In honor of Earth Month, our 31st Union team decided to clear out the closet and help clean up the coast while we were at it.
Enter 31U Swag Sale for a Cause, an internal pop-up shop featuring leftover studio merch from years past. From hoodies to hats, these items had been gathering dust. Thanks to this event, they found fresh homes with teammates who may have missed them the first time around. Even better? All proceeds went to a mission close to our hearts (and coastlines): The Marine Mammal Center (MMC) in Sausalito, California.
Pictured above: Dr. Emily Whitmer (L), MBO vol Bree Wheeler (middle), Dr. Pauli Larrea ® - admit exam for entangled CSL - photo by Bill Hunnewell © The Marine Mammal Center )
For 50 years, the MMC has led the charge on ocean conservation, rescuing and rehabilitating over 26,000 marine mammals along 600 miles of California coastline and even the Big Island of Hawai‘i. Whether it’s seals, sea lions, otters, dolphins, or whales, the MMC is there to help—and now, with our team’s support, so are we!
Thanks to internal sales, individual donations, and a company match through Next Level/Benevity, we raised over $6,000 for the MMC’s rescue, research, and education programs. Plus, we got to adopt dozens of seals through their symbolic Adopt-a-Seal program. (Yes, we have certificates.)
But the real splash? Our team’s fundraising milestone earned us the rare opportunity to Name a Whale through Happywhale, a global tracking database that follows the migrations of individual humpbacks.
The challenge: raise $2,500 and get naming rights to one whale. We more than doubled it and earned the right to name two! Dozens of clever name suggestions poured in from our U.S. and Spain teams. We narrowed it down to five finalists with a dramatic Spin-the-Wheel showdown at our All Hands meeting, then opened it up for a global vote.
The winners? Whaley Wonka and Blubber Gum, two names that will now be registered officially and will show up in whale sightings from around the world. Whether they’re feeding in Alaska or cruising by the Canary Islands, we’ll get updates and photos.
As a thank-you, the MMC even sent our San Mateo crew a box of plushy cuteness: think tiny otters and seals galore.
Want to keep the good vibes going? Plan a visit to The Marine Mammal Center. Admission is free, and you’ll get a firsthand look at the inspiring work they do to protect marine life.
Here’s to giving back, thinking big, and always making a splash.
