Vote for ‘Diver Laura’; help Sustainable West Seattle win $

Congratulations to Laura James, also known as “Diver Laura,” whose underwater adventures and sea/land volunteer work – like “The Great Battery Roundup of 2012” – are often featured here on WSB. She is one of the finalists for this year’s “Cox Conserves Heroes” award, and online voting is open now. Here’s what’s at stake, from the Cox/KIRO TV announcement:

A total of $15,000 will be donated to local environmental nonprofits on behalf of the finalists. By being a finalist, each individual has secured a $2,500 donation for his or her nonprofit of choice. The finalists are now competing for an additional $7,500 – bringing the total donation on behalf of the winner to $10,000. The winner will be chosen through an online public vote.

Laura’s chosen nonprofit is Sustainable West Seattle. To vote (and to see who she’s up against!), go to kirotv.com/heroes.

(West Seattle has had a finalist once before – Fauntleroy Creek steward Judy Pickens in 2008.)

miws June 18, 2012 (11:43 am)

Done!

Congrats, Laura, and thanks for all that you do!

Mike

Gene June 18, 2012 (11:58 am)

Thank you Laura, you’ve certainly got my vote!

JSW June 18, 2012 (12:02 pm)

Go Laura!!

You Rock Gurl!!!

and thanks…

from all your “fishy” friends!!! :-)

Barb Vadakin June 18, 2012 (12:10 pm)

Done, best of luck.

Dove Builders June 18, 2012 (12:34 pm)

You’ve got my vote. Thanks for all you do!

2 Much Whine June 18, 2012 (1:10 pm)

Although I completely disagree with Laura’s opinion of the Alki Fish and Chips vs. Marination debate, how can you not vote for someone that does so much for so many?

DiverLaura June 18, 2012 (1:27 pm)

LOL! Thank you 2Much…

Thank you all for your votes!!!

I know that Tox-Ick.org will benefit greatly from the award if we win it :)

Brian M. June 18, 2012 (1:34 pm)

Ditto on all points, 2 Much Whine! Another vote cast.

ws suzanne June 18, 2012 (1:48 pm)

All three volunteers vying for the additional $7,500 award are worthy. I just watched the videos posted on the KIRO link. And as someone who has wrestled invasive vegetation in parks and opens spaces for decades now, I know how much effort goes into the ongoing work, and really appreciate all that the other two candidates do.

But for me, Laura’s efforts rise above the others. She helps us see below the surface of Puget Sound and brings its beauty and need for our help to life. Before her videos, I could only imagine what lay below the surface of the water. Now I know, thanks to you Laura. Good luck in this fundraiser. My vote is 100% for you!

Kelly June 18, 2012 (2:20 pm)

I had no idea the blog-famous photographer/videographer was doing so much to keep our Sound healthy! Thank you, Laura!

Good for you June 18, 2012 (2:54 pm)

Got my vote too. Great work helping to educate and protect our beloved Sound! Thanks!

NFiorentini June 18, 2012 (3:24 pm)

Is that a torpedo in the bottom right-hand side of that image? And is that also one of the items that she pulled out of the water? If so, I’d love to know that story.

EDIT: I watched the video at KIRO. It’s part of the diving gear.

Yardvark June 18, 2012 (4:57 pm)

Excellent work, Laura! Thank you!

Mertfu June 18, 2012 (4:59 pm)

Got my vote! Keep up the good work!

DiverLaura June 18, 2012 (5:39 pm)

The great part is ALL finalists non profits will receive a portion of the total 15,000. The HUGE thank you goes to Cox Enterprises and the Trust for Public Land for making this possible!

It is just a portion of the ongoing Cox Conserves project which began the companies national sustainability program that is designed to reduce Cox Enterprises carbon footprint by 20%. Cox Conserves seeks to reduce Cox Enterprises’ energy consumption by embracing alternative energy, conserving natural resources and inspiring eco-friendly behavior.

West Seattleite June 18, 2012 (7:38 pm)

Oh, Laura, I wish I had a tenth of the “guts” you display on a daily basis. Wow. I will vote for you. There are the yappers, like me, and the doers, like you. Impressive.

West Seattle since 1979 June 18, 2012 (7:51 pm)

Thanks for all you do, Laura!

DM June 18, 2012 (10:34 pm)

I love this entire effort! It fills me with hope! Viva la eco-friendly behavior! And thank you Laura!

bridge to somewhere June 18, 2012 (10:41 pm)

regardless of how the vote turns out, hopefully this article helps reinforce the fact that WS appreciates all you’re doing to help the sound, laura . . . thanks!

Mike June 18, 2012 (10:44 pm)

Voted, great work Laura. It amazes me how many car/boat batteries are down there. Just so people have it, you can drop off old auto/marine batteries at designated solid waste sites: http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/toxic/SolidWaste.aspx#motorbatteries

alex June 19, 2012 (9:33 am)

Ya, but the money goes to the charity no matter who wins, right? Does it really matter “in who’s name” it’s donated?

WSB June 19, 2012 (9:47 am)

Each of the contenders has chosen a different charity as their beneficiary. So if Laura gets the most votes, Sustainable West Seattle gets $7,500 additional. If one of the others does (I don’t recall their beneficiaries but if you follow the link, it’s on the voting site), his/her chosen nonprofit gets that extra $. Laura is the only WS contender and SWS the only prospective WS beneficiary. – TR

K M June 19, 2012 (9:54 am)

Let’s all send an email to 5 friends with the link asking them to vote! Keep this momentum Laura has generated moving forward and growing!

WSB June 19, 2012 (10:05 am)

You can do that with this story, by using the Share This feature beneath it – Share This enables you to share via Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, or multiple other means – just in case you didn’t already know that (works on all WSB stories plus lost/found pet notes, etc.) – Tracy

DiverLaura June 19, 2012 (10:01 am)

Exactly! All the money goes to help very good causes!

Of course I’ll campaign my heart fins out to get it for our local community ;) (as I would expect the supporting communities for the other finalists to do)

At the end of the day, no matter the outcome its a great way to inspire and encourage others.

The primary message is that we can ALL make a difference with daily actions that grow :)

Good for you June 19, 2012 (2:08 pm)

Can you vote daily or is it just one vote per person? If it’s daily, I’ll vote again today.

WSB June 19, 2012 (2:24 pm)

Says one vote per person – not sure how they are tracking, but they did require, as you probably noticed, name and e-mail address. And be sure the mailing-list box is NOT checked, unless you want to be on their mailing list. (I say that only because WSB doesn’t promote contests or anything else that requires people to either “like” a Facebook page or sign up for a mailing list – so I was glad to see this did NOT require that kind of quid-pro-quo for voting, though it would be better if they weren’t requiring personal info at all.) – TR