Charitable Organization Spotlight: Puget Sound Estuarium
The Puget Sound Estuarium is a beloved philanthropic organization of one of our clients. This client shared that she became involved with the Puget Sound Estuarium after learning about their mission to “foster learning opportunities that inspire people of all ages to connect with, protect, and enjoy the unique estuary environment of Puget Sound.”
Diana Larsen-Mills and her husband Ken Guza were inspired to start an estuarium in Olympia, Washington after visiting the estuarium in Morrow Bay, California. Further conversations with Olympia reporter John Dodge, author Jim Lynch, and community members persuaded them that an estuarium was needed and desired. In 2007, Diana, Ken, and a growing group of interested supporters filed with the state of Washington as a non-profit.
Today, the Puget Sound Estuarium is non-profit focused on education. Based in downtown Olympia, Washington, the estuarium has discovery center, with saltwater aquariums, interactive learning, rotating exhibits, as well as year-round educational opportunities. Additionally, the estuarium has a classroom and microscopes to study things such as plankton, one of the foundational creatures of the marine ecosystem. In just a few weeks they will be conducting one of their big, annual educational events called “On the Water.” Groups of local students go out on a boat to learn about marine life and perform science experiments. In 2019, approximately 400 children will participate. You can learn more about the Estuarium on their website, www.sseacenter.org.
