With anticipation and excitement, we declare Saturday, Sept. 17th, the second annual Free the Snake Flotilla & River Recreation Day! This year’s region-wide gathering will, of course, feature the main event – the flotilla, which will be followed by a family-friendly full day-at-the-park featuring food, guest speakers, music, and education booths at Chief Timothy State Park just west of Clarkston, Washington.
Last year more than 300 people from throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond launched the flotilla on the lower Snake to send a clear message to elected leaders and government bureaucrats who have thwarted progress toward river restoration and salmon recovery in the Snake River basin. This year, we aim to deliver a louder message with an expected greater number of participants and greater flotilla visibility.
Chief Timothy is a lovely wooded camping park located six miles downstream of the Clearwater-Snake confluence at Clarkston and Lewiston. The spacious park offers a boat launch, swimming beach, children’s playground, horseshoes, bocce and volleyball courts, and lots of shade and open space. Following the flotilla, you are encouraged to enjoy the day with us, the evening program and music, and then to camp overnight with us in the park. We’ve reserved the entire campground just for flotilla participants!
So come join us for a purposeful paddle and a day full of fun and education, as we set out to publicly deliver our collective call for returning the lower Snake to a free-flowing river with tremendous potential to rejuvenate our economy, revitalize the region’s culture and heritage, restore wild salmon populations and the greater river ecosystem … and save taxpayers millions of wasted dollars!
Circle your calendars for the Free the Snake Flotilla – Saturday September 17, 2016.
We’re looking forward to your participation! If you would like to volunteer and help at the event, please contact Brett Haverstick with Friends of the Clearwater at foc@friendsoftheclearwater.org. Volunteer opportunities include serving on the flotilla water safety team, assisting with parking and morning registration, and helping at Chief Timothy Park during the evening program.
Free the Snake!
Thank you!