The volunteer leadership team for Newport-Bend’s Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is excited to kick off 2021! The team continues to be dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches for all people through our powerful activist network. We want to thank all our members for their continuing dedication to protecting our oceans and costal preserves, increasing beach access, monitoring water quality, and reducing plastic pollution during these difficult pandemic times. In the first half of 2021, we will continue to have virtual events and we are cautiously optimistic that by the second half of the year, we can begin having in-person activities again!
This year the team is focused on the following priorities:
- Protecting our oceans through inclusive civic engagement, increasing conservation knowledge, and advocating for better water quality
- Reducing plastic pollution through programs (beach cleanups and single-plastic use at restaurants and markets)
- Creating more inclusive communications and engagement with youth and diverse groups of people
- Building our capacity to better serve the coastal community
- Being responsibly social, having fun, learning, and protecting our Oregon coastal environment and community
For example, in the first half of the year we will be virtually screening the film Public Trust and having a powerful panel discuss it. We will hear from local science teachers about how the community can better support virtual science education for our youth and how Surfrider members can help our next generation of scientists. We will continue to have ocean trivia, research talks, film series, and until we can have in-person beach cleanups again, we will continue to have supply pickups and solo/household beach cleanups. We will continue to grow our Rise Above Plastics, Ocean Friendly Restaurants, and garden programs. We also hope to start scholarship programs for students, teachers, and professors. Please consider a donation today, renew your annual membership, and get a friend to join Surfrider Foundation if you haven’t already.
We are looking to fill several open volunteer positions. We could use your help in growing our capacity to support coastal conservation. We are in need of the following if you have some free time to commit:
If you are interested in any of the above positions, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Stephanie Fields, at volunteercoordinator@newport.or.surfrider.org for more information.