“This week, Ocean Institute made the very difficult decision to postpone Ocean Institute Fest, our largest fundraiser, to ensure that this important night is free from any worry or concern from our esteemed guests. This postponement injures our Adopt-A-Class program, which benefits thousands of low-income students each year, as the proceeds from the event directly support that program.
School travel restrictions related to coronavirus have further compromised our organization as several field trips have been postponed- injuring our highest revenue season of the year.
We are reaching out to supporters to ask for help to sustain through these uneasy times.
Please click here to help: https://secure.ocean-institute.org/annualfund.html
Thank you in advance for your consideration. More information about the measures we have taken to ensure a safe environment and how we are continuing to support the community during this uneasy time is shared below.”
With much appreciation,
Wendy
Dr. Wendy Marshall
President, Education and Operations
“OI has extremely high sanitation standards to protect our guests and marine life. In this time of great concern related to the coronavirus, we have escalated our rigorous processes to ensure that guests are confident and save when visiting our facility.
- Every staff member is trained in proper cleaning techniques, safe food handling, and CPR/first aid.
- Every student that come to the Ocean Institute or the Lazy W ranch is required to wash their hands as soon as they arrive, periodically throughout the program, and after their visit.
- Our staff thoroughly cleans and disinfects all sleeping surfaces, tables, and equipment before and after each use.
- We have instructed our staff to stay home if they are sick.
- The Ocean Institute is monitoring the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for updates and regulations on regarding Coronavirus.
We are anticipating closures (see article below) and are mobilizing to support our community.
- We are working closely with the Orange County Dept of Ed to anticipate closures (see quote and article below)
- Staff is planning for “Summer Camp” in Spring to ensure options for families should school closures occur”
“It’s a question of when — not if — some California public schools will face closure because of COVID-19,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Saturday in a statement. “School districts must prepare for these scenarios so that parents and children can plan for what would happen if their local school faced closure.”
