January 11th E-NEWSLETTER

Join the WRI Team!

WRI seeks a passionate storyteller who can build a fundraising program that will result in the long-term health and sustainability of our organization. The Development Director will be responsible for the generation of philanthropic revenue, securing corporate sponsorships, grants, planned giving and bequests, and individual donations. Connecting with donors and building relationships with our community will also be primary responsibilities for the Development Director.

To learn more about the position, read the job description here or click the link below.

Photo credit: Stephen Hufman

Learn More Here

Programs

Red Barn Event:

The Many Adventures of the Riding Writer

TOMORROW, January 12th

7:00PM-8:00PM

Join WRI and Link Transit for a Red Barn Event! Danielle Worley is a "Riding Writer" and author. She uses her time in transit to up her weekly word count on her books. Selina Danko will also be joining us to share the myriad of travel options offered by Link Transit.

Transit Here

Snowshoe Strolls

Thursdays-Saturdays (and select Sundays) in January and February

Begin the year with new discoveries! Join WRI for a Snowshoe Stroll through winter wonderland at either the WRI campus or the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. We will learn about native wildlife and ecology and the history of Leavenworth with many scenic, snowy views along the way.

Snowshoe Here

Red Barn Event: Leavenworth Mill Dam Rehabilitation and Recreation Improvement Project

Wednesday, January 18th

7:00PM-8:00PM

The Chelan County Natural Resource Department has selected the Leavenworth Mill Dam for a development of conceptual design for rehabilitation and recreation improvement. This event will give the opportunity to share the idea with the community and gather feedback to help guide the direction of project development.

Provide Feedback Here

Passing the Baton

Saturday, January 21st

4:00PM-5:30PM

You're invited! Join us in the Red Barn for a "passing the baton" open house to welcome Canuche and bid farewell to Carolyn. This will be a great opportunity to meet Canuche, get to know him, and ask questions. It will also be a great time to honor Carolyn's time and stewardship over the last 4 years. There will be light snacks and drinks available. All are welcome!

Cheers Here

Red Barn Event: Grizzly Grub - Bear Habitat in the North Cascades

Wednesday, January 25th

7:00PM-8:00PM

Join Dr. Bill Gaines, Wildlife Ecologist and Director of the Washington Conservation Science Institute, for a presentation about grizzly bear habitat and recovery. He will talk about their diverse habitat and how the North Cascades could have enough remote areas to support their potential reintroduction and recovery.

Grub Here

Red Barn Event:

Why We Are Fire Dependent in North Central Washington

Wednesday, February 1st

7:00PM-8:00PM

Join WRI and Dale Swedberg to learn about the fire ecology of North Central Washington including fire regimes, fire effects, fire by-products and the integral part fire plays in the health, sustainability, and resilience of the ecosystems where we live, work, and recreate.

Restore Ecosystems Here

Red Barn Event: Antoine Etienne and the Flora of His Namesake Creek

Wednesday, February 8th

7:00PM-8:00PM

In 1860, a Black prospector named Antoine Etienne mined for gold in Peshastin Creek, the creek that now bears his name. Reports claim that he found $1,100 worth of gold, which would be worth over $100,000 today. Come learn about this fascinating Washington pioneer and take a look at Etienne Creek's flora.

Pioneer Here

Red Barn Event: Western Monarchs - Migration, Adaptation, and Resilience

Wednesday, February 22nd

7:00PM-8:00PM

Join WRI, Washington Native Plant Society, and Dr. David G. James for an evening learning about Monarch butterflies. The presentation will highlight migration biology of Monarchs in the Pacific Northwest, adaptation to the warming climate, and their resilience to various threats.

Migrate Here

Thank you to our Community Education volunteers for helping out at the last couple Red Barn Events and Snowshoe Strolls so far: Lisi Ott, Rachel Bishop, Paul Sozio, Beth Beck, Jeremy Howell, Diane Hansen, Betsy Steele, Karen Haire, and Ayla Medina!

Mid-Winter Break Camp (K-3)

February 21-24, 2023

Registration Opens TOMORROW, January 12th at 5:30PM

Spend Mid-Winter Break with WRI! Participants will spend their days outdoors, exploring WRI and the surrounding park, walking through forested habitats, snowy meadows, and along the river. Participants will investigate and learn about the world around us, play fun games, and do art activities!

Bird Fest Youth Art Contest is LIVE

Participate in this year's Bird Fest Youth Art Contest! Students will have the chance to win a prize and have their art featured on the 2023 Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest poster.

To participate, you must:

be in grades K-8
have a bird focus in the art piece (preferably a bird that can be found in North Central Washington)
submit art by Monday, March 6th at 12pm

Check out the 2022 Bird Fest Youth Art Gallery from last year's contest. There were 127 submissions!

More Details Here

Place

I’m humbled by the generosity of our community. Folks supported our staff with their time by staffing our parking lot last month during the busy Christmas Lighting weekends. All proceeds from parking last month went to WRI staff members as a generous end-of-year bonus. This was all made possible from the efforts put forward by Scot Brower, Tim Abel, Joan Frazee, Mike & Lisa Bedard, Nic Pottier, Gro Buer, Annette Jouard, and John Taylor. From all of the WRI team, thank you!

Many more of you donated to our end-of-year fundraising campaign. Because of YOU, we made our fundraising match and will continue to grow our programs this year. YOUR money helps us connect people, communities, and the natural world. We have you to thank for helping further our mission!

Thank you,

Canuche Terranella

Executive Director