Betty White was someone to everyone. But apparently for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, she was an assiatant to a sea otter surgery. Beyond that, she’s now a namesake.
The aquarium located in California is saluting the late Golden Girls star—who died last month at age 99—by naming its planned giving program after her. The location announced the news via Twitter on Friday, applauding White’s “tireless devotion to animal advocacy work.”
“We are renaming our planned giving program the Betty White Ocean Legacy Circle,” the tweet read. “Thank you for being a friend to so many, Betty, and for always reminding us that good things happen when we work together to make a difference.”
Monterey Bay also shouted out White’s individual contributions in earlier tweets—including “penguin airlifts” and “scrubbing in to assist with sea otter surgery.” As it was shared to the aquariums site, Betty also visited “not just to see the exhibits, but to talk with program staff about our pioneering work to rescue, rehabilitate, and release stranded sea otters, to help recover the [sea otter] population.”
“It’s so important that we do all we can — and more — to protect sea otters for future generations,” Betty previously wrote in a testimonial. “I hope with all my heart that you will send your contribution today and join me in helping the Aquarium save sea otters and all vulnerable ocean animals.”
In fact, back in 2005, White donated $50,000 to the aquarium after Hurricane Katrina, to assist with airlifting 19 African penguins and two sea otters from New Orleans to safety. The “middle-of-the-night airlift” from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Monterey ended up being a success.
“One thing I especially appreciated about her was that she was keenly interested in the scientific research needed to ensure healthy lives for animals in our homes and in the wild,” Executive Director Julie Packard said. “She had a curious mind and always asked lots of questions about what our team was learning to recover sea otters in the wild. I’m very grateful for her generous support and friendship to our team over so many years.”
