Washburn County Lakes & Rivers Association is an active group and, since the board is all volunteer, we can always use additional help to assure that we can do our best to protect the waters of the county. Here are some ways you can help:
Become a member
» Click here to print a membership application.
» Click here to fill in our online application, with payment through PayPal.
Make a donation to our special projects funds
There are three of these:
- The Education Fund supports programs and activities to inform the general public—both youth and adults—about the importance of protecting our waters, including ways they can help. One of these programs is our Youth Environmental Stewardship program, a partnership with the Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary and the Long Lake Protective Association. We send children from the four Washburn County school systems to Hunt Hill for field days to study water quality and become aware of the importance of protecting our waters. To donate to the Education Fund, click here.
- The Preservation Fund is used for projects that directly further the protection of important water resources in our county. These include matching grants, AIS programs and water resource protection. Recent examples include the acquisition of 260 acres along the Totogatic River and 125 acres along Potato Creek, a tributary of the Namekagon. We don’t retain ownership of these lands, but donate them to partners who will see to their protection into the future. To donate to the Preservation Fund, click here.
- The Discretionary Fund supplements membership dues as another source of funds for the general operations of the organization and its programs. The donor allows the Board of Directors to identify needs and determine the best use of these donations. To donate to the Discretionary Fund, click here.
Serve on a WCLRA committee
We invite non-board input into our work. Most of the committee work is intermittent, often accomplished through e-mail rather than meetings.
Our Committees
Communication: provide content for and oversee the newsletters and website; communicate with area media about our work.
Education: work with partners for youth education and devise ways to inform the general public about WCLRA, including displays at area events.
Finance: set financial policy and oversee income and expenses.
Government/environment: monitor the zoning and land use decisions of the county government. Monitor state legislative initiatives that impact water resources statewide.
Membership: maintain an accurate data base of group and individual members. Check with the county yearly for information to provide new lakeshore owners with a complimentary membership. Recruit new group and individual memberships.
To assist with the work on any of these committees, send us an e-mail at info@WCLRA.org and the committee chair will be in touch with you.
Attend our meetings
Everyone is invited to join us at our monthly WCLRA board meetings. We often tackle interesting issues affecting the waters here in Washburn County and get updates from our colleagues in natural resource agencies.
We meet monthly, usually the 3rd Friday of the month, January through November, 9 a.m., the Oscar Johnson 4-H Center at the Washburn County Fairgrounds. Our annual meeting is usually the 4th Saturday of August at various county locations. Contact one of our Board members to confirm time and place of a meeting.
