response when disaster strikes. Furthermore, it is imperative that Canada holds the shipping company accountable for every container lost - there are still 105 containers unaccounted for, and we will be cleaning up the consequences of this spill for years to come. For more info, check out Pacific Rim staff member Alys Hoyland's post here.

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Robin Jackson

Robin has been part of Surfrider Pacific Rim since 2018, first as the Executive Committee Secretary and now as the Rise Above Plastics lead. She conducts all the waste audits for our Ocean Friendly Business initiative which is over 50 local businesses now, she is our recycling Guru!

Here are her top three reasons for volunteering:

1. I feel incredibly fortunate to live in such an ecologically diverse and rich coastal environment. Volunteering with Surfrider has given me the opportunity to connect with other people who are also passionate about protecting our oceans with whom I may not have had the chance to cross paths otherwise.

2. Participating in Surfrider campaigns and programs to actively help protect our oceans through education and taking steps outwards into the community to share those opportunities for change provides a deeper sense of purpose and belonging for me living in Tofino.

3. I’m always learning from other Surfrider volunteers and staff which inspires me to continue building on my own knowledge and understanding while also opening up new areas to me that I may not have any previous experience with. The enthusiasm and dedication of other team members feed my own passion and reinforce my belief that together we can create magic, make changes that will leave a lasting impact, and have a great time doing it!