Chelan Earth Day Fair committee awards $2,500 in local donations

CHELAN — The Chelan Earth Day Fair planning committee has awarded $2,500 in donations to three organizations following this year’s community event.

The largest award, $1,500, was presented to the Lake Chelan Research Institute in support of its work studying the ecology of Lake Chelan.

“One of the institute’s goals is to explore the lake’s depths to better understand how the lake functions and encourage a greater interest in the lake by the public,” said Executive Director Phil Long. He said the group has been able to conduct research using a Remote Operated Vehicle, or ROV, but needs additional trained pilots. “In order to continue our ROV dives, we need to train and develop the skills of additional pilots, and this will help fund their training and participation in our ROV dives. We plan to leverage these funds with funds we already have that support taking students out on Lake Chelan to introduce them to environmental science.”

The committee also awarded $500 each to the Chelan Valley Feral Cat Project and Plug-In North Central Washington. The funds will support the cat rescue program and help maintain Plug-In NCW’s network of electric vehicle charging stations.

Event co-coordinator Gary Myers credited the role of local sponsors in making the donations possible. “Each year they step forward to support us and our efforts. We couldn’t do it without them,” Myers said.

The next Chelan Earth Day Fair is scheduled for April 18, 2026, at Riverwalk Park.