by Robb Bailey

Our friends over at the Ocean Institute, a non-profit organization in Dana Point dedicated to ocean education, recently kicked off their biggest fundraiser of the year.

For the third year in a row they are raffling off the chance to win a ton of prizes, including the Grand Prize of a home in Laguna Beach OR $1,000,000 cash. In addition, there are various other prizes including large cash amounts ($25,000), a new Lexus (hybrid of course), vacations, and a plasma television.

Greg Hermann, Program Director for The Ocean Institute remarked, “Last year a woman from Foothill Ranch bought one ticket and won the grand prize, choosing to take the $1,000,000.”

Details:

• Tickets are selling at $150, with a maximum of 18,000 tickets sold total.
• Incentives for early purchase and purchasing more than one ticket.
• Enter by August 15 and you qualify for 2 early bird drawings and the grand prize drawing in October
• For those that buy two or more tickets, a chance to win a 2008 Lexus Hybrid (RX400h), a Hawaiian vacation, a first class trip to Grand Cayman and more

Just sixty miles up the coast from San Diego, the Institute has become nationally known for its hands-on marine science, environmental education and maritime history programs. Every year, more than 78,000 K-12 students and 6,000 teachers participate in the Institute’s 61 award-winning, immersion style programs.

Their goal is simple: to be the world’s best experiential ocean education organization.

What does this mean in English? The Ocean Institute believes if people, particularly kids, are educated about the ocean, they will do their part to preserve it. Have a kid in school? Tell them to ask their teacher about a field trip to the Ocean Institute!

Cruise on over to their website for more details.