A wild night...or a night for the wilds!
When I first arrived in the wide open …and very empty… space of the Ackerly Gallery at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, I thought, “how the heck will we be ready for almost 300 guests, several hundred auction items, and 30 fun-loving kids in a few short hours?...No way,” and tried my best to sneak away for a relaxing ramble in the Butterfly House...
It was a wild night full of wonderment for wolves, woodpeckers, and wilderness. And apparently a lot of Ws. Hope you were with us and had fun! Photo: Jannik Schou
When I first arrived in the wide open …and very empty… space of the Ackerly Gallery at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, I thought, “how the heck will we be ready for almost 300 guests, several hundred auction items, and 30 fun-loving kids in a few short hours?...No way,” and tried my best to sneak away for a relaxing ramble in the Butterfly House...
Like a lot of what Conservation Northwest has done over the last 20 years as we worked to ensure a healthy future for wildlife and wild places, it went like this: a dedicated group of staff, donors, board members, and volunteers rolled up their sleeves, strategized like pros, called up a dollop of hope, and launched an evening to remember. The 6th annual Hope for a Wild Future auction was underway, and it was fun!
The night was off to a fabulous start as Silent Auction bidders mingled with old & new friends and bid on fun items. The Silent Auction space was enjoyably close to a cool Insect Village, where our youngest guests played among a talking flea, see-though bee hives, and other buggy wonders. As their parents were scurrying like ants around to get that last bid in, the kids headed out for a trip to the pre-historic at the dinosaur exhibit.
Photographer (and our Director of Development) Paul Bannick wowed all at dinner with a stunning photographic look at the ecosystems Conservation Northwest works to protect, through the eyes of owls, woodpeckers, and wolves. The picture of a rare owl hunting over the natural, recovering landscape of a burned Columbia Highlands' forest was inspiring, and the whole room cheered as the Lookout Pack appeared on screen. Mitch then reminded us all that it is hope and heritage, not only in the Highlands, but all over the region, that brought us all together that night to help Conservation Northwest succeed in protecting and connecting wild landscapes.
But let's face it, the fun had not yet really begun. When auctioneer Howard Choder started the Live Auction, the superstars of the night came out to shine: the bidders, the paddle raisers, and the cheering squad that led the way to a hugely successful night! There were paddle battles and good-natured ribbing for the best of the trips, and one lucky guy won his pick of a live auction item in our new Win for Wildlife raffle. I am hoping he reads this and will take me with him...
Because of supporters like him and like all of you--large and small givers, long-time and brand new members--we raised $199,000 to protect and connect the region's wildest, most biologically important, and most breathtaking places.
