September 2022 News & Events
Celebrating volunteers & leadership!!
The Annual State Council Meeting was held on Saturday September 17th, in historic Ellensburg. Hosted by Yakima River Headwaters TU Chapter in the historic Odd Fellows Hall. Thirty-six leaders from around the state came together for the meeting and a weekend of business, camaraderie, fun and of course, some fishing!!
Chapter Leaders representing 11 out of 12 chapters from around the state came to conduct council business, including the adoption of updated bylaws, present their conservation and engagement activities, and hear presentations from council leaders, state and national staff. All in all it was a productive jam-packed Saturday meeting with lots of take home information.

We gave recognition and thank-you awards to Jim Brosio & Mike Clancy, co-directors of the NW Youth Conservation & Fly Fishing Academy for the past 20 years, WOW!! They now hand off the task to a team of new co-directors, John Gravendyk, Bruce Merighi, and Carol Anderson.

Steve Miller was also recognized and thanked for his development and leadership in the incredible BAT program!!

Topics presented included the Priority Waters initiative; state policy initiatives and issues; Revitalizing Chapters, How to become a more diverse and inclusive chapter, council and organization. Thank You to all the Presenters!
Crystal Elliot, Alexei Calambokidis, Maggie Heumann (national staff volunteer operations manager who traveled here from WY), Penny Mabie and Judy Larson.

The WCTU would like to thank the Yakima River Headwaters TU Chapter steering committee (Dave Bouta, Tim & Eileen Bow, & Greg Smith) for hosting this event with great food, venue and hospitality!!


Many thanks to all who attended this informative and important annual meeting. We appreciate the gift of your time and your leadership!!
Kim McDonald awarded National TU Conservation Award at annual meeting in Maine.
National TU Award Recipient
Kim McDonald!!

The National TU meeting was held this year in Portland Maine. After two years of not having this meeting or presenting any national awards, we were thrilled to learn that Kim McDonald had won the "Trout Unlimited National Distinguished Service award in Conservation". The WCTU nominated Kim for the award back in 2021 for her 10 years of tireless work to get suction dredge mining out of ESA critical habitat for salmon, steelhead and bull trout. All the work paid off in March of 2020 when Gov. Inslee signed into law a bill that put restrictions and tighter regulations on the recreational mining of gold using motorized equipment in WA state.
Kim never gave up, year after year when bills failed to make it through both houses, or when people said "this will never happen", she just fought harder.



Well done Kim, you so deserved this award and we are incredibly grateful for all your years of hard work to protect these iconic fish!!
WCTU would like to recognize and thank
Tim Gavin for his years of volunteer work on the Washington Council of Trout Unlimited
TU member & volunteer for more years than he can count!
Tim has volunteered on the WCTU for many years -
just take a look!!
>NLC Rep – 5 yrs
>Help start the Grant Committee and chaired -7 yrs
>Financial Reviewer – 6 yrs
>Native Trout Workgroup & Poster Committee – 5 yrs
>Climate Change Workgroup – 4 yrs and going
>LSRD Committee and just joined the ambassador program!!
>Absolutely Amazing Tim – Thank You!!

Tim, is an accomplished fly tyer and loves teaching others. He has spent hundreds of hours sharing his talent especially with kids!! 
The Yakima Basin Integrated Plan gets national recognition in the "New York Times"
Read the full article HERE
Trout Unlimited's Washington Water Project director Lisa Pelly has been involved in the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan for a long time. Here's what she had to say about TU's involvement in this now nationally recognized model for water conservation through bringing science and stakeholders together.

"Trout Unlimited has been working with partners to help bring the “Yakima Plan” to life - a major step towards moving the basin to meeting its long term water needs for habitat and fish, agricultural and municipal needs.  Strong partnerships allow for the increased scale of conservation work and ensure a brighter future for our water resources. Trust, relationship-building, and collaboration is the model being used in Yakima and in basins all over Washington State. We’re pretty happy to see the good results taking place in the Yakima Basin reflected in this article in the New York Times." 

Lisa Pelly - Director Washington Water Project
If you want to join the BAT program or get more information please visit our website HERE or contact us HERE
Spotlight On Chapters
The Yakima River Fly Fishers TU Chapter celebrated National Public Lands Day Saturday 9/24, by cleaning up BLM and WDFW River Access sites on the Yakima River. This is an annual event and a fundraiser for the chapter. A great time getting together with volunteers after the clean-up and meeting some new people, enjoying a BBQ lunch and soaking up the beauty of the Yakima River Canyon, and of course squeezing in a little fishing!
WCTU Advocacy Committee is following these headline issues:
Click on the blue or green links for information on each topic.
*Salmon Recovery & SMA/GMA
*Warm Water Fish Policy
*Enloe Dam Removal
*Nelson Dam Puyallup River
*Electron Dam

If you would like to join the advocacy team and represent your chapter or just find out more about all these issues in our state; please contact the
WCTU AC Chair - Andrew Kenefick Here
Haven't started using TU's event & fundraising tool called Eventgroove yet?
Check out the opportunities available for your chapter with this new TU tool.
Check out this great new tool HERE
Using this great new tool can really give your chapter a leg-up on growing your chapter, fundraising, putting on events and keeping track of everything you do in one place.

We recommend all chapters consider using this new tool, so more people (members & non-members) can find our events across the state. We will be adding a link to Eventgroove for Washington State on our website soon.
Not a TU Member Yet?
Support cold water conservation for future generations and become a Trout Unlimited member today! Your membership helps support so many conservation efforts around our state. Annual memberships start at $17.50 Click HERE to find out more. If you don't know your local chapter name just put unknown and you will be placed in your closest chapter.
Contact your local chapter of Trout Unlimited and ask how you can help get involved. There is so much happening around the state that is fun, educational, supports conservation, and advocates for the fish we love. We even get out on the water and hold fly fishing events!! So check in with your chapter - you can find them on our website HERE

Are you a member of TU but don't know what chapter you are in? Visit HERE find out.
Check out our video and send it to someone you know to show them who we are and what we do!
A Message from the Council Chair
We have a two important Volunteer Council Positions Open -
1. We are seeking an NLC Rep (National Leadership Council) to replace Steve Miller who has served for the past two years. This is an elected position and requires leadership and volunteer experience within a TU chapter or council.
Read more about the position and the NLC HERE
2. We are seeking a WCTU volunteer membership chair. You can read about the duties of this position HERE
If you are interested in either of these positions please contact me HERE. Thank You!
Pat Hesselgesser
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We want to share your chapter events and important conservation work in this newsletter. Spread the word across the state about fun and informative events you are hosting - like the ones above. Let us know how your events turned out so we can share your stories!!
Engagement is the way to Grow your chapter!! Learn more HERE
So let us help you spread the word about your events and good work!!
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