In these challenging and uncertain times, our small staff at Friends of the Teton River (FTR) has been fortunate to keep working on our highest priority watershed conservation projects and programs remotely from our homes, on the river, or in the field. As our community grapples with Covid-19 impacts and cutbacks, we believe it’s of the utmost importance to renew our commitment to you—that we will continue to protect and improve the water resources we all share by working collaboratively with our community partners, using science and place-based solutions.
We are doing work we never thought possible. Twenty years ago, we may not have dreamed we’d be working with generational farmers and ranchers to plant cover crops or use no-till methods, adopting ways to manage water that meets the needs of agriculture and fish, and monitoring soil and water health together. We couldn’t have predicted we’d become a model for innovative fisheries research in the West, completing dozens of small-scale to multi-million-dollar stream restoration projects, and recovering native cutthroat numbers that were on the brink. FTR has had many “firsts” over the years, setting the precedent for how a watershed group can work and what can be accomplished through creativity and collaboration.
We have come a long way by working together. By listening and learning from local voices and community leaders, we have been able to find win-win solutions and to cultivate a shared sense of responsibility for the Teton River watershed. Your donation not only gives us the capacity to keep working on essential projects, programs, and services—it strengthens our ability to support our community when they need it most, with grants and resources that are invested into the local economy and ecosystem. Working together is how we do business, and during the current health crisis, grassroots collaborative efforts have proven to be what makes our communities stronger and even more resilient.
We wouldn’t be here without you. Contributions through the Tin Cup Challenge provide the essential operational support that keeps our staff working and our nonprofit running. FTR counts on the generosity of two hundred individuals and families — like you — that contribute through the Tin Cup each year. Half of FTR’s public support each year comes from you and the Tin Cup Challengers during the two-month giving period. Big or small, your Tin Cup contribution makes a difference.
Thank you for your commitment to us, for all or part of the last twenty years.
From all of us at Friends of the Teton River, thank you for your commitment and care of our river and streams. We know that there are many critical needs at this time, and we have all been impacted in different ways. We ask you to support our efforts for clean water, healthy streams, and a thriving fishery however you can. This year’s Tin Cup Challenge will look a bit different than other years, without a community gathering or race day. What remains the same is the spirit of giving that empowers our community to rally together in support of those things that matter to us—now and long into the future.
Anna Lindstedt
Development Director
Amy Verbeten
Executive Director