What is the Love Washington Project?Love Washington is a disaster resiliency project that aims to support disaster preparedness and recovery across Washington State. It will assist communities in preparing before a disaster, being aware during a disaster, and recovering after a disaster. To do this, it aims to ensure the availability of funds to start Long Term Recovery Groups within communities by creating an endowment fund that is accessible Washington community after a nationally declared natural disaster.
Starting in the summer of 2019, the Love Washington Project will organize an annual Columbia River Tour, which will follow the Columbia River from the Canadian Border to Long Beach, WA at the Pacific Ocean to raise funds of the endowment. Tour participants will raise money with sponsors and can choose between running, cycling, and paddling courses on multiple weekends throughout the summer. They will also enjoy group dinners hosted by a variety of local organizations providing both entertainment and inspiration. Simultaneously, an educational "Aware and Prepare" campaign will provide resources to schools throughout the State to help advance preparedness for responding to disasters. |
Funding Disaster Resiliency
In the wake of a disaster, communities are typically offered lots of external support for immediate response work. However, this support tends to dwindle once the active threat is extinguished. In Okanogan County, this was the case with the Carlton Complex and Okanogan Complex wildfires of 2014 and 2015 and from our experience with these disasters, we know that recovery is a long process that requires continued support. Grassroots leaders from afflicted communities need funding to establish long term recovery groups that can not only rebuild what has been lost but also lay the groundwork for future resiliency. There is currently no reliable source of funding in the State of Washington for afflicted communities to form and operate these essential long term recovery groups. We are asking for your help to build an endowment fund that can fill this need and offer you an opportunity to do so in a way that is fun, educational, and inspiring.
Why an Endowment?
One of the distinct challenges communities experiencing disaster face is the timely funding of long term recovery organizations and disaster case management at the grass roots level. Establishing an endowment for disaster resiliency will make a valuable impact as the funds cannot be “swept” for other purposes and will accumulate annually with interest when there is no disaster recovery need. We’re excited to raise these funds through an educational and healthy event that gives back to this beautiful and diverse State.
A word from the Love Washington founder:
“As a result of the 2014 and 2015 wildfires, and the following three years of extensive recovery work, I felt a strong need to make a lasting contribution. Nearly two years ago now, I formulated a plan to create an event that would be fun, educational, and most importantly create funding for disaster resiliency in perpetuity.”
- Carlene Anders
Mayor of Pateros - OCLTRG Executive Director - Love Washington Founder
A word from the Love Washington founder:
“As a result of the 2014 and 2015 wildfires, and the following three years of extensive recovery work, I felt a strong need to make a lasting contribution. Nearly two years ago now, I formulated a plan to create an event that would be fun, educational, and most importantly create funding for disaster resiliency in perpetuity.”
- Carlene Anders
Mayor of Pateros - OCLTRG Executive Director - Love Washington Founder
Disaster resiliency Endowment 60% |
Preparness & Mitigation Programs 10% |
Our goal is to create a 1 million dollar endowment through the summer 2019 campaign. This will be accessible by all Washington communities experiencing a federally declared disaster
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Okanogan County Long Term Recovery Group disaster mitigation and preparedness programs across five counties
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Disaster Leadership Team 5% |
Columbia Tour Event Costs 25% |
Pay it forward; experienced leaders coaching those recovering from disasters in various states
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Including website, promotional materials, insurance, licenses, and salaries
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Aware & Prepare
Washington State is unique with its combination of climates and regions. Across the state the natural disasters include: avalanches, earthquakes, floods, landslides, tsunami, volcano, and wildfire. Many do not realize the impact these dangers can have on a community even weeks after the actual damage has been done. Loss of water, power, personal items, electricity, cell phone service, housing and jobs are just a few.
Many communities across the State know what it is like to be threatened by a natural force. Many do not. The Aware and Prepare Campaign portion of the project aims to spread awareness about these threats and the impact it has had on those who have already experienced disasters.
We want to help prepare you for the possible outcomes of a natural disaster and connect you with resources on how to stay safe in dangerous situations. By creating a six week curriculum for school districts in Washington State that can be accessed and referenced year round. It will include a range of information to assist families and communities in establishing an emergency plan that can be used when disaster hits, ways to prevent certain disasters and injury, and how to cope and rebuild after experiencing a disaster.
This educational template will be created with the purpose in mind that it will be able to be shared across the country to benefit every state and region.
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." -Benjamin Franklin
Recovery Through Recreation
For many people the damage is more than physical. The emotional toll of going through a natural disaster can sometimes claim more lives than the actual disaster. Starting in the summer of 2019, the Columbia River Tour will be an event that will combine nature and recreation with recovery and resiliency across our beautiful Washington State. This tour will celebrate communities and overcoming disaster.
745 Miles of the Columbia River
30 Individual Event Days
3 Sports per Day (Running, Rowing, Cycling)
30 Participants per Sport
1 Beautiful State
30 Individual Event Days
3 Sports per Day (Running, Rowing, Cycling)
30 Participants per Sport
1 Beautiful State
Starting near the Canadian boarder and following the river to the Pacific Ocean through 19 counties of Washington State, participants and organizations from across the state are invited to run, ride, and row for recovery. Entry fees will go towards the Disaster Resiliency Endowment and Aware & Prepare Campaign, along with donations. We expect to host nearly 3,000 participants throughout the tour and collectively raise over one million dollars for the endowment each year.