Did You Know? Killer whales are the top predator in the ocean; a healthy adult can prey on anything that lives in the sea and has no predators of its own. View More » SeaWorld Employees Dedicated to Helping... » A New Home to Roam at BGW » The Great Pelican Rescue of 2004 » A Manatee’s Best Friend » Welcome Rob Yordi » SeaWorld Orlando Brings World of Wildlife to Disadvantaged Schools » New Adventure Camp Complex Opens at SeaWorld San Diego » Crew Members Hit the Beach » Small Bird Gets Big Boost from SWSD Jack Harvey and Shirlee Crandall, S.W.E.A.T. members, help clean up litter along Westover Hills Boulevard, which leads up to SeaWorld San Antonio’s main entrance. The park participates in the City of San Antonio’s Adopt-A-Road Program by cleaning up and recycling litter gathered alongside the boulevard’s two-mile section several times a year. One of the team’s most notable accomplishments is the work it does each year during the holiday season. “Participating in events during the holidays is the most fulfilling for me, especially the programs benefiting children,” said Amy Engels, S.O.S. volunteer. Sharing their passion for the environment... The S.O.S. team has a companion employee group called S.W.E.A.T. (SeaWorld Environmental Action Team). This group looks for ways to improve conservation efforts and the environment, and it sponsors community activities, as well. These include road cleanups throughout the city; an annual beach cleanup at the South Padre Island National Seashore; cleanups at the Comal and San Antonio rivers; and participation in Earth Day Celebration, a recycling awareness event. S.W.E.A.T. has been cleaning the same stretch of beach, Malachite Beach near Corpus Christi, since the park opened in 1988 and last year recycled 100 tons of cardboard, two tons of aluminum cans, five tons of plastic, 60 tons of paper and 30 tons of metal in a single day. In the future, the S.O.S. and S.W.E.A.T. teams plan to continue their involvement in some of the previous projects and hope to make room for other worthwhile projects benefiting the San Antonio community.

SeaWorld Employees Dedicated to Helping Others in Need

World-famous killer whale Shamu wishes SeaWorld San Antonio S.O.S. team volunteers good luck as they leave for the “H-E-B MS 150 Bike to the Beach Bike Tour.” The tour benefited the Lone Star Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Pictured from left are Ramon Hernandez, Tricia Brown, Kim Bandy, Marjanne Schnarr, Chris Ramirez, Heidi Muller, Jason Dees, Tyra Traywick and Frank Villarreal. By Josie Villela, SeaWorld San Antonio Making a difference in the lives of others in need is the focus of a group of dedicated employees at SeaWorld San Antonio. The SeaWorld Outreach Society team, or S.O.S., is comprised of SeaWorld employees who volunteer their time and energy in assisting the San Antonio community. Reaching out... Organized in 1989, the S.O.S. team assists local non-profit organizations and participates in charitable, fundraising events. In 2004, more than 200 employees participated in one or more volunteer opportunities. In total, park employees gave more than 4,000 volunteer hours to the community . Now in its seventeenth year, S.O.S. has continued its efforts to increase community involvement by participating in numerous local events. S.O.S. has staffed the soup kitchen for the St. Vincent De Paul Society; delivered Thanksgiving meals to the elderly as part of the “Meals on Wheels” program; donated food, toiletries and clothing to medical staff and injured service members stationed in Iraq; escorted SeaWorld costumed characters, including Shamu®, to civic and charitable organizations and parades; sponsored an angel tree, donating gifts to the children of Boys town; served as mentors through Literacy for Life to children at local schools; and participated in the H-E-B MS 150 Bike to the Beach Bike Tour. In addition, S.O.S. has participated in several Business Volunteer Council programs, including its Bowling Tournament, Christmas Under the Bridge and Paint Your Heart Out. The Business Volunteer Council is a group of San Antonio companies that look for ways to improve the city. The team is also proud of its involvement in organizing regular employee blood drives for the South Texas Regional Blood Bank. S.O.S. continues to sponsor food and clothing drives for charitable organizations and for SeaWorld families in times of crisis. Another important part of SeaWorld San Antonio’s community outreach efforts is the annual United Way Campaign. Combined with employee commitments, SeaWorld San Antonio raised $21,481 for United Way in 2004.