The need to save money and provide leadership transition are the primary reasons for eliminating the Saturday public day at the Salmon Fest this year. Corky Broaddus, who helped begin Salmon Fest 27 years ago, said there needs to be a change in staff and organization.
“We want to create an organization and we’ve got new people. The younger people are moving in, and some of us old timers are looking for transition,” Broaddus said. “Thursday and Friday have always been our school days. The top reason why we started Salmon Fest was outdoor ed, getting the kids connected with nature. Maybe we can save some money. We want to build up and recharge this program and transition.”
Broaddus said their core team, which includes their interagency partners, got together. They decided to reorganize, get their leadership and transition changed, and also building up their education curriculum to meet state’s STEM learning requirements.
So it was decided to still do kids’ days and bring back Saturday public day next year.
“We talked about this off and on through the years, especially when our dollars were reduced. Staffing at the hatchery went way down. We didn’t have the people to do it at the quality and level that we wanted,” Broaddus said. “We had talked about it. A couple years ago we dropped Sunday and just did Saturday. This is just to rebuild and recharge. We’re really going to make these kids’ days something special. They always are. We get 3,000 kids.”
A lot goes into the planning of kids’ days, she said.
“We still have quite a volunteer staff and a paid position. Betsy and I are ready for a change. We’ve been involved a lot. I do want to totally commend Betsy McIndoe for her work as contracted festival director for many years. She has been fabulous carrying the torch for us for a long time. I have great admiration for her work,” Broaddus said. “We’re all working it. We’re all planning it, but we’ve had to juggle responsibilities. We’re going to be fine.”
Sure, after 27 years, it hurts to eliminate the public day, especially for the community. Broaddus wants to emphasize this is only for one year.
“The hatchery is very much supportive of that. Our sponsors are very much accepting of this decision. We’re not losing sponsors. We’re doing well with grants and money that will help build up for next year,” she said. “I think it is a good time for us to do a little introspection. That is what we’ve done as a group. It takes so much coordination with the schools. We have 200 volunteers. We’re still doing that at that level.”
Haley Croci will partner with Broaddus this year, with the plan for her to take over as Festival Director next year. Both McIndoe and Broaddus will be overlooking things this year.
Broaddus said she is going to suggest to the core group to allow families to come after 5 p.m. on the kids’ days.
“All our activities will be operating. We have through all these years worked hard to keep this a free event. We’ve achieved it. We want to continue to do that. A little time off for the Saturday will probably help us save us for next year. The primary reason is not really budget related, but that is part of it,” Broaddus said.
People do come from far and wide to attend Salmon Fest, so Broaddus said they are trying to get the word out. The Leavenworth chamber has helped. They did not do their full blown advertising in January and February when this decision was made.
Salmon Fest is not in a lot of those directories and calenders, but they are still in some. Overall, she thinks this break is going to give them new energy.
“We’re 27 years old. When we think about it. The whole reason we started Salmon Fest was to celebrate the return of the wild salmon in the Wenatchee River. The first priority was education. Our original core team made up of tribes, chamber, city, ranger station and hatchery. Those people were so supportive,” Broaddus said. “Then, one day, we said, we need to do an event. We started with kids’ days. Then, we decided to add a weekend day. Then, we added two.”
Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here