“Please don’t bury your head in the sand, and don’t look the other way.” Project AWARE activist Lucy Dunbar urges her community to take a stand for ocean protection, and her argument is compelling:

“When people see disturbing images of entangled marine life or sharks without fins, they are horrified. But unless we join forces to let legislators know that we don’t want this happening, nothing will change. Results require action. Please, take action to protect our marine environments – their health affects us all.”

Lucy doesn’t just talk the talk – she takes action on her beliefs. As the owner of Columbia Scuba for the past 15 years, she’s been an avid supporter of ocean protection and frequently advocates on behalf of marine environments.  And, as a scuba diver and instructor, she’s passionate about sharks.

When Lucy began diving, she became fascinated with the variety of shark species she encountered – each dive with a new shark gave her a thrill, activating her sense of awe and fueling her respect for these magnificent creatures. As an instructor, she felt incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to see these animals up close in their environments. However, as Lucy learned more about sharks and the challenges they face, such as overfishing, bycatch and finning, she became extremely concerned. Realizing that her favorite ocean animals were in peril, she decided to host a Finathon fundraiser for their protection.

Lucy lead Columbia Scuba in its second annual Finathon this summer with the aim of raising funds for shark protection, while simultaneously using the opportunity to educate the local community on the challenges that sharks face. 10 swimmers participated in fundraising efforts, each committing to engage with their network to increase knowledge about sharks, and the dangers they face. Through the experience, Lucy and the participants of the Columbia Scuba Finathon raised over $1300 to support sharks in peril. Even more importantly, they engaged attendees in conversation and helped educate their community, educating about many sharks’ status as threatened or endangered and discussing ways to advocate for increased protections. The Finathon served as a great opportunity for Lucy and the Columbia Scuba team to interact with event attendees, and encouraged them to continue with additional community outreach and shark education in the future.

Lucy plans to continue leading Columbia Scuba’s annual Finathon, with hopes to grow her efforts year after year. Project AWARE thanks Lucy for rallying her community and acting as a leader in shark conservation. With her help, Project AWARE has made great strides in securing international protections for numerous at-risk shark species.

But, there’s still work to be done! Become a leader in your community and host a Finathon to help protect sharks in peril. Visit Finathon.org to learn more.