By Dianne Riley, Sustaining Gifts Director
Originally published in Columbia Riverkeeper “Currents” Issue 2, 2024
I started working as a fundraiser on a volunteer basis more than 30 years ago. To be clear, I’m not counting the years I went door-to-door selling Girl Scout cookies while in elementary school and I don’t mind aging myself by telling you that my childhood adventures in fundraising were in the early 1970s. It excites me to think about how long I have been in this line of work and all the things I’ve seen and experienced along the way.
For example, I can tell you—from my perspective and quite Gratitude sincerely—that Columbia Riverkeeper donors are exceptional among givers. Many of our donors are motivated by deep, personal stories and many have been with us for years, if not decades. Some have simple, honest reasons for giving; others treat giving like a dedicated health or spiritual practice without any reason that can be put into words. Here are a few examples that illustrate why people give to Columbia Riverkeeper:
I support Columbia Riverkeeper because they support the efforts of small communities who lack big city resources to fight the well-funded big polluters. They have our backs with scientific, legal, and organizing expertise. Most of all, CRK has heart for their work and our people.
-Diane L. Dick
We wanted to help save the Columbia River, and saw that no one else was trying to as much as Columbia Riverkeeper. We are committed to supporting them, and we have pledged to continue to support them through our private estate donation. We hope you will, too.
-John & Celia Cruz
My donations to Riverkeeper are not remarkable or even particularly significant. On their own they are meaningless. A grain of sand on the rail will not stop a coal train. But when combined by Riverkeeper with the financial voices of its other members, my donations become the finger in the dike, preventing polluters’ appropriation of the estuaries in the Lower Columbia. Where else can one buy the freedom for clean water to flow for just an affordable contribution?
-John Wood
I support Columbia Riverkeeper because I am so grateful to know that you have dedicated, knowledgeable staff and volunteers who are always vigilant and ready to act to protect, conserve and restore our most precious regional resource. Thank you for the effective work you do on my behalf and on the behalf of all who call the Northwest their home.
-Pam Horan
It’s easy to be cynical these days— not just about the politics of this moment or era, but about everything. Our news overflows with countless stories of communities rocked by the outcomes of poorly conceived policies, of people out for themselves, and of collective pain and trauma. Those stories come from all the news outlets—not only thoughtful, responsible journalism helping to keep us genuinely informed, but also from our social media and the informal channels that share neighborly gossip. Any slice of it can leave you with a bitter taste.
However, the truth and reality of our lives is always going to be bigger, more subtle, and more complex than the steady string of hard-hitting headlines and juicy tidbits about “other people’s shortcomings” that many of us consume regularly. What we miss most often are the quiet, constant efforts coming out of our very own neighborhoods, networks and even our own households that reflect what we value most. Yet this is how we heal, help and grow as human beings.
The people who give are everywhere and they give in so many vitally important, tangible and impactful ways–not always financially, but most critically with a heartfelt desire to make a difference or simply to express their innate compassion. At Columbia Riverkeeper, we know these people. They are our partners, our colleagues, and our members. The people who give are you.
