Compass Wines, under proprietors Will Parks and Doug Charles, received the SeaDoc Society’s coveted Octopus Award.

This award recognizes groups or individuals who go above and beyond to help the SeaDoc Society on Orcas Island accomplish its mission to ensure the health of marine wildlife and their ecosystem. During the last two years, Compass Wines has been instrumental in helping SeaDoc fund science needed to improve the health of local marine wildlife populations. In addition to being corporate sponsors for SeaDoc’s major Wine Fundraising Auction, Compass Wines also donates a portion of the proceeds from sales of their “Salish Sea” wine to benefit the SeaDoc Society.

Compass Wines’ support has helped SeaDoc carry out a number of scientific studies ranging from determining best practices for restoring endangered northern abalone, to investigating the origins of contaminants in killer whales.

“Compass Wines has truly been like four extra pairs of arms for the SeaDoc Society over the last few years,” said Joe Gaydos, SeaDoc Chief Scientist.

Will Parks was honored to receive the award.

“It’s a great program and we are happy to give back to the community and our ocean,” said Parks, who grew up spending time on Hood Canal and loves the ocean.

Charles also has a great affinity for marine wildlife. He said he was “inspired by SeaDoc’s work to find scientific solutions to the problems facing our local marine waters.”

Past recipients of the Octopus Award include Malcolm Goodfellow (2004), Patti Moran-Hodge (2005), John Klacking (2007), and Lynne Greene (2008).