As the year ends, I am thankful for the generosity of so many in our community who have provided financial and volunteer support for our programs, students, and site. The past couple of years have been some of those most challenging in recent decades. The natural refuge that Columbia Springs provides to the Vancouver area has been something special for us all to cling to. A constant among a world of uncertainty.
Thank you for allowing us to continue providing for our community as we have for almost two decades, and to expand to serve even more people!
2022 was a big year for Columbia Springs! Here are some highlights:
- Volunteers
Our education volunteers contributed over 250 hours to field trips and camps in 2022! That is 250 hours of inspiring over 2600 kids to catch bugs, get curious, be successful scientists. They do so much to help our programs run smoothly and we could not do it without them. Contact schoolprograms@columbiasprings.org if you are interested in volunteering with us! - Interns
We expanded our internship program in 2022! Through our competitive Youth Environmental Leadership Program (YELP), we were able to hire about a dozen paid interns. They learned, practiced valuable educational skills, received feedback on teaching, explored career paths in environmental science and education, and completed awesome independent projects. Know someone looking for an internship? Check out www.columbiasprings.org/YELP. - Recognition
This year’s work has not gone unnoticed by our community partners. We were honored with a Clark County Green Award, a Nonprofit Network Southwest Washington Excellence in Collaboration Award, and we were recognized as one of the top performing environmental education programs in the Country. - Repair
We received over 1500 items through our Repair program. Our incredible volunteer team of “fixers” and were able to repair 94% of those items! Repairing items keeps valuable resources from being used to create new items AND keeps tons of waste out of landfills each year. - Salmon in Schools and Streams
Our Salmon in the Classroom program served 40 schools in Clark County, with a focus on reaching high-poverty schools. Students raised thousands of Coho salmon eggs and hundreds of fingerlings which were released into local waterways. These fish have taken the long journey to the ocean, and we look forward to welcoming them back home in the next 3-5 years.
There is still time to support our work this year, with an added chance to win something wonderful!
If you participated in our holiday raffle last December, you will be excited to know it’s back again this year.
How does it work?
- Through December 30th: a prize will be featured on their social media and website each morning. Each package is valued at over $50.
- For a chance to win that item, make a donation of $20 or more on our website on that day.
- Every $20 donation = 1 raffle ticket (ex. if you donate $80 you will be entered four times!)
- You will be contacted by email no later than one week after your donation if you won.
As always, any donation made to Columbia Springs is tax deductible. Questions? Email events@columbiasprings.org. Thank you for your kindness and support!
It is truly because of you that we can continue to serve our community. The work we do at Columbia Springs supports something bigger than each of us. Our site and programs inspire curiosity and provide opportunities for inquiry and exploration, helping people develop a strong connection to the world around them. You help people feel connection, a gift that will be with all of us for a lifetime.
Happy holidays and a cheers to the new year!
Sincerely,
Katherine Cory
Executive Director