As 2022 comes to a close, I am reflecting on all that we have accomplished as an organization this year. As a member of Catawba Riverkeeper, YOU have been a part of all of the incredible work that we have accomplished, and I hope you enjoy reading about it in this newsletter and in our expanded coverage on the website.

Our Vision 2025 Capacity Campaign has been a huge success thus far and we are planning on putting a bow on it on February 25, 2023 at our 25th Anniversary Gala. That night we will celebrate the work of Catawba Riverkeeper since our founding in 1997 and look forward to the next 25 years. All of the funds raised at the gala will go to growing our organization’s endowment, the funding that ensures that no matter what circumstances are thrown at us, we will always have the resources to employ a Riverkeeper and support that person with a team of scientists, educators, and advocates to do the work of advocating for clean water.

This event is the culmination of three years of effort by countless staff, volunteers, board members, donors, and partners to achieve the two primary goals of our founders: To have a full basin view of the challenges facing our river AND to be a consistent on-the-water presence to engage our communities in coming alongside us in this work. The Vision 2025 campaign has allowed us to do the following towards achieving those goals:

- Open our new headquarters and Boathouse in McAdenville

- Open a satellite office in the Northern Basin in Morganton, NC complete with a state certified lab

- Develop the Outdoor Classroom in Ft. Lawn, SC

- Purchase a Floating Classroom to be docked on Lake Norman in spring 2023

- Expand our education and engagement programs across the basin

- Expand our work to protect our important urban creeks and streams in Mecklenburg County.

For all of you who have participated in Vision 2025, we want to say a huge “thank you” for helping us accomplish so much over the past 3 years. If you haven’t had an opportunity to contribute financially yet to Vision 2025, I would encourage you to stop by The River Room in McAdenville, participate in one of our upcoming programs, or spend some time on our redesigned website learning about all of the work we are doing and let us know where you would like to direct your gift.

It is a beautiful view from the banks of the river today because I can see them from the front patio of our offices and I know that our team of nearly 7,000 members and growing is behind us to ensure clean and plentiful water for generations to come.

For the River,

John Searby