Our organizational COVID update:
Recreation Northwest is a mission-driven organization. We promote outdoor recreation and bring people together to enjoy, preserve and improve the places where we play. Since March, we have been unable to meet this foundational objective to “bring people together”. We cancelled Parkscriptions Day in April; in May our main event, the Recreation Northwest EXPO, was planned to be bigger and better than ever; and ALL smaller events and gatherings were zeroed out. Despite the pandemic we are making meaningful progress for outdoor recreation. RecreationNorthwest.org/Events
With the support of the Murdock Charitable Trust, we are evolving our Parkscriptions program under the leadership of Elizabeth Nelson, Program Director. Working closely with our partners at Western Washington University Recreation Management and Leadership, a team of student interns is preparing to launch a new program of Nature Health & Parks Tours in select Bellingham Parks. Our Parkscriptions partners also include Unity Care Northwest and Family Care Network. Parkscriptions.org
We continue to act as Stewards of Fairhaven Park and champion improvements of the trail network; the ecological health of the park; and in our native plant gardens. These two programs intersected with the installation of a new park bench. The gated garden entrance will reflect a Japanese Torii style symbolically marking the transition from the mundane to the sacred and providing a place of Parkscriptions solitude to soak in the sights and sounds of nature.
While we have been able to survive, we cannot thrive without our usual event and program offerings. Our revenue streams are down to a trickle. Given the financial situation of our organization, we will scale back our operations to a minimum.
As a founder and Executive Director of Recreation Northwest, I am personally committed to our long term success. I will no longer draw a salary and will volunteer my available time to keep our heartbeat going and voice strong. During this time I will be redefining our offerings to meet the current needs of our recreation community. We have a strong and supportive board of directors helping guide us through these times and come out positive on the other side. RecreationNorthwest.org/
Yes, we are asking for your help to enable us to come out of this stronger.
Your contribution will allow us to be in a position to resume our commitment to community.
Sincerely,
p.s.- Please also consider becoming a monthly donor.
We have some fun incentives to encourage you- see Monthly Donor Incentives.
