Portland, OR– The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) received a $7,500 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation to improve tribal fishers’ access to boating safety equipment. The grant will support a cost-sharing program to help offset the expense of personal flotation devices and emergency boat beacons for tribal fishers.
CRITFC’s safety equipment cost-sharing program will be unveiled at the Indian Fishers Expo in Hood River, Oregon on July 28.
The grant was submitted as part of the CRITFC’s campaign to increase tribal fisher safety on the river and create a Columbia River Fishers Memorial at Columbia Hills State Park near Dallesport, Washington. For over 30 years, the four Columbia River treaty tribes have desired to build a memorial to honor lost fishers and to encourage safety for all who use the river.
“The Columbia River offers many gifts and many challenges. Adequate safety equipment can make the difference between life and death,” said Jaime Pinkham, Executive Director for CRITFC. “We are working toward the day when every tribal fisher has a life jacket. This grant from the Wildhorse Foundation helps further that goal.”
The Wildhorse Foundation is managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) in partnership with the Wildhorse Resort and Casino. It was formed for the purpose of formalizing the charitable giving on behalf of Wildhorse Resort & Casino and CTUIR.