My View From the River
A Message from Executive Director John Searby.
The end of spring and beginning of summer is always a time of transition both personally and professionally. With a high school senior graduating this year and closing one chapter of his life while another one opens, I am especially reminded this year that this time of transition is natural and necessary for us to grow and mature as humans. Nature is experiencing a similar transition. Spring blooms are fully open now and adapting to warmer temperatures. Spring showers that have been severe in some parts of our river basin and caused flooding and sedimentation are calming, reminding us that a dry, hot summer could be right around the corner. Our programs are shifting from spring to summer activities, as well. And I am looking forward to some long summer days providing an opportunity for evening paddles on the South Fork where I live.
Summer brings Swim Guide at Catawba Riverkeeper, and Swim Guide brings a flurry of activity to our offices. This year, our summer work will be bolstered by 6 interns generously supported by the Borman Family Foundation. At over 60 sites around the basin, volunteers will grab water quality samples at popular swimming spots and bring them to our labs in McAdenville and Morganton for processing. Our staff and interns will test them for E. coli bacteria, an indicator of whether it is safe to swim or not. Each Friday afternoon we’ll post the results on our social media sites and text message platforms so that you know if you’re favorite spot is safe for the upcoming weekend. Swim Guide is sponsored by Nucor and individuals all across the basin, so I hope you’ll download our app and check it out each week!
The other big shift for our staff that summer brings is an increase in our recreational programing. The summer weather makes it the perfect time to get out on the water for one of our Eco-Tours or to rent a kayak from us at The Boathouse in McAdenville or Confluence in Cramerton. We’ve also got spots left in our Summer Camps that we are doing in partnership with Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. If your family is looking for a fun way to give back this summer, I hope you'll consider joining in our "Cleanup Champion Challenge" during the month of June and see how many pounds of trash you can cleanup from our waterways. To learn more, head over to our website to learn more and challenge your neighbors to participate!
The final big area of focus for our team this summer is engaging with and getting you engaged with our elected officials across the river basin. For legislators in both North and South Carolina, their spring sessions are wrapping up and they are heading into their summer break. We are going to take this opportunity to connect you with them when we host our Pig Pickin’ and Politicin' Event on July 13th in McAdenville. You’ll get the chance to hear from your legislators about their conservation priorities and we’ll be sharing our 2025 legislative agenda with you so that you know what we’re going to be working on going into next year’s legislative session. Please join us and several other conservation non-profits in the region for this fun event.
As you make your transition from spring to summer, I hope you will have the opportunity to get outside on or near the water. If the summer provides you an opportunity to spend time on the water, I hope you’ll also consider supporting our work at Catawba Riverkeeper. As the only independent, non-profit, on-the-water advocate for the nearly 4 million people who live in our river basin, we rely on your support to ensure that we can continue our work in ALL SEASONS. I hope your summer view of the river is great!
John Searby
CEO/Executive Director
