Pacific Whale Foundation

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Whale Day Draws Record Crowds 03/05/2009
MA¹ALAEA, HI -- Pacific Whale Foundation¹s annual Whale Day Celebration on Saturday, February 21, 2009 drew record crowds of more than 13,000 people. "We are so grateful to the community and all of our sponsors who made Whale Day such a wonderful day for visitors and Maui residents, adults and kids," said Greg Kaufman, President of Pacific Whale Foundation. "It was truly an event that brought everyone together for a very joyous, spirited and friendly celebration." This was the 29th annual Whale Day Celebration. Whale Day is an event that Pacific Whale Foundation originated in 1980 to honor the humpback whales that come to Hawaii each winter, and to call public attention to the need to protect these endangered marine mammals. Whale Day took place at Maui County¹s Kalama Park, located along the ocean shoreline. Throughout the day, festival-goers could see humpback whales breaching and splashing in the nearshore ocean waters. Whale Day is part of a month-long series of events known as the Maui Whale Festival, which included a Run for the Whales, the Great Maui Whale Count, special talks and a VIP whalewatch with Pacific Whale Foundation¹s President, Greg Kaufman. The crowds at Whale Day celebration enjoyed a parade, live entertainment, a craft fair, silent auction, children¹s carnival, Eco-Alley, great food from Maui restaurants, and more. The event kicked off with the Parade of Whales at 9:00 am. The theme for this year¹s parade was "Save the Whales It¹s for Our Children!" Over 30 groups participated this year, including school groups, businesses, non-profits, and musicians. Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares served as Grand Marshall, joined by Maui County Council members Jo Anne Johnson and Mike Victorino and State Senator Roz Baker. Other parade participants included Maui Unicyclist Club with Kula the Klown, Maui Humane Society, Community Work Day, Maui Inline Hockey Association, GEICO, George Kahumoku, Jr., Smart Start Christian Preschool, Cool Dog Maui, Kula Lani Ranch, Shaka Divers and the Double Bubble Mermaids, Kihei Youth Center, Montessori Hale O Keiki, Maui Roller Girls, Dave¹s Metal Detecting, U.S. Coast Guard, SOS Metals Island Recycling, Valley Isle Fitness, The Posterbirds (Seabury Hall), Maui Neon, Big Kahuna Adventures and the Shifty Sailors. All of the parade entries were impressive in their enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment to the parade¹s theme. A panel of independent parade judges selected the following as winners in six different categories: Best Overall Entry went to Shaka Divers for their Scubabus and Double Bubble Mermaids. Most Creative Individual went to the unicycle-riding Kula the Klown, who accompanied Best Foot-Powered Entry Maui Unicyclist Club. Most Creative Group went to Seattle-based Sea Shanty singers the Shifty Sailors, who also performed at Whale Day. Most Eco-Friendly entry went to Community Work Day, while Best Portrayal of Theme went to Big Kahuna Adventures. Another popular annual Whale Day event was the Wild and Wonderful Whale Regatta, Maui¹s own version of a rubber ducky race. The sponsor of the winning whale won free round-trip airfare for two between the U.S. Mainland and Maui. This year¹s first-place winner was Karen Hershey of Hillsboro, Oregon. Karen was thrilled to hear about her win, and is looking forward to a much-needed Maui vacation. Entertainers at Whale Day wowed the crowd, including John Cruz, Willie K and his band, Marty Dread, George Kahumoku, Jr., Micah Wolf, Off Tomorrow, Gomega, Shifty Sailors, Te Tiare Patitifa. Comedian and DJ Augie T of KAOI Radio Group served as the guest emcee. Whale Day¹s major sponsors included: Expedia Local Expert Maui Electric Company KAOI Radio Group Other sponsors included DHX, Cummins West, Mana Foods, Kihei Ice, Maui Printing Company, Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures, Servco Foundation, This Week Maui Magazine, Alan Harris, Bev Tech, Coconuts Catering, Four Seasons Resort, The Gecko Group, Goodfellow Brothers, Hanzawa Store, Honolulu Freight Service, Kaiser Permanente, KPOA Radio, Maui Elite Gymnastics, Maui Flavors Catering, Maui Oil Company, Kihei Rent a Car, Maui Cattle Company, Maui Ocean Center, Maui Oma Coffee, Maui Soda and Ice Works, Maui Ukulele & Gift Corp., Maui Weekly, Polynesian Adventure Tours, Spectracolor Printing, Spotlight Hawaii/Maui Gold Magazine, Styrophobia, The