Celebrate Whatcom Water Week with virtual Run with the Chums

The 8th annual Run with the Chums event, started by the Whatcom Conservation District in 2013 to spread watershed awareness, will proceed this year – despite the pandemic – by virtually educating and bringing the community together. Participants can join in any time throughout Whatcom Water Week, which is September 12-19, to “choose their own adventure” and document their experiences online.

The event usually consists of a 5K fun run, a salmon-themed obstacle course for kids, educational booths, and a raffle with prizes. Aneka Sweeney, education and outreach coordinator for the Whatcom Conservation District, said the event celebrates clean water and brings attention to how valuable the Terrell Creek watershed is. Sweeney defines a watershed as an area of land that drains into a common body of water, such as the area that drains into Terrell Creek and eventually Birch Bay.

“It’s really about having that one-on-one connection and engaging opportunities for folks to learn more about what’s going on in their watershed,”
Sweeney said.

This year’s event will take place at each participant’s discretion. Participants can register online until Friday, September 4, to receive a race packet that includes a free Run with the Chums headband and conservation pledge. Then during Whatcom Water Week, participants can choose to walk, run or bike on their own schedule at the location of their choosing. The event’s website includes a map of suggested project sites to visit that have improved water quality, fish habitat and land stewardship.

To document their experiences, participants can take a photo of themselves with their conservation pledge at the site they visited and share it on the event’s Facebook page or email it to asweeney@whatcomcd.org with the subject line “Run with the Chums 2020.” Those who submit their photos will be entered into a raffle to win one of five prizes; winners will be randomly selected at the end of Whatcom Water Week.

The conservation pledge is designed to help participants think about how they can “be a steward of the land,” Sweeney said. Whether that means cleaning storm drains or planting trees, Sweeney said everyone can do their part to help ensure no pollutants – such as animal waste or toxic chemicals – go into our waters.

“Whether they live on a small piece of land in Birch Bay Village or they have farm animals in the county, everybody can do something to help improve the watershed,” Sweeney said.

For more information, to register and to view the project site map visit whatcomcd.org/run-with-the-chums.