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PRIEST RIVER — Selkirk Alliance for Science invites the public to learn how scientists analyze land features to infer past, current and future river or floodplain formations.
Eric Berntsen, Water, Habitat, and Environment Program Manager for the Kalispel Natural Resources Department, will describe his study of historical maps and current topography for the Lower Priest River to provide context for future land management decisions.
This 30-minute SAS Power of Science presentation is 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 at a meeting of the Priest River Watershed Group in the West Bonner Library, 118 Main St., Priest River. Additional supporters include the Kalispel Natural Resource Department, Responsible Growth Northeast Washington, Create Arts and Community Center and PRWG.
Attendance is free to everyone.
Free book program restored for 40,000 kids
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Imagination Library of Washington recently received two new grants that will help restore Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free age-appropriate books each month to Washington children from birth to age five.
Commitments from the Roots & Wings Foundation and The JTMF Foundation will stabilize ILWA’s 50% book-cost match that supports local program partners and enables the program to restore service in paused communities as quickly as possible.
Together, these commitments provide critical immediate support while creating a stronger foundation for statewide program stability.
“This extraordinary support will help thousands of Washington children once again receive a new book in the mail each month,” said Brooke Fisher-Clark, Imagination Library of Washington executive director.
The combined support is expected to ultimately restore access for approximately 40,000 children and return the program to full statewide coverage. Once restoration is complete, total statewide enrollment is expected to exceed 100,000 children.
Roots & Wings committed $3 million to ILWA to support program stability over the next two years. During the current fiscal year, that investment will work alongside a significant tiered contribution from The JTMF Foundation to support the 50% book-cost match, helping local program partners maintain existing service and restore service in paused communities.
These commitments build upon additional private philanthropic support received during the funding gap, which helped ILWA maintain operations and prepare to restore service.
ILWA has begun reactivating service in communities where local program partners are ready to resume operations. The organization is also actively recruiting and onboarding new nonprofit partners in regions that currently lack a local program partner. Restoration timing will vary by community.
“We are deeply grateful to Roots & Wings Foundation and The JTMF Foundation for helping restore service and stabilize the book-cost match our local partners depend on,” Fisher-Clark said. “Their investments provide critical stability now, but renewed public funding remains vital to sustaining statewide access for Washington children over the long term.”
For more information, go to www.imaginationlibrarywashington. org.
The Newport Friends of The Library supports the program; find out more at www.pocld.org/friends-ofthe- library.