Maui Closet Company, Tropical Seas Sunscreen, Pacific Dive Shop and Wailea Golf Club. Food booths offered a variety of lunch and early dinner selections. Food booths were hosted by Spago, Shaka Pizza, Ma¹alaea Grill, Beach Bums, Maui Kazowie, Real Fruit Ice Cream Hawaii, Maui Thai Cuisine, Alexander¹s Fish & Chips, Tiki Lounge, Bruddah Willie¹s BBQ and Hawaii Board Riders Youth Academy, Horizon¹s Academy. Shoppers found unique and handcrafted items at the huge craft fair, with over 100 local artisans and companies selling their wares. The Silent Auction was another place to scoop up great deals. Silent auction items were donated by A Piece of Maui, Ace Printing Company Inc., Angelina¹s Boutique, Aquarian Audio, Aravalli Hills, Arco Iris Designs, Art By Loyd, Art Cards by Erica, Big Beach Clothing, Blowfish Glass, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, By Deneen, Celia¹s Quilts, Ceramic Designs by Albert Craft/Craftbar/Craftsteak, Davo, Delightful Detours, Douglas Hoffman Maui Photography, Eve Black, Foot Prints in the Sand, Hawaii Ukulele & Gift Corp., Heart of Maui, Hoa Elua, Inspirations Inc., Island Designs, Island Spirit Yoga, Isle Dream, Jackie Brainard, JB Creations. Jim¹s Prestigious Plauables Josephine¹s Craft & Souvenirs, Kachi Handmade Jewelry of Maui, Katie¹s Crystals, Kihei Rent A Car, Kimble Mead, Liquid Butterfly, Live Aloha, Lotus Rose Imports, Maiden Maui Designs, Makena o Maui Luxury Handmade Soaps, Margaret Carvalho, Marianita E. Ramos, Maui Eco Adventures, Maui No Ka Oi T-shirts, Maui Rainbow Jewelry, Mauimoon, Nalu Koa/Kopahaiku, Na Pua Maui, Oceania Tropics, Pacific Dive Shop, Pacific Jet Sports Kaanapali, Jet Ski Hawaii, Paradise Garden Soaps & Gifts, Pepper¹s Performance Eyewear, Purple Lotus Collection, Rock & Vibe Jewelry, Rockmolds.com, S.E.A. Creatures, Shayla Massage, Sidney¹s Distributions, SOMOOR Maui Tropical Jams, Jellies Catering & ŒMoor¹, Stani Crystals, Sun Flare Maui, The Jade Tiki, The Maui Closet Company, The Mountain Apple Company, Tropical Moon Trading, Trudy¹s Fountain of Youth, Turtle Reef, Usborne Books at Home, Windhorse & Co. Oceania Tropics, Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures, Spotlights Maui Gold, The Gecko Group, This Week Maui and the Four Seasons. Environmental booths were hosted by WhaleSong Project, H-Nu Solar, Alii Kula Lavender Farm, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Hawaii Nature Center, Sierra Club, Maui Humane Society, Haleakala National Park, NOAA Marine Mammal Response Team, South Maui Sustainability, Maui Tomorrow/Save Makena, Community Work Day, Rising Sun Solar, Rejuvalux, Kanaha Restoration, Honu Heroes, Maui Ocean Center, Maui Earth Compost, Maui Ocean Center, Hawaii Skylights and Solar, and Maui Nui Council. The Curtain of Whales, a traveling exhibit by artist, surfer and skateboarder Peggy Oki, displayed more than 32,000 origami whales, from children and adults around the world concerned about the impact of whaling on the planet¹s whale populations. ³Pacific Whale Foundation sends a huge thank you to the Maui County Police Dept. and Officer Brad Hickle, the staff at the County of Maui Dept. of Maui Parks and Recreation, and to our many volunteers,² says Ashley, Whale Day Coordinator. ³Their help and dedication played a huge role in making this day a tremendous success.² Plans for next year¹s Whale Day, which will mark the 30th anniversary of this free community event, are already underway. Whale Day will take place on Saturday, February 20 at Kalama Park in Kihei. The Maui Whale Festival 2010 will include the Run for the Whales on Saturday, February 6, the Parade of Whales on Saturday, February 20 and The Great Maui Whale Count on Saturday, February 27. For more information about these events and to view a gallery of photos from Whale Day 2009, go to www.mauiwhalefestival.org. Pacific Whale Foundation is a nonprofit organization based on Maui, with projects in Australia and Ecuador. Our mission is to promote appreciation, understanding and protection of whales, dolphins, coral reefs and our planet's oceans. We accomplish this by educating the public -- from a scientific perspective -- about the marine environment. We support and conduct responsible marine research and address marine conservation issues in Hawaii and the Pacific. Through educational ecotours, we model and promote sound ecotourism practices and responsible wildlife watching. To learn more about Pacific Whale Foundation, visit www.pacificwhale.org or call 249-8811 ext. 1.
