The National Marine Educators Association would like to invite you to join us for our silent and live auctions for the 2023 NMEA national conference, hosted by the Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA from July 23-27.
The annual NMEA auction is one of the highlights of the conference…a chance to have fun, bid on unique aquatic-themed items donated by NMEA members and local businesses, and raise money for our scholarship fund! All of the funds raised at our annual silent and live auction will go to our scholarship programs, which directly support marine and aquatic educators.
Smells Like NMEA Spirit
The 2023 NMEA banquet and auction will be held on Tuesday, July 25 from 5:30 - 10:00 pm at the Four Points by Sheraton Bellingham Hotel & Conference Center. Bus transportation will be provided between WWU and the hotel starting at 5:45 pm and continuing throughout the evening.
The theme will be “Smells Like NMEA Spirit,” a tribute to the early-90s Pacific Northwest grunge rock scene whose anti-establishment ethos gave us flannel, combat boots and mosh pits, but whose adherents now have 401Ks and drive Teslas. Come dressed in your best grunge attire and relive the days when Seattle was the coolest place on the planet, and yet was somehow still affordable.
Donations
We are eagerly accepting donations of items, gift cards, experiences, or services for the live and silent auctions! Submit this form to let us know what you’ll be donating. You can bring your item to us at check-in or ship your item ahead of the conference; shipping address will be provided upon request. For more information about donations, please contact us at nmea2023@pacname.org.
We would love to have your “aquatic” auction items: jewelry; outdoor gear; any and all crafts/artwork; gift certificates for whale watching, fishing trips, bird watching, cabin/hotel/motel accommodations, or guided outdoor trips. Solicitation of auction items on behalf of NMEA is greatly appreciated—please feel free to use this donation request form.
Ocean Networks Canada will be hosting the IPMEN 2023 conference at the University of Victoria on Vancouver Island BC, Canada, from Tuesday July 18 to Thursday July 20. More information can be found on the IPMEN website.
