Community and connection
The community of volunteers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium are some of the most dedicated, knowledgeable, and generous people you will ever meet. They come from an array of backgrounds, locations, and span across generations. The Aquarium is a better place because of our volunteers.
Since 1984, this fantastic group of people has given over 4.6 million hours to inspire conservation of the ocean. They’ve scrubbed exhibits, raised baby animals, stuffed envelopes, given tours, groomed rescued sea otter pups, moderated online chats, shared the wonder of the ocean with guests, and created a culture of giving within the Aquarium and beyond its walls.
In our Aquarium community we provide a
range of opportunities for people with a diversity of talents to contribute. This is clearly demonstrated by this year’s recipients of the Lucile S. Packard Memorial Award. Each year we give the Lucile S. Packard Memorial Award and Youth Award for outstanding volunteer service at the Aquarium. The award recognizes volunteers whose dedication and selfless service exemplify Mrs. Packard’s lifelong commitment to volunteerism – something she encouraged as an essential component of the Aquarium at its founding.
“My mother was an active community volunteer all her life. She knew how important a volunteer program would be for the Aquarium,” says Executive Director Julie Packard. “I can’t thank our
volunteers enough for the way they’ve supported us throughout our history.”
Many of these volunteers can be found giving their time to other organizations and causes. Whether they are coordinating beach cleanups, communicating conservation, or creating connections with their peers, the culture of giving within this group has an incredibly powerful impact.
The five honorees this year demonstrate how our volunteers affect our community and communities beyond our walls:
Over the last 16 years, Jane Sullivan has been facilitating guest experiences during her 4,000 hours of service. In her many volunteer roles, her spirit and compassion have made her a pillar of the volunteer community
and has inspired countless guests who’ve had the chance to interact with her. During the pandemic, Jane maintained strong connections with her shiftmates. She was one of the first volunteers to return in 2021 as part of the guide pilot program, and was instrumental in welcoming guests back to the Aquarium upon reopening.
Don Battles has volunteered at the Monterey Bay Aquarium for a decade. In his roles as Aviculture volunteer and volunteer guide, he has contributed over 3,800 hours to support the mission of the Aquarium. He has a wealth of knowledge and is a repository of stories about our birds and other animals. Don is a mentor, and his friendly personality is welcoming to new volunteers and staff. Whether he’s on the floor as a volunteer guide or behind the scenes with the Aviculture team, he always enriches the lives of those he meets.
With almost 2,500 hours, Kim Kaplan has been volunteering for 14 years as a guide and with the Aquarium’s animal care team. She’s reliable, hardworking, and has mastered a wide variety of skills that go above and beyond the expectations for her volunteer role. Kim can frequently be found at one of our touch pools, educating guests and sharing stories about our animals and local wildlife. Kim’s volunteering expands beyond the Aquarium, as she also shares her knowledge and warmth with the Point Lobos Foundation as a docent and interpreter.
During her time at the Aquarium, Alivia “Liv” Dapar has shown exemplary leadership and has become an inspiring role model for volunteer guides and her fellow
Teen Conservation Leaders (TCL). Outside the Aquarium, Liv is active in her school and community. She is secretary and founding member of the Aptos Community
Youth Outreach Program. The accomplishments of the program include design and creation of an on-campus lounge where junior high school students can connect in a safe and inclusive space, ongoing beach cleanups, and even a podcast focused on issues facing youth today. Every community Liv is connected to has benefited from her presence.
Maya Manildi is a dedicated volunteer, a natural leader, and was one of the students responsible for launching the Aquarium’s “Fashion Without the Footprint” event for the Coastal Environmental Learning Centers (CELC) Youth Summit. This “for teens, by teens” event focused on the impacts the fashion industry has on ocean health. Without Maya’s consistent vision and leadership, “Fashion Without the Footprint” would never have taken place. Instead, it attracted hundreds of young people on Earth Day 2022.
The Aquarium volunteers are themselves a community of caring people and this month we give thanks for the connections they’ve made and all that they’ve given.