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Whale Day Draws Record Crowds 03/05/2009
MA¹ALAEA, HI -- Pacific Whale Foundation¹s annual Whale Day Celebration on Saturday, February 21, 2009 drew record crowds of more than 13,000 people. "We are so grateful to the community and all of our sponsors who made Whale Day such a wonderful day for visitors and Maui residents, adults and kids," said Greg Kaufman, President of Pacific Whale Foundation. "It was truly an event that brought everyone together for a very joyous, spirited and friendly celebration." This was the 29th annual Whale Day Celebration. Whale Day is an event that Pacific Whale Foundation originated in 1980 to honor the humpback whales that come to Hawaii each winter, and to call public attention to the need to protect these endangered marine mammals. Whale Day took place at Maui County¹s Kalama Park, located along the ocean shoreline. Throughout the day, festival-goers could see humpback whales breaching and splashing in the nearshore ocean waters. Whale Day is part of a month-long series of events known as the Maui Whale Festival, which included a Run for the Whales, the Great Maui Whale Count, special talks and a VIP whalewatch with Pacific Whale Foundation¹s President, Greg Kaufman. The crowds at Whale Day celebration enjoyed a parade, live entertainment, a craft fair, silent auction, children¹s carnival, Eco-Alley, great food from Maui restaurants, and more. The event kicked off with the Parade of Whales at 9:00 am. The theme for this year¹s parade was "Save the Whales It¹s for Our Children!" Over 30 groups participated this year, including school groups, businesses, non-profits, and musicians. Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares served as Grand Marshall, joined by Maui County Council members Jo Anne Johnson and Mike Victorino and State Senator Roz Baker. Other parade participants included Maui Unicyclist Club with Kula the Klown, Maui Humane Society, Community Work Day, Maui Inline Hockey Association, GEICO, George Kahumoku, Jr., Smart Start Christian Preschool, Cool Dog Maui, Kula Lani Ranch, Shaka Divers and the Double Bubble Mermaids, Kihei Youth Center, Montessori Hale O Keiki, Maui Roller Girls, Dave¹s Metal Detecting, U.S. Coast Guard, SOS Metals Island Recycling, Valley Isle Fitness, The Posterbirds (Seabury Hall), Maui Neon, Big Kahuna Adventures and the Shifty Sailors. All of the parade entries were impressive in their enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment to the parade¹s theme. A panel of independent parade judges selected the following as winners in six different categories: Best Overall Entry went to Shaka Divers for their Scubabus and Double Bubble Mermaids. Most Creative Individual went to the unicycle-riding Kula the Klown, who accompanied Best Foot-Powered Entry Maui Unicyclist Club. Most Creative Group went to Seattle-based Sea Shanty singers the Shifty Sailors, who also performed at Whale Day. Most Eco-Friendly entry went to Community Work Day, while Best Portrayal of Theme went to Big Kahuna Adventures. Another popular annual Whale Day event was the Wild and Wonderful Whale Regatta, Maui¹s own version of a rubber ducky race. The sponsor of the winning whale won free round-trip airfare for two between the U.S. Mainland and Maui. This year¹s first-place winner was Karen Hershey of Hillsboro, Oregon. Karen was thrilled to hear about her win, and is looking forward to a much-needed Maui vacation. Entertainers at Whale Day wowed the crowd, including John Cruz, Willie K and his band, Marty Dread, George Kahumoku, Jr., Micah Wolf, Off Tomorrow, Gomega, Shifty Sailors, Te Tiare Patitifa. Comedian and DJ Augie T of KAOI Radio Group served as the guest emcee. Whale Day¹s major sponsors included: Expedia Local Expert Maui Electric Company KAOI Radio Group Other sponsors included DHX, Cummins West, Mana Foods, Kihei Ice, Maui Printing Company, Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures, Servco Foundation, This Week Maui Magazine, Alan Harris, Bev Tech, Coconuts Catering, Four Seasons Resort, The Gecko Group, Goodfellow Brothers, Hanzawa Store, Honolulu Freight Service, Kaiser Permanente, KPOA Radio, Maui Elite Gymnastics, Maui Flavors Catering, Maui Oil Company, Kihei Rent a Car, Maui Cattle Company, Maui Ocean Center, Maui Oma Coffee, Maui Soda and Ice Works, Maui Ukulele & Gift Corp., Maui Weekly, Polynesian Adventure Tours, Spectracolor Printing, Spotlight Hawaii/Maui Gold Magazine, Styrophobia, The Maui Closet Company, Tropical Seas Sunscreen, Pacific