Outreach Update
By Janice Reid
Since the last newsletter, there have been many events and activities promoted by Umpqua Watersheds and thanks to our many sponsors and donors in the community, we feel they could not be a success without them. The critical projects, processes and functions of the organization are so important. We are constantly adding events and 
continuing our outreach in order to help Umpqua Watersheds make our community livable and sustainable and informing others of the necessities that our environment provides us: clean air, water, and the ability to seek solitude and renewal in our natural environments. We want to educate others about the important events that have a direct and indirect impact on our community and our environment. We want to provide activities that help others experience the nurturing powers of nature. And we want to promote and organize events that help community members feel impactful and accomplished by their participation. Our outreach activities are promoted through our Facebook pages: Umpqua Watersheds, KQUA, Umpqua Brew Fest, and Crater Lake Wilderness. Our website www.umpquawatersheds.org has information on who we are, what we do and what we are planning. Our calendar of events is an easy way to check for activities, events and committee meetings that Umpqua Watersheds hosts and events and activities hosted by other organizations that match our goals and mission. Our Watershed Moments sent via email fills the gaps between newsletters and reaches those that we do not reach through Facebook or our website.
So here is what we have been doing since the last newsletter: fun events such as the “Old Soul Music Festival” and Umpqua Brew Fest helped propel us past our goal of raising money for our AmeriCorps Education Coordinator, Robyn Bath-Rosenfeld. Organized presentations by our Wilderness Committee such as the Protecting our Headwaters and Exploring Oregon’s Forests provided information and interaction with scholars and authors. River cleanup activities scheduled around the Umpqua on the same day provided an opportunity for community members to give back and experience for themselves the necessity of participation in keeping our environment safe and clean from those that would easily foul it. These events take effort to organize and we know that other organizations are also doing events that make a difference. The Douglas County Global Warming Coalition, Friends of the Umpqua Hiking Club, DCPARC, and the Umpqua Valley Audubon Society had events that fit well with our goals and we are happy to promote them.
We have more events coming in January and February including a river cleanup on MLK Jr. Day and a snowshoe hike on February 15. All of these events take effort and coordination. Our Annual Banquet and Silent Auction will be coming up this spring as well and we can use your help to contribute, promote and organize. Our presence in the community is no accident, so join us for a purpose.
