Long Marine Lab's annual 'Whale of an Auction' set for Friday, June 18

The Friends of Long Marine Lab will hold a "Whale of an Auction," the group's popular annual fundraiser, on Friday, June 18. The event will take place in the Porter College Dining Hall on the UC Santa Cruz campus, starting at 6 p.m.

In addition to both live and silent auctions, the evening includes a catered buffet, fine wines, champagne, and lots of excitement. The event raises funds to support the public education programs of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center.

Tickets for the evening are $50 for members, $60 for nonmembers (if purchased by June 11), and $65 at the door. For information and tickets, call (831) 459-3800.

Auctioneers Karen Cogswell and Tim Heffington will lead the auctions. Many exciting and unique items will be up for bid, including exclusive vacations, fine art, and field trips led by renowned scientists. The exceptional selection of artwork this year includes blown glass, fish prints, pottery, quilts, stone furniture, and jewelry. Other auction highlights include vacation retreats in Hawaii, Mexico, Sun Valley, and other locales; private sailing outings on the Chardonnay, Team O'Neill Catamaran, and other boats; specialty wines and private winetasting tours in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Napa Valley; a bumper car party for 50 at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk; lobster and clambake for 20 on the beach catered by the Crow's Nest Restaurant; sports equipment and tickets to sporting events; and much more.

All education programs and daily operations of the lab's Seymour Marine Discovery Center depend on community support. Contributions to the Whale of an Auction help bring marine science alive for the community.

The Seymour Center at Long Marine Lab is dedicated to educating people about the role scientific research plays in the understanding and conservation of the world's oceans. Long Marine Lab is a research facility of the Institute of Marine Sciences at UCSC.