SeaDoc Society Science Director Joe Gaydos received the Local Hero award at the Friday Harbor Film Festival over the weekend for his work with the SeaDoc Society and his involvement in the San Juan Islands community. He took a moment to thank the local supporters who have made SeaDoc’s work possible.
A transcript of Joe’s acceptance speech can be found below.
It’s a huge honor to receive this award. For me, for SeaDoc, and also for my family. I have an amazing family, but I got in a lot of trouble as a kid and nobody ever expected me to be nominated for an award like this. Actually, I think the last time I was nominated for an award was in high school – something like “most likely to be bitten by a poisonous snake.”
My wife was so excited when she heard about this award that she ran out and bought me a superman t-shirt. I had to tell her, no girl, LOCAL hero, not super hero.
But the best was my Dad. I can’t remember if I told my dad about the award or my mom did, but either way he didn’t hear it quite right. The next time I spoke to my dad, he congratulated me for winning “man of the year.” I didn’t have the heart to correct him. Now there WILL be a day of reckoning eventually, because he’s watching Time Magazine weekly for that “man of the year” issue. I’m going to have to come clean with him at some point, but for now I’m just basking in his pride.
But, if I had to pick between superhero, man of the year, and local hero, I’d take local hero. In a heartbeat. Because for me, it’s my local community that matters the most.
When you think of me getting this award, imagine me as a turtle on a fence post. Think about it. When you see a turtle on top of a fence post, you know that turtle didn’t get there by himself. That’s my story. I didn’t get to do all of these things by myself.
This community that has been my support, my backbone. My community. Because that’s what community is – not just people that live near each other, but people that take care of each other and support each other.
I wouldn’t even be here if it were not for this community. I was born in the hills of Appalachia and the only reason I even moved here was because community members from Orcas Island, Kathy and Ron McDowell, started the SeaDoc Society and took a risk on hiring me.
And it is because of this community that I stayed. You supported the idea that our ocean needed healing and that science and education were needed to do that. And you invested with your money to make change.
And thanks to you, SeaDoc has had huge success using science both to identify issues of concern and develop solutions; from abalone to rockfish to seabirds to southern resident killer whales. I’ve just been lucky enough to play a small role in all of that.
And honestly – no feel facts here – remember we are a science program and deal in real facts – our ocean is in trouble. One third of the mammal species and bird species and 15% of the fish species in the Salish Sea are listed as threatened or endangered or are candidates for listing. And the ocean is warming. And the Salish Sea is acidifying, faster than many places around the world. And our population is growing. It will take a lot of effort to change this trajectory.
But this award, and the work of SeaDoc are shining examples hope and of what is right! As a community we can use science and education to stand up for taking care of our backyard – the Salish Sea – as if our lives and livelihoods depend on it. Because they do.
So, thank you all. I’m honored and humbled. And SeaDoc will be back at it tomorrow, but tonight. We celebrate this honor. Thank you.