A Note From our Chairman, Merrill Magowan…
Our volunteers range in age from 14 to 90 and are the backbone of The Marine Mammal Center.
No question, volunteers at the Center face challenging working conditions. They work outside, often in cold, windy, or wet weather.
They work late nights, early mornings, and everything in between. They see ugly wounds, emaciated animals, and sometimes must endure the loss of a favorite patient.
But our volunteers bring more than spirit and commitment to The Marine Mammal Center. They save us a lot of money!
In 2007, volunteers racked up an incredible 81,000 hours at the Center. Most choose to work as members of an animal care crew. That requires a commitment of eight or more hours a week. After they’re trained, they handle everything from cleaning pens to preparing food, updating medical charts, administering antibiotics and taking blood samples.
These are not minimum-wage responsibilities. If we had to pay to get their work done, it would cost the Center hundreds of thousands of dollars in salaries alone (I estimate well more than $800,000 per year), not counting payroll taxes and other employee expenses.
We all have different motivations for going to work each day. But I think it’s safe to say that our volunteers contribute the time they do because they are passionate about our mission and see their service as an investment in our futures, both human and animal.
Merrill L. Magowan
Board Chairman
The
Marine Mammal Center is a non-profit organization dedicated
to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured, sick and
orphaned marine mammals. Originally founded by three volunteers,
the Center relies heavily on a dynamic volunteer work force
comprised of over 800 individuals from Mendocino through San
Luis Obispo counties. In our expanding and exciting environment,
the energy and dedication of many kinds of people are needed
to keep the Center running smoothly. While some volunteer assignments
require you to be at least 18 years of age, there are special
