(Posted 4/29/09 - last updated 4/28/09)

I said "Wow" yesterday so I guess today is "Double-Wow!!!!" Simply put . . .

We passed $25,000.

Two entities propelled us along. The first is Debbie Karimoto and the folks at OCDiiving.com. Last year, Debbie got her group together for what she termed a "Mini-Challenge" and became a $5000 donor. This year she's repeating that effort and so far has raised $3686 and is trying to get her folks to add more. We appreciate her efforts (and that of the collective group), especially in her enthusiasm and the way she tries to make the whole thing fun. That's certainly the spirit of this event.

The second big push yesterday comes from Hal Wells and the gang at Hollywoodivers. They have been consistent supporters of this event (they have a table at Ch-Eve as well) and yesterday Hal committed to a $1000 donation to the Challenge.

This also means that we're lighting 4 more (almost 5) candles on our birthday cake and it means that three of Debbie's folks and one of Hal's will join us on October 4 for the actual Chamber Birthday party at the Chamber facilities on Catalina.

We've got exactly one week to go. Our Chamber needs your help. So . . .

Who's next? Who will get us past $26,000???

CHAMBER CHALLENGE 2009 - $25,151 total (Updated 4/29/09 @ 8AM - last updated 4/28)
(* New donors are marked in bold with an asterisk)

Gold ($1,000 and up)
*** OCDiving.com
* Hollywoodivers
Ocean Institute
Beach Cities Scuba
Robert Wagner
Mike Emmerman
Pat Stockhausen
T.J. Emmerman
Scuba.com
DiveNav, Inc.
Pacific Wilderness
Sport Chalet
Laurie Kasper & Ken Kurtis

Silver ($500-999)
Jim & Nancy Krasne
Scuba Schools of America
Karl Huggins
CA Diving News/The Scuba Show
Dr. Susan Grant

Bronze ($100-499)
** Joe Takahashi
* Allen Dekelboum, MD
* Thomas Carr
The Deep (RVM Associates)
California Wreck Divers
Gorman Dive Adventures & Travel
Mark Lacaillade
Diver.net
In memory of Robert W. Myers
Mark Windham
Chris Rybak
ConocoPhillips (Rybak matching grant)
Steve Benevides
Meg Donat
Jim Hall/Lobster Festival
Dr. Louis Weisberg
Laguna Sea Dwellers
Frank Huntley
Mark Carry
South Orange County Dive Club
Ocean Adventures
Lost Patrol Dive Club
Roy & Linda Houston
Great Escape Charters
Deborah Huh
Nicole Jurisch
In memory of Fran Ollweiler
The Sea Divers
Debbie & Derek Karimoto
Rex Uber
Renee Calderwood
Brock Dewey
Divematrix.com
Marc Hall
Team CK
Michael Swinney
Kevin Augarten
Susy Horowitz
www.indianvalleyscuba.com
Walt & Tori Watson
Randy Barker
Jim Haw
Gary Sanders
Henry Gittler
Jerry Nickelsburg

Others (less than $100)
Hedy Henderson

Ken Kurtis
Chairman, Chamber Day/Eve 2009
www.chamberday.org
310/652-4990