Volunteer Mary Ann Griller poses by a sea lion statue in front of the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. Griller said she enjoyed the camaraderie of working with a team of volunteers. Alan Dep — Marin Independent Journal
Marin Snapshot: Mary Ann Griller
Sausalito woman lends a hand to flippered friends at marine center
Sausalito resident Mary Ann Griller is one of 1,100 volunteers at the Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands. The cadre of volunteers is the backbone of the organization, which has responded to more than 20,000 marine mammals in its 600-mile rescue range along the California coast since its founding in 1975. Griller talks about what it’s like to be a volunteer.
Q: How did you get this position?
A: I received an email from a neighbor that TMMC was having an unexpected high number of sea lion pups and they needed temporary help in the fish kitchen to wash equipment and prepare food for the animals. I made a call to the center and did my first shift at the end of February. I then took follow-up classes to become an official volunteer and still continue to take classes.