March 23, 1998

A 'Whale of an Auction,' on April 3, to benefit Long Marine Lab's public education programs

By Jim Burns

Long Marine Lab's "Whale of an Auction," the largest annual fund-raising event for public education programs at UC Santa Cruz's marine laboratory, will take place on Friday, April 3.

This year's auction, the 13th annual, begins at 6 p.m. in the Porter College Dining Hall at UCSC. Hundreds of people attend the auction each year, which raises tens of thousands of dollars for the lab's efforts to inform schoolchildren and the general public about our unique place on the Central Coast.

The evening will include a dinner buffet by Michael's Catering; champagne, caviar, and a smoked-salmon tasting provided by the docents of the Long Marine Lab; music by the Paris String Quartet; and--of course--both silent and live auctions.

Items up for bid this year include trips to Hawaii and Mexico, fine art, jewelry, wines, romantic getaways, surfboards, and kayaks. Explorations of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary by land, boat, or private plane with science professors and exclusive demonstrations of Monterey Bay research will also be up for bid during the auction.

The auction funds public education programs at Long Marine Lab, one of the few marine research facilities open to the public. The lab hosts over 30,000 visitors a year and provides special classes for students of all ages and teachers.

Through March 27, tickets are available for $30 by calling (408) 459-2883. Some tickets will be also available at the door for $35. The auction is hosted by the lab's docents, the Friends of Long Marine Lab Board of Directors, and lab staff.

For more information about the auction and membership programs, call (408) 459-4568.

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