The Friends of the Cedar River Watershed, a local nonprofit group dedicated to protecting the local habitat and King County's water supply, recently partnered with Bizzarro Italian Café in Wallingford for a fund-raiser supporting the group's goals.
The fund-raiser, in which a percentage of the restaurant's profit for the night was donated to the Friends of the Cedar River Watershed, was the latest of numerous such events that the group has held at local restaurants over the last several years.
According to Sue Rooney, executive director of the nonprofit organization, the restaurants have contributed an average of 25 percent of their profits on event nights since the dinners began around four years ago.
"The goal is to find several key restaurant partners, who are not only doing it just to support a good cause but want to have their patrons invest in the cause," Rooney said.
That cause, according to Rooney, involves the protection and maintenance of the habitat surrounding the Cedar River Watershed, a system of streams, rivers and reservoirs responsible for providing King County with two-thirds of its drinking water.
Some of the work that goes into protecting the watershed, includes tree planting and weed clearing in the lower Cedar River basin.
CREATIVE COOPERATION
In starting the dinner events, The Friends of the Cedar River Watershed were "looking for creative ways to engage the community in the watershed itself," Rooney said.
Bizzaro's owner and chef Mike Easton became aware of the events after catering a private party and meeting Rooney.
"I think the education and maintaining of our natural resources is fairly important," Easton said. "I'm definitely in support of supporting the community."
Bizzarro, 1307 N. 46th St., has been involved in numerous fund-raisers, including supporting the fight against cancer and helping fund-raise for a local Boys & Girls Club.
Some of the other restaurants that have hosted these dinner events include Bengal Tiger East Indian Cuisine in Roosevelt, Bella Rosa Bistro Italiano in Ravenna and Wedgwood Ale House.
The restaurants' involvement has been crucial to Rooney's goals, which also include "educat[ing] citizens on the importance of protecting their watershed, as they are the end-users," he said.
In the more than 10 events that the group has put on at restaurants, they have raised between $400 and $1,100 at each event, Rooney said.
EDUCATION IS KEY
Part of the education process includes the Cedar River Salmon Journey, where naturalists educate people on the life cycles of local salmon.
"What we're trying to engender is a sense of ownership through the story of the salmon," Rooney said. "We are also obliged under the Endangered Species Act to restore the habitat and river conditions for chinook salmon, which are threatened."
Non-point pollution, which happens when dangerous chemicals get swept into the river system, are a huge cause of bad water quality, which results in endangered wildlife. This pollution comes from washing your car on the street or dumping other chemicals into drains.
Additionally, invasive plant species in the habitat are continuously crowding out other plants, throwing off the biological balance and weakening the opportunity for other plant and animal species to thrive, Rooney said.
Additionally the organization, which began in 1996, encourages people to get involved, as it relies on the contributions of around 400 volunteers every year.
"Get involved, go to public meetings and come out and plant trees," Rooney said. For more information, go to www.cedarriver.org.
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