KIDE-FM
Klamath Trinity Joint Unified School District
Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Allie Hostler, KIDE FM (530) 625-4245
Teresa Cyr, Fish Fair Coordinator (530) 625-4223 ext. 318
Melodie George, Salmon Run Coordinator (530) 625-4218 ext. 38

2002 Fish Kill releases stream of political and educational events

"Fish Be not Dammed," say the organizers of the 3rd annual Salmon Run, which is taking place on May 27th. The theme for this year’s run is intended to call attention to the five hydroelectric dams on the main-stem Klamath River. These dams are up for re-licensing in 2006. The Hoopa High School Service Learning students who are organizing the event hope to raise awareness about issues related to decommissioning the dams which have caused serious harm to the Klamath Basin fisheries by blocking all fish passage in the upper basin and reducing needed water flows.

The run will start at the Mouth of the Klamath River in the early morning hours of May 27th with a jet boat relay scheduled to arrive at Young’s Bar Landing on Highway 169 at 8 AM. There, runners will begin their relay on foot carrying a symbolic salmon up the river to the mouth of the South Fork of the Trinity River, east of the town of Willow Creek on Highway 299. A separate leg of the relay will branch off at the confluence of the Trinity and Klamath Rivers at Weitchpec and continue up the Klamath until reaching the mouth of the Salmon River. The footrace portion of the run extends more than 70 miles.

While the symbolic fish is being passed from runner to runner, the 3rd annual Fish Fair will be taking place at Hoopa Elementary School. Salmon runners will rally at the Fish Fair at 12:30 PM while passing through Hoopa.

Two HES teachers, Teresa Cyr and the late Rhonda Marshall, deemed that a community event was needed to commemorate the estimated 70,000 Chinook and Coho salmon whose lives were lost in a massive fish kill in the lower Klamath in the fall of 2002.. That spring, they organized the Fish Fair to educate students and families about fish and their habitat. The Salmon Run was initiated by Hoopa High School students as a service learning project around the same time. The fair and run quickly attracted participation from organizations and residents throughout the watershed and have become popular annual events.

There will be demonstrations, storytellers, games, activities, power-point presentations, outdoor activities, displays, and a salmon barbeque. The educational event will feature speakers and representatives from local environmental and political agencies. The Fair begins at 9AM and goes until 2:15PM at Hoopa Elementary School. All interested parties or individuals are invited and encouraged to attend these events.

For more information contact
KIDE FM Radio (530) 625-4245, allieehostler@yahoo.com
Teresa Cyr (530) 625-4223 ext. 318, tmarshall-cyr@internet.humboldt.k12.ca.us
Melodie George (530) 625-4218 ext. 38, mkgcarpenter@hotmail.com