Raffle winner to swim with Whale Sharks
Earthwatch's Caroline Bayer, visits the winner of Earthwatch Australia's raffle, Beatrice Pate, to congratulate her and see if she's prepared to dive with whale sharks in the name of science...
This year's first ever Earthwatch raffle winner Beatrice Pate, will be joining our Whale Sharks of Ningaloo Reef project from 8 – 15 June 2008. Beatrice will be travelling to Exmouth, WA to join marine biologist Brad Norman and other volunteers, snorkelling with the whale sharks and assisting with efforts to ensure the long-term conservation of this magnificent species.
"I'm so excited! I've been practicing in my wetsuit down at the local pool. Half of my colleagues are supportive and the other half thinks I'm going to be eaten by a shark," says Beatrice upon receiving her raffle winner certificate of thanks.
Coming from Sydney originally and completing a degree in Theology at Sydney University, Reverend Beatrice Pate has been working in the church since 1985, and a Priest since 1992. For the past five years, Beatrice has been based at Saint John's Anglican Church in Raymond Terrace, NSW. As head of the Parish, Beatrice also resides at the Rectory, a beautiful building built in 1840 by Australia's convicts – chisel marks in the walls and all. The Rectory grounds are beautiful and spacious with famous Norfolk Pines standing very tall and dating back as old as the building itself.
Beatrice happens to be the mother of a previous Corporate Fellow Kathryn Pate, who joined our Australia's Vanishing Frogs expedition in 2007 through an Employee Fellowship Program with her employer TransGrid. Earthwatch hopes that the experience is equally as eye-opening for both ladies in the family.
It is with great pleasure that Earthwatch are able to award this prize to our first ever raffle winner and thank you to all who participated in selling and buying the tickets for us – this would not have been possible without your help.