On Life and Love after 50 newsletter
Tom P. Blake - November 6-13, 2015
You wouldn’t expect that two people who grew up in
Chicago and now live in San Clemente, California, would have such a deep passion for the
ocean and its marine life that they would start a company to protect it. But
that is what David and Pamela Jackson, in their mid-50s, have done.
Even though they are both from Chicago, they didn’t
meet there. They met and married 17 years ago in southern California. Their new
San Clemente-based company is called EverythingOceans. David is the CEO; Pamela
is the Education Director. The company’s purpose is to help save and preserve
the oceans.
Their first product, to be published November 20, is
an illustrated children’s book titled, “Ocean Adventures with Jax,” which will
be the first of a series. Pamela is the book’s author and Bonnie Bright is the
illustrator. The book is written for children pre-Kindergarten through second
grade; parents and teachers will appreciate the depth of Jax’s story.
Jax, by the way, is a smiling, powder blue,
bottlenose dolphin that readers are going to fall in love with. As I previewed
the book, I sure did.
Why the interest in oceans? Pamela grew up
frequenting the John G. Shed Aquarium in Chicago where she became fascinated
with marine life. She later moved to California to pursue her love for the
oceans.
She graduated from Saddleback College in the
Aquarium and Aquaculture Science Degree Program. She volunteers at public and
private aquariums where she speaks and teaches people about the ocean and its
inhabitants.
Pamela said, “I want to use my knowledge of the
ocean’s animals to help children learn more about marine life through
fun-engaging ocean adventures. If I can help children fall in love with the
oceans and the animals that live there, they may grow up wanting to save them.
I would like to help cultivate the next generation of ocean stewards through my
stories.”
Pamela’s husband David shares her enthusiasm. He
said, “It is difficult for people to understand the oceans because they cannot
see what is going on underneath the waves. Pamela’s book is unique because it
is written from Jax the dolphin’s point-of-view. Jax describes in the first
person what he sees and feels in the ocean. There is a warm, touching story to
Jax’s adventure when he gets lost, but eventually finds his way back to the
pod. He befriends a humpback whale named Fluke who helps him.”
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| David and Pamela Jackson in Dana Point, CA Harbor |
As I read the book, I was impressed by the clever
way author Pamela weaves in life’s lessons for children to learn: listen to
your parents, pay attention to your surroundings, learn tolerance and recognize
the special qualities of others, value teamwork and learn to trust yourself,
plus many more.
She also weaves in scientific information. For
example, she explains so children can understand such things as “echolocation,”
the distinct sounds like clicks, whistles, and squeaks that dolphins and whales
use to communicate and identify the size and location of objects, find food,
and explore their ocean worlds.
If you have a love for animals and the ocean, you
are going to love this book. I predict it will become one of those children’s
books that youngsters will not forget while growing up.
Pamela said, “I want children to swim through my
books.”
Contact information for Pamela or David Jackson:
Their website: www.EverythingOceans.com
Hats off to this San Clemente couple for dedicating themselves to saving the ocean.
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