Clean Water Champion Awards Announced

This fall Columbia Riverkeeper is celebrating our 15th anniversary as a nonprofit organization with a celebration and awards ceremony in Portland. Today we’re announcing the recipients of our “Clean Water Champion Awards."

COLUMBIA RIVERKEEPER'S CLEAN WATER CHAMPION AWARDS

The Columbia River Lifetime Achievement Award:
This award honors a lifetime of championing clean water, putting the collective good before personal gain, and creating a better place for the people, plants, and animals who call the Columbia home.

ELIZABETH FURSE
Elizabeth Furse served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 1999, where she championed women’s rights, healthcare, and the environment. She fought nuclear proliferation, including a bill to ban development of low-yield nuclear warheads. Elizabeth has been a lifelong advocate for Native American treaty rights, and helped several tribes gain federal restoration. Elizabeth was a founder of Columbia Riverkeeper in 2000, and served as the first Riverkeeper.

The River Hero Award:
This award recognizes a person who made an extraordinary contribution to protecting the Columbia River in the past year.

BOB SALLINGER, AUDUBON SOCIETY OF PORTLAND
In 2015, Bob Sallinger led the charge to protect West Hayden Island from industrial development (go see the incredible cottonwood forest), helped block the dangerous Pembina propane terminal, and continued his work to restore Peregrine falcons to Portland. He is humble, generous, and tenacious. Beyond Portland, Bob fought to protect avian nesting colonies in the Columbia River Estuary and river floodplains throughout the state.

The River Protector Business Award:
This award highlights a business that made a strong contribution to clean water and healthy communities in the past year. They walk the talk.

HOESLY ECO AUTOMOTIVE
Hoesly Eco Automotive is a full-service repair shop in Vancouver. The Clark County green business uses re-refined oil to reduce waste, powers the shop with solar, and is hybrid and electric car qualified. Owner Don Orange is a leading voice to protect our region from the proposed Tesoro oil terminal at the Port of Vancouver. Don founded Vancouver 101, a group of 101 businesses standing up to Tesoro.

The Partnership Award:
We need collaboration and partnerships to make a difference. In the past year this partner has made exceptional efforts to protect the mighty Columbia.

COLUMBIA PACIFIC COMMON SENSE
For over 10 years, members of Columbia Pacific Common Sense have protected the estuary from harmful Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import and export terminals. Based in Astoria, the volunteer-led group has organized a smart, persistent, and creative campaign to defeat fracked gas exports. Riverkeeper is inspired by their heart and spirit, and we are proud to stand side by side with Columbia Pacific Common Sense.

The Youth Leadership Award:
This award recognizes outstanding leadership by a young person who inspires us and expands our ideas of what can be accomplished.

STUDENTS AT SUNNYSIDE ENVIRONMENTAL SCHOOL
For the past three years, students at Sunnyside Environmental School have thoroughly researched climate change and fossil fuel export. Then they took action: testifying at public hearings, speaking out at rallies, and hand-delivering hundreds of Valentines to the Governor that said break up with Big Coal. The students at Sunnyside take their civic duty seriously, and inspire adults to do the same.  Former members of the Climate Change Cohort will accept the award.

Columbia Riverkeeper 15th Anniversary Celebration & Awards

What:   Celebrate our friends (awards!) who make our communities better. Dance to the music of Casey Neil and the Norway Rats. Don’t miss the silent auction and raffle to win an Astoria weekend package, a classic small sailboat, a canoe with outrigger, and other river-themed packages. Bring friends and family. Craft beer, local wine, and snacks or dinner from food carts available for purchase.

When: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 at 6-9pm (awards program begins at 7:00)

Where: Axiom Custom Products located at 2424 NE Riverside, Portland, OR

Tickets: $15 available online, buy today: bit.ly/columbia15.

Come early so you don’t miss the Silent Auction, full of Columbia River oriented packages:

• Take home an Old Town 17-foot canoe with custom outrigger to explore the Columbia and its tributaries.
• Enjoy a day of boating. Choose from three fun boating excursion if you would rather leave the captaining to someone else.
• Astoria and Portland getaway packages, including hotel and dinner.
• Sport new swimwear on your next river outing with a $100 Popina Swimwear gift certificate.