October 2024 - Director's Corner

By Melissa Mahoney - October 4, 2024

We did it! We threw an amazing party at the Memory Garden where almost 200 supportive folks together raised over $35,000 for our programs while enjoying fresh local seafood, wine and beer and wonderful music by @GlennBelljazz. 

I do not have the words to express the depth of gratitude I feel right now, but I’ll try. Our deepest appreciation to everyone who supported this gathering in ways large and small, the energy you brought to the party has filled our hearts to overflowing!

This event was a first for our team - we had never before attempted a fundraiser or an event of this magnitude. You might say we were in uncharted waters. 

We were all a bit nervous about how it would go. Would the weather cooperate? Would everyone show up? Would our elected speakers be able to make it? Would we receive enough donations to balance out the expenses?

In one word: YES. All of that came to pass. Not only did the weather (mostly) cooperate, everyone showed up (on time!), including old friends, fishermen and seafood partners, funders, colleagues, board members and their friends and family, and new friends who took a chance on us and who are now inspired to join our community. 

Together, we enjoyed 3+ hours of festivities that resulted in meeting and even exceeding our fundraising goals. We shared delicious local rockfish, blackcod and tuna dishes prepared by Chef Diego Felix of Colectivo Felix, and Chef Tim Eelman of The Village, Big Sur. We listened to Mayor Tyller Williamson and our US representative Jimmy Panetta commit to keeping fishermen and working waterfronts alive as a ‘cornerstone of our community’ for years to come. All the fishermen and seafood business owners were recognized and appreciated by a standing ovation for their life’s work, an acknowledgment they rarely get these days. 

Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate this 10-yr milestone! As we move into our next decade, I am committed to taking our work to new heights. Please don’t stop celebrating local seafood with us! Look for us during the upcoming Monterey County Gives! campaign - if you already donated at the event, please share our work with your friends! Also, join us on October 10th at Wild Fish and November 7th at Monterey Beach Hotel for our final Get Hooked Dinners of the year, and look out for a whole new lineup of events coming in 2025!