West Seattle’s Summer Fest drew huge crowds Friday and Saturday to the Alaska Junction and Seal Sitters had an educational outreach table smack dab in the middle of it. Volunteers spoke to over 330 children and adults. We’re happy to report that 32 kids (at last count) signed the Seal Ambassador Pledge to protect our waters and respect wildlife. If you’d like to take the pledge, too, and receive a certificate, click here!

Volunteers also talked to the public about the latest “Sentinels of the Sound” sculpture updates and “Harbor Seal Day” dedication and educational event to be held at the Alki Bathhouse on September 8th. The deadline for the art and essay contest for kids K-5 is August 15th. For more info and to download the contest rules, click here. Artwork and essays will be displayed at the Bathhouse during the event and participating kids will be honored - and there will be prizes for the winners, too!

Seal Sitters will have a booth at next weekend’s Alki Art Fair. Make sure to stop by. There will be a coloring table for kids to get those creative juices flowing as well as a sign-up sheet to join Spud’s Seal Ambassador Club and receive a certificate.

Tags: Seal Ambassador, art-essay contest

On Sunday, the streets along Alki Beach were closed to motorized vehicles for a 5K run and, afterwards, people were dancing to live music, strolling along the boulevard and checking out the booths of educational groups and vendors. The festive party lasted until 5pm.

Seal Sitters’ volunteers staffed a booth at the event and launched our “Seal Ambassador” drive, asking local kids to take a pledge to protect our marine environment. Harrison and Annabelle (shown here), students at Schmitz Park Elementary School, are our very first Ambassadors. Thanks to both of them and the additional 33 kids who took the pledge on Sunday! If you’d like to be one of Spud’s Seal Ambassadors, email us here.

178 people stopped by the booth throughout the day, learning about seals and other marine mammals, NOAA’s Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and Seal Sitters’ Year of the Seal (YOS) educational outreach project and harbor seal mom and pup sculpture. Our very talented illustrator Lynn created life-size chalk sketches on the street of a gray whale and swimming seal mom and pup, which were a big hit with the public. A table was set up next to our booth, where children colored drawings Lynn created - drawings showing what does and doesn’t belong on the beach and in the water, part of our YOS project to show the devastating impact that trash and pollution have on marine life. Flipper hugs to our enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers for spending their day doing outreach and helping marine wildlife!

Tags: Seal Ambassador, Year of the Seal