September 16th E-Newsletter |
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Our parking lot will be closed September 18th-20th. We are sorry for any inconvenience! |
Check out the events below or head to our Event Calendar to see what's on the horizon! We hope to see you soon. |
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Science on Tap: Coroner's Office - Fact or Fiction Tuesday, September 22nd 7:00PM-8:00PM
Ground Control in Wenatchee |
Faye Fetters, Chief Deputy Coroner for Chelan County, will bust common myths, walk through the step-by-step investigation process, share what really goes on inside the county morgue, and answer your burning questions during a post-talk Q&A.
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Wenatchee Bird Walk Thursday, September 24th 10:00AM-11:30AM |
Join WRI for a guided bird walk and stroll along the Columbia River! You'll look for and learn about birds. Beginners and families welcome.
We will be meeting at the Walla Walla Point Park playground. Binoculars will be available to borrow during the program.
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Volunteer Open House Thursday, September 24th
5:00PM-7:00PM |
Meet the WRI team, learn about volunteer opportunities, and enjoy light snacks and drinks.
You'll have an overview about volunteering at WRI before we split into groups based on your interest area. For anyone interested in Youth Education, please stick around for the training.
Let us know you're coming by clicking the link below! |
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| 5th annual Sunset & S'mores Wednesday, September 30th 5:30PM-7:30PM |
Registration extended! Sign up by Sunday, September 20th. Celebrate our community as the evening light fades with a delicious catered meal, drinks, family-friendly campus activities! It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow WRI supporters, staff, board members, and students while soaking in the fall crispness.
P.S. With your ticket, you'll also be able to view our Traveling Planetarium at the event! |
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Bumblebee Habitat Restoration Days October 1, 2, 6, and 7 Various Times |
We have four special workdays coming up in the first two weeks of October to plant donated native plants in our gardens! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just want to lend a hand, your help will go a long way in supporting our local pollinators.
Head over to our volunteer page and scroll down to see the full list of dates and events to sign up. Let's get our hands dirty! |
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| Red Barn Events Various Dates this Fall 7:00PM-8:00PM |
Construction in the Red Barn is nearly complete, so you know what that means... Red Barn Events are back! Check out some upcoming Red Barn Events below. More will added to our calendar in the coming weeks! |
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As students get settled back into school, our team is gearing up for a vibrant autumn full of hands-on learning! We’re thrilled to dive back into the new school year with our flagship programs, from outdoor exploration during Field Days to bringing nature straight into local classrooms with our Traveling Naturalist in the Classroom Program.
Want to get involved? We are actively looking for volunteers to support our weekday Field Days! If you love guiding young learners outdoors, consider joining us during school hours. Drop by our Volunteer Open House next week (details above) to learn more! |
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Fall Camp Thursday, October 22nd and Friday, October 23rd Grades K-3 |
Fall Camp is just around the corner! Give your kids a fun, engaging way to spend their time off exploring nature and playing outdoors with us. Registration will open Tuesday, September 22nd at 5:00PM, so get ready to secure your spot! The registration link will go live at the link below.
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Fall WRI After School Program (ASP) |
We had a fantastic first week! Exploring the ASP Community Garden plot and picking the tomatoes and giant carrots that students planted last spring was a wonderful way to kick things off. We also spent some time down at Barn Beach, where the kids got creative building a series of moats, crafting mud pies, and launching stick boats to float down the current.
Registration for WRI’s Fall After School Program (Grades K-3) is still open and tuition will be prorated! There are three spaces available in the Tuesday/Thursday session. |
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Traveling Naturalist in the Classroom |
Last week kicked off our 2026-2027 Traveling Naturalist in the Classroom Program! Throughout the school year, we’ll visit 34 classrooms each month, bringing hands-on activities that connect students with the natural world. To top off these lessons, every class will also head out on a Field Day!
This month's lesson, "What is a Naturalist?", challenges students to use their senses to make deeper observations about natural objects. By slowing down and asking themselves, "What do I notice?", "What do I wonder?", and "What does this remind me of?", students practice real naturalist skills inspired by the botanist and explorer Ynes Mexía, whom they learn about during the session.
We are so excited to inspire approximately 715 students this year to become everyday naturalists!
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| Orondo After School Program |
It has been so good to get back to the after-school program with Orondo! Mikey and Fern are starting their fourth year with these kids, which is so meaningful, and it's great to build these ongoing connections over the years. On their first day back, Mikey and the kids brainstormed a list of activities they want to do during visits this school year, like using binoculars and pocket microscopes, searching for bugs, playing field games, and doing crafts. Then, they wrapped up the day with watercolor painting. On Friday, Mikey hid Beanie Babies around the school field, and everyone walked around with binoculars to search for them. Once everyone found one, they worked on building custom habitats for their new Beanie Baby friends.
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Take a look back at our 2026 Summer Camps at the Wenatchee River Institute, where young explorers spent the summer learning, playing, and making friends while connecting with nature. |
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WSU Washington State Naturalist Program |
We are looking for two more people to join the Washington State Naturalist Program (WANAT)! WANAT is a year-long program that teaches Washington residents about regional ecosystems and principles of ecology. The goal is for participants to earn their naturalist certification and develop into community educators and stewards for environmental organizations statewide. To become a certified Naturalist through WSU, participants must complete online courses, 20 hours of field learning experiences, and 20 hours of volunteering with a local partner organization. Local participants can fulfill their volunteer hours directly with WRI by supporting our Field Days or Community Programs. Interested in joining or know someone else who may be interested? Learn more and apply below or forward this email!
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We are thrilled to welcome back Haley Erikson as our new After School Program Lead Educator! Haley is already a familiar and wonderful face around campus, having previously spent her time with us as a Summer Camp Educator Intern this summer. We are so excited to have her step into this new leadership role to guide, mentor, and inspire our students! Learn more about Haley here.
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Final Reminder: Lost and Found |
Is your missing jacket or water bottle hiding in our bin? Check out the photo above to see if any of these lost treasures belong to you!
If you spot something familiar, please email us to arrange a pickup at the River Haus. Any items remaining unclaimed at the end of September will be donated. This is your final reminder!
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Thank you to our donors from the last 2 weeks! |
Steve and Betsy Backstrom in honor of Arne Backstrom - Sustaining Gro Buer and Bruce Williams - Sustaining Connie Cogburn and Andy Day - Sustaining Diana Vickery Stevie Clifton and Hannah Kwon - Sustaining Teresa Lavender
Hillary and Chris Clark - Sustaining
Annette Jouard and John Taylor - Sustaining Bob Bugert and Carolyn Griffin-Bugert - Sustaining Bev McCreary
Crunch Pak LLC Chuck and Candace Egner - Sustaining
David Stoller and Diane Patterson - Sustaining Kamuron Gurol - Sustaining Lisa and Jim Osse - Sustaining
David Zazzo and Katie Jones - Sustaining
Jill and Joel Martinez - Sustaining Anonymous Donors Dave and Pat Notter - Sustaining
Heather and Ole Bore - Sustaining Susan Plummer and Doug Gann Tracy Brulotte - Sustaining Jackie and Tom Andrewjeski - Sustaining |
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