Dive Shop and Wailea Golf Club. Food booths offered a variety of lunch and early dinner selections. Food booths were hosted by Spago, Shaka Pizza, Ma¹alaea Grill, Beach Bums, Maui Kazowie, Real Fruit Ice Cream Hawaii, Maui Thai Cuisine, Alexander¹s Fish & Chips, Tiki Lounge, Bruddah Willie¹s BBQ and Hawaii Board Riders Youth Academy, Horizon¹s Academy. Shoppers found unique and handcrafted items at the huge craft fair, with over 100 local artisans and companies selling their wares. The Silent Auction was another place to scoop up great deals. Silent auction items were donated by A Piece of Maui, Ace Printing Company Inc., Angelina¹s Boutique, Aquarian Audio, Aravalli Hills, Arco Iris Designs, Art By Loyd, Art Cards by Erica, Big Beach Clothing, Blowfish Glass, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, By Deneen, Celia¹s Quilts, Ceramic Designs by Albert Craft/Craftbar/Craftsteak, Davo, Delightful Detours, Douglas Hoffman Maui Photography, Eve Black, Foot Prints in the Sand, Hawaii Ukulele & Gift Corp., Heart of Maui, Hoa Elua, Inspirations Inc., Island Designs, Island Spirit Yoga, Isle Dream, Jackie Brainard, JB Creations. Jim¹s Prestigious Plauables Josephine¹s Craft & Souvenirs, Kachi Handmade Jewelry of Maui, Katie¹s Crystals, Kihei Rent A Car, Kimble Mead, Liquid Butterfly, Live Aloha, Lotus Rose Imports, Maiden Maui Designs, Makena o Maui Luxury Handmade Soaps, Margaret Carvalho, Marianita E. Ramos, Maui Eco Adventures, Maui No Ka Oi T-shirts, Maui Rainbow Jewelry, Mauimoon, Nalu Koa/Kopahaiku, Na Pua Maui, Oceania Tropics, Pacific Dive Shop, Pacific Jet Sports Kaanapali, Jet Ski Hawaii, Paradise Garden Soaps & Gifts, Pepper¹s Performance Eyewear, Purple Lotus Collection, Rock & Vibe Jewelry, Rockmolds.com, S.E.A. Creatures, Shayla Massage, Sidney¹s Distributions, SOMOOR Maui Tropical Jams, Jellies Catering & ŒMoor¹, Stani Crystals, Sun Flare Maui, The Jade Tiki, The Maui Closet Company, The Mountain Apple Company, Tropical Moon Trading, Trudy¹s Fountain of Youth, Turtle Reef, Usborne Books at Home, Windhorse & Co. Oceania Tropics, Pacific Whale Foundation Eco-Adventures, Spotlights Maui Gold, The Gecko Group, This Week Maui and the Four Seasons. Environmental booths were hosted by WhaleSong Project, H-Nu Solar, Alii Kula Lavender Farm, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Hawaii Nature Center, Sierra Club, Maui Humane Society, Haleakala National Park, NOAA Marine Mammal Response Team, South Maui Sustainability, Maui Tomorrow/Save Makena, Community Work Day, Rising Sun Solar, Rejuvalux, Kanaha Restoration, Honu Heroes, Maui Ocean Center, Maui Earth Compost, Maui Ocean Center, Hawaii Skylights and Solar, and Maui Nui Council. The Curtain of Whales, a traveling exhibit by artist, surfer and skateboarder Peggy Oki, displayed more than 32,000 origami whales, from children and adults around the world concerned about the impact of whaling on the planet¹s whale populations. ³Pacific Whale Foundation sends a huge thank you to the Maui County Police Dept. and Officer Brad Hickle, the staff at the County of Maui Dept. of Maui Parks and Recreation, and to our many volunteers,² says Ashley, Whale Day Coordinator. ³Their help and dedication played a huge role in making this day a tremendous success.² Plans for next year¹s Whale Day, which will mark the 30th anniversary of this free community event, are already underway. Whale Day will take place on Saturday, February 20 at Kalama Park in Kihei. The Maui Whale Festival 2010 will include the Run for the Whales on Saturday, February 6, the Parade of Whales on Saturday, February 20 and The Great Maui Whale Count on Saturday, February 27. For more information about these events and to view a gallery of photos from Whale Day 2009, go to www.mauiwhalefestival.org. Pacific Whale Foundation is a nonprofit organization based on Maui, with projects in Australia and Ecuador. Our mission is to promote appreciation, understanding and protection of whales, dolphins, coral reefs and our planet's oceans. We accomplish this by educating the public -- from a scientific perspective -- about the marine environment. We support and conduct responsible marine research and address marine conservation issues in Hawaii and the Pacific. Through educational ecotours, we model and promote sound ecotourism practices and responsible wildlife watching. To learn more about Pacific Whale Foundation, visit www.pacificwhale.org or call 249-8811 ext. 1.
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Whale Day Draws Record Crowds

03/05/2009