IN MEMORIUM: WILLY O'NEIL

He was a son, brother, friend, community activist, conservationist, fisher, a lobbyist for the environment, the construction industry and the disabled, a sailor and musician. He helped create the Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group program. He built bridges between people from diverse backgrounds. And on January 4th, 2004, William "Willy" Edward O'Neil died doing something he loved - hunting.

Willy was duck hunting along the Okanogan River in Eastern Washington with a friend. His friend wasn't feeling well, so Willy went hunting with his trusted sidekick and faithful dog, Widgeon. He apparently fell into a marsh and was struggling onshore to remove his wet clothing in subzero temperatures when he lost his balance. He fell back in and drowned. He was 48.

Willy was an active board member for the Stilly Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force for 4 years. He then moved on to assist the Mid-Sound Fisheries Enhancement Group in the Seattle area, and was an important voice in Olympia, helping to educate legislators about the Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group (RFEG) program, and fighting for continued state and federal funding for the RFEGs. Willy's dream for the RFEG Program was to establish an RFEG Coalition, to create an alliance that could speak with one voice in Olympia and Washington D.C., and to find secure funding for the RFEGs. For more than two years, Willy pushed and cajoled the RFEGs to get together and work out their differences, to find the high ground that we all had in common - the current and future success of the RFEG program.

One month prior to his untimely and tragic death, what many thought impossible happened. All 14 RFEGs joined to form the "RFEG Coalition," chaired and organized by RFEG board members, and focused on three objectives: 1) Secure the statutory authority for the RFEG program as a leader in salmon habitat restoration, 2) Secure continued and increased funding for the RFEG program, and 3) Help the RFEGs to become known as efficient on-the-ground salmon habitat restoration organizations, as well as watershed educators.

Although Willy only caught a glimpse of how well the Coalition worked together, we know that Willy would be happy with how smoothly our infant alliance has become in such a short few months. We are working together for Willy and his legacy. The one thing the RFEG Coalition is short of is funding to support its advocacy efforts in Olympia. If you are interested in supporting the RFEG program into the future, and would like to help continue Willy's legacy, we encourage you to send a donation, in Willy's name, with checks payable to: Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Coalition, PO Box 46, South Bend, WA 98586.