GCI, Alaska SeaLife Center smash weeklong fundraising goal
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – After GCI announced a $50,000 membership match last Monday, the Alaska SeaLife Center gained more than 600 new and renewed memberships, meeting the match amount.
The Alaska SeaLife Center announced last month that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be forced to close its doors this fall without financial intervention. GCI, along with others across the state and nation, answered the call. In just a week, 674 memberships were renewed or purchased for the Alaska SeaLife Center, surpassing the goal of 500. The new memberships plus GCI’s contribution in one week brought more than $115,000 to the center.
New and renewed members were also entered to win an Apple Watch from GCI. Kurtis and Misty Walton purchased a family pass and they are the winners, chosen at random by the Center.
“This is another great example of Alaskans coming together to support each other,” said Martin Cary, Alaska SeaLife Center board member and Senior Vice President and General Manager of GCI Business, “We’re proud to be an Alaska-born-and-raised company for this exact reason – we take care of each other, and we’re proud to do our part to support this Alaska institution.”
Cary has served on the Alaska SeaLife Center board for eight years.
“Places like the Alaska SeaLife Center are so important to Alaska,” said Paul Landes, Senior Vice President and General Manager of GCI Consumer Services, “We’re proud to support this effort and see our community rally behind an organization that has played a critical role for more than two decades in educating visitors about Alaska’s natural wonders. The generosity of Alaskans made this happen.”
Opened in 1998, the Alaska SeaLife Center is the only facility in Alaska that combines a public aquarium with marine research, education and wildlife response. The Center is also the state’s only permanent marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation facility.
“We haven’t seen membership activity this strong since we first announced our fundraising campaign,” said Tara Riemer, president and CEO of the Alaska SeaLife Center, “To see membership numbers continue to be this high in the third week of our campaign is truly amazing and it wouldn’t have been possible without GCI. Thank you from all of us at the Alaska SeaLife Center.”
GCI is one of Alaska’s leaders in corporate philanthropy, donating approximately $2 million each year in cash, products and connectivity to organizations across the state. GCI is committed to giving back to the communities it serves and provides employees with 16 hours of paid leave to volunteer with local organizations. In 2019, nearly 550 GCI employees volunteered more than 5,300 hours.
For more information about GCI Gives, visit https://www.gci.com/why-gci/gcigives.
About GCI
GCI provides data, mobile, video, voice and managed services to consumer and business customers throughout Alaska. GCI has delivered services for more than 40 years to some of the most remote communities and in some of the most challenging conditions in North America. Learn more about GCI at www.gci.com. GCI is a wholly owned subsidiary of GCI Liberty, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLIBA, GLIBP). Learn more about GCI Liberty at www.gciliberty.com.