Ladies of WOOO (left to right): Jean Israel, Gloria Peterson, Carol Erickson, Debbie Flato, Pat Rourke, Melody Branstrom, Carolynn Loeppke, Sheila Burke; not pictured: Brenda McBride
Dee Berisha
A lovely May day took nine WOOO (Women On Our Own) ladies to see an exhibit at Tucson Botanical Gardens. The exhibit of interest was called Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea. The impact that this exhibit had on each of the women was nothing short of inspiring. Sculptures of marine life, such as orcas, penguins, and jellyfish, were on display and constructed completely out of plastic debris found in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Oregon! Dr. Albie Tross and assistant described each art piece, pointing out that if the right eye of the whale was made from the white sole of a discarded tennis shoe, then the left eye needed to match. If a clear plastic water bottle was used to represent the portions of waves supporting a breaching porpoise, then that effect was carried throughout the display—plastic garbage artfully displayed and sending a clear message!
Dr. Tross explained that there are four such exhibits that tour the United States and that each exhibit’s materials were harvested from the same pollution in the ocean off of Oregon. Unless we live in an isolated bubble, we all know about the efforts to clean our air, land, and sea and to reduce our carbon footprint for future generations. But the lifespan of discarded plastics is decades and in some cases longer. As this garbage reaches our oceans, the negative impact on marine life has become crucial. The Washed Ashore exhibit was not only sobering but also inspiring, as the women of WOOO learned that bricks made from all types of plastic garbage are being manufactured here in Tucson by District 6. These bricks can serve purposes just like any other type of brick, only bricks made of plastic garbage will positively impact our oceans and landfills. The impact of such an exhibit was not lost on the Day Trippers of WOOO, and a call to action has begun throughout the membership. Stay tuned, SaddleBrooke!
If this exhibit wasn’t enough to absorb, a trip over to the Butterfly Magic exhibit at the Gardens also took our collective breath away. A living Atlas moth was in full display. This colossal creature has a wingspan of 8 to 10 inches and does not eat; therefore, it only lives approximately four days. The women of WOOO were lucky enough to witness that wonder of nature in its short existence.
A new lunch venue was just in its second day of operation at the Gardens, and the ladies took full advantage. Edna’s Eatery, once a food truck, was a delicious end to a very memorable day trip.
WOOO is a social organization for single women of SaddleBrooke who are not in a committed relationship. Women On Our Own offers a wide variety of activities that promote community, support, and friendship. For more information or to join WOOO, please contact our president Brenda McBride at [email protected] or call 267-968-3894.