A Summer of Fundraisers
by Lucy Applegate

Summer 2004 has been a season of fundraisers for SFEG. On July 23 we were the recipients of 4% Friday at the Skagit Valley Food Co-op in Mount Vernon. Each month, the Co-op selects a local non-profit organization whose work focuses on community, education, or the environment, and donates 4% of the fourth Friday's sales to that group. We were thrilled to be selected among so many other wonderful organizations this year, and we thank all of our supporters for shopping for salmon.

On July 31 SFEG operated a beverage sales booth at the Second Annual Samish Bay Bivalve Bash. This lively event, hosted by the Skagit Conservation Education Alliance (SCEA) and Taylor Shellfish Farms, began last year as an opportunity to highlight the need for clean water in the Samish Watershed for shellfish, salmon, and people. The Bash gets bigger and better each year, and this time featured a low-tide mud run, an oyster-shucking contest, and an oyster shell castle contest, along with live music, and shellfish delicacies from local restaurants. Member organizations of SCEA were invited to hold food and beverage booth fundraisers at the event, and SFEG staff and volunteers enjoyed the opportunity to take our fundraising efforts in a new direction. For information on the Third Annual Bivalve Bash on July 23, 2005, go to www.bivalvebash.com.

Volunteer Carol Canfield holds down the fort at the Bivalve Bash fundraiser event.

Coming up on September 18, SFEG will be one of the beneficiaries of the Bellingham Traverse, a 40-mile multi-sport challenge including biking, running and paddling, "designed to metaphorically simulate the lifecycle of salmon, emulating the natural and urban challenges of their journey." Participants in this event gather sponsors and the nonprofit of their choice receives 75% of the funds raised. Form a team today and show your support for Skagit salmon! More information at www.bellinghamtraverse.com.