As we embark on our early spring season, nature is also rooting down, preparing for transitions in the form of early buds, first flowers, and singing birds. Join us for a variety of programming this month including our Swans at Sunset Community Field Trip.
Registration opens February 1, 2023 (CT) for Preschool Summer Camps (Ages 3-5) and Summer Camps (Grades 1-8) and we still have space in spring season of Neighborhood Nature. All this and more in the February edition of Wild Connections.
Thank you to everyone who donated to our end-of-year donation campaign!
We've passed the calendar year end for 2022 donations, but you can always give at any time to support our mission and programs.
Become a Wild Whatcom Volunteer - Many Options Available
Are you interested in joining our Wild Whatcom community as a volunteer? We have several volunteer opportunities, including virtual and in-person. Read more here.
Invest in Outdoor Education in Whatcom County
You hear from me a lot, about how much I love our programs and mission at Wild Whatcom. So, I wanted to give you a chance to hear more about why outdoor education, youth enrichment, and opportunities to connect with nature are so impactful for our community.
Your support gives our community opportunities to connect with nature, self, and each other. Thank you for helping us raise a generation of youth who care about each other, the community, and the planet!
With gratitude,
Licia Sahagun, Executive Director
Nature Notes - Beginning Anew
As we embark on the end of a year and start to a new one, fresh perspectives meet ancient wintertime rhythms. The sun begins returning to our land, eagles and swans nourish their bodies, conifers rest, salmon replenish their kind, some folks jump into icy waters, and we turn the page again.
When we make this a time for goal-setting and intentions to begin anew, our efforts mirror nature's lesson of dynamic change fueled by constant renewal of resources... If rest was considered compost, it would bring us much growth!
We hope you are finding time to rest, nourish, and find fresh beginnings among loved ones this holiday season. We’re excited to get outside with you in January. Learn more in the latest edition of Wild Connections.
Wow! You've helped us raise $29,000!
We are so incredibly grateful for your support.
Help us reach our goal of $55,000 for local outdoor education. Donate today!
Thanks to our generous community of donors and sponsors, we've already raised $29,000 this giving season to get more youth, families, students and classrooms outside!
Thank you!
December means adapting to a lean season. Winter is flowing in, over the hardening earth, around the trees turned inward, and through the skies heavy with clouds or so clear that nothing stands between us and the chill. This is a fascinating time of year to think about adaptation. As you prepare your own cold weather adaptations, consider a winter outing with us!
We have more programs, more often - and more for adults and families, including a new program for the LGBTQIA2S community called Out & About. We still have space in our winter season of our after school program, Neighborhood Nature, and our Nature Preschool. Finally, watch for details about summer camps, including summer camp for preschoolers. All that and more in the latest edition of Wild Connections.
GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good.
Over the past ten years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
We hope you will consider donating locally during this national day of giving.
At Wild Whatcom we are raising funds this #GivingTuesday to support our scholarships, our free loaner gear, and our schools-based programs.
I love spending time outside in our northwest corner of Washington where we have so many incredible natural spaces to enjoy. I’m also always learning more about how being outside helps our mental and physical health, while inspiring us to steward our local lands. But I know that not everyone has easy access to natural spaces or the right gear to recreate safely and comfortably.
That’s why Wild Whatcom is working to break down barriers that prevent many of our neighbors from connecting to nature.
Will you consider joining in and making a gift today?
With gratitude,
Licia Sahagun, Executive Director
And the Wild Whatcom staff and board
Hello November - the season of abundance, rest, and gratitude. We hope you can find time to rest and rejuvenate then join us outside! We’ve got plenty going on this month.
Our Nature Preschool still has space available plus winter and spring season registration for our after school program, Neighborhood Nature, is open. November Ladies Night Out is coming up November 6 and our new adult program, Wonder Walks starts this Friday, November 4. All that and more in the November issue of Wild Connections. See you outside!
Pints! Games! Costumes!
Join us at @Fairhaven Stones Throw Brewery on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 from 5:00-9:00PM for a little fundraising and a lot of FUN!
Nature fun is for everyone!
Grown-ups of all ability levels are invited to join our new weekly program: Wonder Walks! The pace is slow, the trails are low barrier, with low inclines, and breaks are part of our wonder-filled experiences.
Our first walk is Fri., November 4, 2022 from 1:00-2:30PM. Registration is open. Come outside with us!
Join us after school in Neighborhood Nature! Neighborhood Nature connects kids with the outdoors through exploration, play, art, and nature activities. Plus, it provides plenty of opportunities to make new friends and burn off some after-school energy! Winter session (January 9 - March 30, 2023) and spring session (April 10-June 8, 2023) are both open for registration now!
Plus, join the Teaching for the Climate Collaborative for its 5th year helping teachers teach outside! These offerings are brought to you by: Wild Whatcom, NSEA, Common Threads, RE Sources, Lummi Nation, and Northwest Indian College with support from NWESD 189 and OSPI.
Change is in the air! Fall is a busy time at Wild Whatcom with all our academic year programming starting plus fall community programs. We still have space in our new Nature Preschool and we’ve got our fall community field trip coming up October 23. Plus, join us for another nature trivia night, this time at Stones Throw Brewery on October 25. Read more in this issue of Wild Connections.
We're excited to share that we've been organizing another night of nature-related trivia! After a successful event a few months back at Kulshan Brewing, we're eager to see you out for another night to test our nature knowledge together.
Join us at Time and Materials on Thursday, September 15th at 7:00PM.
Suggested $2 donation to play - supports Wild Whatcom's programs. Teams up to four people. Kids welcome! $1 of every pint sold that night also supports Wild Whatcom!
We are still gathering prizes for this event - do you have connections to a local business and want to donate winning prizes? Reach out to us at info@wildwhatcom.org!
Taking the time to tally up our collective impact in the community always gives me so much joy and hope.
It’s hard not to smile when looking through the photos that come from Wild Whatcom’s outings: you can see the wonder and curiosity in kids’ eyes as they are connecting with the world around them. You can see the silliness at play during a game of Hide or Spiders Web. And you can witness the resilience building after a day in the rain (you just sometimes have to peek under a few layers of wet gear). Read more in our 2022 Impact Report…
What a summer! We explored, played games, learned naturalist and wilderness skills, and made many new friends. Our academic year programming has started for Explorers Club, Nature Preschool, and Neighborhood Nature, plus we have a new Impact Report out, and don’t forget to join us at Pint Night and Nature Trivia coming up Thursday, September 15 at Time and Materials. All that and more in this issue of Wild Connections.
Our new Nature Preschool has a new location at the Chuckanut Center next to Fairhaven Park, plus all academic year programs are open for registration. Join us on an outing soon! Read more in our latest newsletter.
August is a busy month for events around town and our academic year program registrations. In nature, check out eclipse plumage and learn more about one of our partner programs. All that and more in this issue of Wild Connections.
We're so excited to announce our new Nature Preschool starting this September!
Meandering through the fields, woods, and shores of Larrabee State Park, this program will be fully outdoors for adventurers who are 3-5 years of age by September 1st.
Plus, we're currently hiring several exciting positions that will help us with our pilot year of Nature Preschool, expand our camp offerings for 2023, offer new programs to reach additional community members, and much more! This includes Manager, Coordinator and Field Staff positions.
All positions have a priority deadline of July 18th - apply today!
July is the month of ripe berries and we have plenty here in Whatcom County! Our summer camps are in full swing. We’ve got some spots left in a few camps and one backpack trip. Registration is open for our fall, winter, and spring programming. Plus, join us this month on one of our community program outings. All that and more in this issue of Wild Connections.