In 2019, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center is spotlighting supporters who have become stewards of the Salish Sea. Read Part 1 and Part 2 here.
What does it mean to become a steward of the Salish Sea?
For Tim Weissman, it was his internship with the Port Townsend Marine Science Center in 2016.
“When I graduated from college, I had no idea what I wanted to do,” Tim says. “I spent the next two years of my life doing environmental education in various forms. When I came to Port Townsend to work at the marine science center, I figured this was just another stop on the map during my journey around the country.
“I interacted with and taught thousands of people from all over the country ranging in age from 5 to 75, whether they were a part of a school group, a summer camp, or they were just visiting. I realized the Port Townsend Marine Science Center had me hooked. This is where I wanted to stay,” he says.
Tim’s first low tide walk was memorable.
“I was still learning about the flora and fauna of the area and I was a little nervous to be teaching others about things I was actively learning myself, but with the help of [former PTMSC Board Chair] Wendy Feltham and [former PTMSC Program Director] Karlisa Callwood, it made everything much easier,” he says. “However, I wasn’t quite ready for the nearly 100 people that showed up to join us on the walk! It was a great experience and ever since then I have been a proponent of trial by fire.”
Today Tim is an environmental health specialist with Jefferson County, but he still makes time to volunteer with the PTMSC.
“The countless ways that we can touch people and move them to feel a certain way about this very special place and our planet, leaves me hopeful for the future,” he says. “We can continue to provide life changing experiences to the next generation and continue being hopeful for the future for those who come after us.”
Through their support of the PTMSC for more than 15 years, Linda Martin and Mike Cornforth have helped nurture future ocean stewards like Tim.
“We have been docents, auction donors and ambassadors, and sustaining financial donors since 2007,” says Linda, who eventually became a PTMSC board member. “Mike and I knew we'd be supporting the PTMSC the first time we set foot in the Natural History Museum.
“Watching a visitor's face light up with glee when a touch tank resident responds to a gentle touch gives my heart a happy thump,” she says. “Seeing visitors from all over the world meet their first orca in our museum is a joy.”
What does it mean to become a steward of the Salish Sea?
For Tim Weissman, it was his internship with the Port Townsend Marine Science Center in 2016.
“When I graduated from college, I had no idea what I wanted to do,” Tim says. “I spent the next two years of my life doing environmental education in various forms. When I came to Port Townsend to work at the marine science center, I figured this was just another stop on the map during my journey around the country.
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| Tim Weissman as a PTMSC intern in 2016. |
“I interacted with and taught thousands of people from all over the country ranging in age from 5 to 75, whether they were a part of a school group, a summer camp, or they were just visiting. I realized the Port Townsend Marine Science Center had me hooked. This is where I wanted to stay,” he says.
Tim’s first low tide walk was memorable.
“I was still learning about the flora and fauna of the area and I was a little nervous to be teaching others about things I was actively learning myself, but with the help of [former PTMSC Board Chair] Wendy Feltham and [former PTMSC Program Director] Karlisa Callwood, it made everything much easier,” he says. “However, I wasn’t quite ready for the nearly 100 people that showed up to join us on the walk! It was a great experience and ever since then I have been a proponent of trial by fire.”
Today Tim is an environmental health specialist with Jefferson County, but he still makes time to volunteer with the PTMSC.
“The countless ways that we can touch people and move them to feel a certain way about this very special place and our planet, leaves me hopeful for the future,” he says. “We can continue to provide life changing experiences to the next generation and continue being hopeful for the future for those who come after us.”
Through their support of the PTMSC for more than 15 years, Linda Martin and Mike Cornforth have helped nurture future ocean stewards like Tim.
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| Mike and Linda at the end of their regular Friday docent shifts. |
“Watching a visitor's face light up with glee when a touch tank resident responds to a gentle touch gives my heart a happy thump,” she says. “Seeing visitors from all over the world meet their first orca in our museum is a joy.”
Recently, Mike and Linda decided to become SeaSteward members, making their donation with an automatically recurring monthly payment on their credit card.
“The advantages are two-fold,” Mike says. “First, PTMSC has a steady, stable source of funding for day-to-day operations. And second, our charitable contributions are stable and predictable.”
Adds Linda: “Keeping the Aquarium and Museum doors open to the public is a service to the local and global community. We are honored to be a part of that effort.”
“The advantages are two-fold,” Mike says. “First, PTMSC has a steady, stable source of funding for day-to-day operations. And second, our charitable contributions are stable and predictable.”
Adds Linda: “Keeping the Aquarium and Museum doors open to the public is a service to the local and global community. We are honored to be a part of that effort.”
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