Working Assets

Attn: Donations Manager

101 Market St.

Ste. 700

San Francisco, CA 94105

18 February 2003

Dear Donations Manager,

I strongly encourage you to consider adding Surfrider Foundation to the list of non-profit organizations that Working Assets supports. The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of our world's oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 35,000 members and 60 chapters across the

United States and Puerto Rico, with international affiliates in Australia, Europe, Japan and Brazil. We are rapidly growing as ocean environmental quality concerns are increasingly publicized.

As an active member of Surfrider Foundation, Oregon I can tell you about the ways we are making a difference here in Oregon. Oregon is the only coastal state in the country without a state-sponsored ocean water quality monitoring program. Surfrider Foundation, Oregon has instituted our own testing campaign in response to this governmental void. We are funding laboratories in local middle and high schools along the coast to test 17 sites along the Oregon coast for water quality. We have a goal to expand to 35 sites within the next year, and 50 sites within the next two years. We fund these efforts through membership donations and grant awards.

We are also sending volunteers into Portland schools and along the coast to educate students on a variety of topics including water quality (snow, lake, river and ocean), beach environments, and watersheds. When we leave, the teachers are left with an education packet including curriculum in order to continue the learning process. We also host multiple beach and road clean ups throughout the year. We pay for all of these things through T-shirt sales, donations, and grants. Donations from WALD could help us maintain and increase our water quality testing program, help pay for educational packets and hands on displays for students as well as help support our other water quality and beach preservation programs.

These are only some of the examples of how Surfrider Foundation, Oregon is making a difference locally. There are many other grassroots Surfrider chapters throughout the United States making similar contributions. Your support of our national foundation would directly help us achieve our goals and make a difference through increased Surfrider grants in the areas of: water quality testing, marine protected areas, access preservation, trail maintenance, beach clean ups, and public education.

Again, I urge you to consider Surfrider Foundation for your support.

Sincerely,