Thank You For the Best Wild Fish Party Yet!
Whoa! We can't THANK YOU enough for making the 23rd Annual Biggest Party in the Universe for Wild Fish a rip-roaring, tail-walking, waterfall-leaping success. Over 300 members, supporters, volunteers, and friends packed the halls of Montgomery Park to bid on some of the finest donations to ever grace our event and have a grand ol' time celebrating wild fish.
We drank like the luckiest of fish with homegrown wines from Lange Estate Winery and Vineyards, A to Z Wineworks, High Hook Wines, and Z'ivo Wines, northwest craft beer from Arch Rock Brewing, Sasquatch Brewing, and Mainstem Malt, and adventuresome cider from New West Cider. There were so many incredible live, super silent and silent items -- we cannot THANK our donors and sponsors enough for their remarkable generosity.
During the silent auction downstairs, friends, staff, and volunteers took full advantage of our photo booth to show off their support for the conservation campaigns and wild fish that inspire our passion and generosity. Check out the event photos below in our photo gallery.
Upstairs, Executive Director Mark Sherwood shared a brief background on Native Fish Society's mission, vision, and conservation work. He also announced our 2019 Partner of the Year, Patagonia, and our 2019 River Steward of the Year, Dave Thomas, McKenzie River. Dave was recognized for his tireless stewardship of the McKenzie River, integral role in the formation of the Willamette Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Coalition and his efforts in the NFS ReWild the Willamette campaign.
After screening the trailer to Patagonia's new full-length documentary on salmon farms and hatcheries, Artifishal, producer and author Dylan Tomine, encouraged our guests to take action and see the film. To learn more about Artifishal, check out Patagonia's webpage.
The live auction was hosted by the best auctioneer of them all, Johnna Wells, and emcee Josh Linn from the Royal Treatment Fly Shop! During the paddle raise, the Magnificent Seven, including NFS members Steve Morrow and Ken Morrish, River Stewards Stan Petrowski and Sam Kannry, and staff Tracy Buckner, J. Michelle Swope, and Jennifer Fairbrother shared about the critical conservation campaigns made possible by everyone's generous support.
We can't THANK YOU enough for your remarkable generosity. Already 2019 is proving to be a crucial year for wild fish. We look forward to keeping you up to date and involved throughout the year.