River Appreciation Day!

Yesterday was a state-wide River Appreciation Day, fondly known as RAD! Umpqua Watersheds (the organization I work for) rented a park on the North Umpqua River and invited the public to celebrate with us.

We put up a stage, and had music all day long. Most of the musicians donated to the cause.


Great setting in the woods. This is Whistler's Bend Campground day use area. The bend is cool, you can start at one end and float past the day use area and way around the other side to the boat ramp, get out there and it is a easy walk back across the neck of the bend! William got us two awesome truck inner tubes and we had a great time floating, there were some rapids and it got exciting! It's a big, fast river.
The board of directors decided to have a bar-b-que to raise money for the organization. It was widely successful.

William brought his grill and he is in the left of the photo cooking natural raised beef burgers. Ed in the blue shirt is on the board and he donated the beef, he raises them himself. Willie also grilled salmon burgers - of course!

Kathy, in beautiful blue, cooked hand made lentil burgers. That was my choice and they were yummy! Mary, on the left, raises the cows with Ed and made perfect burgers and some called "Jamacian me sneeze".

Seth too is missing in the photos but a big presence, with out him we would not have had awesome cool young band members coming up to him after saying they would love to come next year!!

There is no good photo of Betsy, the president and dynamo behind the board. I guess she was moving so fast, I couldn't catch her - I can't keep up with her, that's for sure! And Karen is also missing in the photo but was there and with Anne made the whole kid area happen!

And there is no photos of Cindy and Andy, waiting patiently on the steet downtown in front of the office to help us unload the truck. It was very dark by then.

I am so grateful for all my new friends here and

I love this river.

The Wisdoms and Geoff, leading the float!

I want to thank each and everyone of you who worked together to make this such a sweet success! I can't wait till next year!