We are delighted to host a free community presentation of the inspiring story of how a community came together to return an orphaned orca to her pod.

Donations gladly accepted to help sustain the Whale Trail.

Donna Sandstrom

Donna Sandstrom is the Founder and Executive Director of The Whale Trail. In 2002 Donna was a community organizer in the effort to return an orphaned orca, Springer, to her pod. She was inspired by that collaborative success to found The Whale Trail in 2008, with a core team of partners. Donna recently served as a member of Gov. Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force, where she championed solutions to reduce noise and disturbance around endangered southern resident orcas, including a recommendation to license commercial whale-watching.

Donna is the author of “Orca Rescue! The true story of an orphaned orca named Springer” (Kids Can Press 2021). The middle-grade nonfiction book tells Springer’s story as it happened, from initial discovery through rescue, rehabilitation, and reunions. Orca Rescue was a 2025 Sasquatch Award nominee, selected as Winner of Best Children’s Book 2022 (Science Writers and Communicators of Canada, and a finalist for the 2022 Washington State Book Award. Donna loves to share Springer’s inspiring story with classrooms, libraries and community groups. Please contact her to schedule a presentation.