According to Media.Ford.Com, the very first 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid will be given away to one happy environmentalist at the Annual Heal the Bay Auction in Santa Monica, California on June 2nd. The "Bring Back the Beach" dinner is held every year on the sands adjacent to the Santa Monica Pier.

It is not clear whether the winner will get the car right away or have to wait until production begins in September. There are currently a number of pre-production prototypes on the road.

The non-profit Heal the Bay group, with about 10,000 members, was founded in 1985 and is dedicated to making the Califonia Coast safe and friendly through education and outreach. In addition, they support the Coastal Cleanup Day and the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium.

Ford Motor Company has underwritten the group's "Beach Report Card" since 1995. The report card surveys bacterial levels and assigns a letter grade. More information is available at www.healthebay.org.

Mike Maline - Sdctcher
2005 Ford Escape Hybrid Owner
California School Teacher

I actually already posted this as hybrid news but I'll close that thread and point it here.

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