Happy September, River Folks!
We have just come off of the best Paddle Oregon event ever! An amazing group of people, a fantastic
river, and of course the full solar eclipse. A huge thank you to all who took part. All of our participants from
near and far, were just downright cool. I look forward to staying in touch over the months and years
ahead.
Our land crew was fantastic. Thanks again to all of you who took time to help us make this event go and to
get our amazing campsites ready for action, and then to do the same thing the next day! Of course, thanks
a bunch to our splendid cadre of Pod Leaders and Assistants. All of you help to make Paddle Oregon Possible.
Thanks again to everyone for a fantastic trip! Getting over 230 people on the river for over 84 miles over
5 days is no small feat.
It was also fantastic to see how interested all of you are in the river. From
freshwater mussels to ludwidgia, you learned about what we are trying to protect, and what risks
still persist for the river's health. It was a lot of fun showing many of you some of the mussel beds we've detected in the river over the
past 17 years and thanks for all of the questions.
Finally, you all showed us a lot of financial support, and that is much-appreciated. Thanks to all of the folks who came
from the midwest this year, California, and beyond, with many of you becoming new members during the trip! Collectively, individual contributions of all
kinds enable us to do the work that we do.
Of course, thanks to all of you who support us, whether you entered our ranks via our Advocacy, Superfund tours, Paddle Oregon, our River Discovery
Trips, via your desire to have a cleaner and healthier river, or through other Willamette Riverkeeper events. It means
a lot to us, and our ability to carry on.
Travis Williams
Riverkeeper & Executive Director
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Thinking Decades Ahead for a Healthy Willamette
Willamette Riverkeeper's work is supported by those who care about the river's long-term health.
Today, you can help to shape the future of the Willamette, and Willamette Riverkeeper's ability to grow and meet the challenges
of today, and those we will see a decade from now, through legacy giving. Bequests and planned gifts can help Willamette Riverkeeper make a continuing impact
on behalf of clean water and healthy habitat.
There are a variety of ways that you can include Willamette Riverkeeper in bequests and planned gifts:
- Bequests that name Willamette Riverkeeper as a beneficiary of your will or trust, to receive a portion of your estate, or a specific sum.
- Real Estate can be donated, from potential natural areas that can be protected for the long term, or real estate intended for sale.
- Insurance - By naming Willamette Riverkeeper as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy.
- Retirement Accounts - You can name Willamette Riverkeeper as part of your retirement account and gain tax advantages.
With any of these options you should consult with a financial planner and attorney, to enable you to receive
the best financial advantages and to ensure that your desired outcomes are met. Willamette Riverkeeper
would need to be specifically designated in your documents, tax i.d. 93-1212629.
If you would like to discus planned giving, with no obligation please contact Madeline Brown at
madeline@willametteriverkeeper.org
If you decide to give to WR through legacy giving, it would
be great to be able to thank you and express our gratitude for your commitment to the long-term
health of the Willamette River.
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Eugene Area Events:
1st Annual River Festival & Trashy Tuesday September
EUGENE/SPRINGFIELD - TRASHY TUESDAY 9/19 - 9AM-12PM
Get your hands dirty and make a difference! Join us for this focused event in preparation for the Great Willamette Clean Up in October.
This month, Willamette Riverkeeper in Eugene will be working by land to clear out large piles of debris along the banks of river path following Franklin Blvd. We will meet at 9AM at the far east side of the Holiday Inn parking lot at 2117 Franklin Blvd. across from the UO campus. We will walk down access various sites along the river path from the Franklin access entry, and prepare bags of debris for removal by drift boat and rafts, which will be coming by later in the morning for pick up.
In order to ensure participants will have enough gloves and gear, PLEASE RSVP to participate (see directions below).
When:
Tuesday, 9/19 from 9am to about 12pm
Where:
Meet at east Holiday Inn parking lot, 2117 Franklin Blvd. in Eugene
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Our 9th Annual Great Willamette Clean Up is just around the corner! We invite you to jump into this river-wide community day-of-action with us, together with your community, and others, all across the Willamette River basin!
On Saturday, October 7th, volunteers are invited to get their Riverkeepin' mojo moving by kayak, canoe, SUP board, raft, drift boat, motor boat, jet ski, bike, and by foot
to free our river of trash and debris while improving habitat and community spirit along the way.
This year, twenty-six cleanupsites will be hosted throughout the entire Willamette basin, from Oakridge to Scappoose - and beyond! HUGE thanks to all of our AMAZING PARTNERS for coordinating and supporting this project - we couldn't do it without you!
Several sites, including the greater Portland area, Corvallis-Albany and Eugene-Springfield, will be hosting family friendly post-cleanup celebrations that include lunch, local frothy beverages, and "trash-talk."
Further details are provided for each site in the on-line registration, but here are a few FAQs:
YES:
There are both land-based and on water clean up sites!
NO:
You do not need to own a boat in order to get involved on the water. We have numerous sites where PFDs, paddles, kayaks, canoes, SUPs, and seats-in-rafts are provided by local outfitters and organizations. Participants are also invited to bring their own boats (BYOB) at many sites. Please check specific site registration for more details.
NEW:
This year we welcome three new partners in the southern Willamette Valley area, including; retailer/outfitter Oregon Paddle Sports, who will be leading a BYOB section of river in Eugene from Alton Baker Park to Valley River Boat Ramp and Northwest Canoe Tours, who will be lending boats and lead support at the local Canoe Canal. The Coast Fork Watershed Council will be cleaning up Prospector's Park on the Coast Fork in Cottage Grove. In Portland, we welcome our friends at Paddle People who will be leading an SUP/BYOB effort at the West Linn Cedar Oak Boat Ramp. Two relatively new cleanup and stewardship efforts in Corvallis-Albany include Crystal Lake Park cleanup by land with Corvallis Parks and Recreation, and a multi-throng invasive removal at Bowman Park with the City of Albany and Calapooia Watershed Council. More on these sites here.
Open our REGISTRATION to view a list of clean up opportunities near you.
Participation is FREE! Invite your friends and family!
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