WE DID IT!!! One million dollars raised!!!
With the signing of the state budget, Our Forest Fund’s request for $748,000* has come through. Our successful Small Business Matching Campaign and the Kitsap Great Give donations have brought our coffers up to $277,051. Therefore, we have raised $1,025,051, which is absolutely staggering!
All Due to You, Forest Lovers
All due to YOU and many others who believe in saving trees and working together to help mitigate climate change. You are terrific! Our Forest Fund couldn’t have done it without you.
Nor without Rep. Greg Nance who sponsored the capital budget request, nor without the support of Rep. Tarra Simmons, Sen. Drew Hansen, and all the members of the legislature who helped pass it.
And a special shout-out to Kitsap County Commissioner Christine Rolfes. She has been immensely helpful and supportive of Our Forest Fund and is fully behind the mission to save the trees in the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park.
What’s Next?
Commissioner Rolfes is already moving forward in contracting with Forterra to start the negotiations with Rayonier, Inc. The contract for the state budget allocation will be delivered to the county sometime in June, and the other bureaucratic machinations, which are above our paygrade, are already being shepherded by the Commissioner. Kitsap County is very fortunate to have her!
Remember, we will still need to raise more money to buy all of the 680 acres. A timber cruise (assessment) is in the works so that all parties know what they are negotiating for. Once a price is agreed upon, then we will know what our new target will be.
But right now, we just want to say THANK YOU ALL, from the bottom of our hearts, for your support, generosity and vision. For all your emails to our representatives in Olympia telling them how important forests are to Washingtonians. For keeping your eyes on the prize. For leaving all the distractions, dismay and doom behind and saying, ‘We must save this forest. You are AWESOME!
(*When a capital budget request is allocated, an automatic administration fee is added on, so that is why you may see the number $773,000, but we figure that admin fee will not be spent purchasing trees directly, so we are not counting it.)
