Hello all!

Thank you for expressing interest in the Fraser River Ripple Effect Relay and Fundraiser (FRRE). We have had an exciting and busy last couple months and it's likely it will continue that way through the end of August. Our recent activities are listed below, as well as ideas on how you can get involved. Like many others acting for wild Pacific salmon, our flurry of activities comes from the belief actions to help save the wild salmon need to be timely, strong, widespread and supported by many.

1. The Fraser River Ripple Effect launched our first campaign,"Poisson D'Avrl" April 1, 2010.

'April 1st in English is April Fool's Day - in French it is Poisson D'Avril - April fish. The Poisson D’Avril Campaign (PD’AC) is a fundraiser and a salmon awareness campaign during the month of April, as "we can no longer be so foolish with our fish". Just like wearing poppies and pink ribbons, for the month of April we will raise awareness for the fish. People will wear fish buttons or paper fish and business and private windows looking onto the streets will display fish images. When we see fish everywhere we are reminded to care for them when they need to be cared for.'

The Poisson D'Avril Campaign is about increasing the awareness for fish by growing the number of fish images we see. Watch for dancing fish handing out buttons, cut outs and window art in neighbourhoods near you or make your way to a FRRE Display, Distribution & Collection Centre. (http://foolishaprilfish.com/content/where-find-fish#DDCC) Along with the buttons, paper fish cut outs and window art, there are daily "Foolish Fish Image" challenges throughout the month of April listed on the www.FoolishAprilFish.com website.

What you can do: Check www.FoolishAprilFish.com for a new picture-taking challenge every day in April and send your photos by email to images@FoolishAprilFish.com or post them on the Poisson D'Avril Facebook event wall: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=photos&ref=ts&gid=235830418975#!/event.php?eid=101808616520832&ref=ts.

Why this helps: Foolish April Fish is about taking action and engaging many people to do the same. Small actions, taking 30 seconds to 10 minutes, done by many people help raise awareness. Some other small actions that you can take to celebrate Poisson D’Avril include:

* Join The Ripple Effect Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=photos&ref=ts&gid=235830418975#!/event.php?eid=101808616520832&ref=ts
* Sign up for the Poisson D'Avril Facebook eventhttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=photos&ref=ts&gid=235830418975#!/event.php?eid=101808616520832&ref=ts
* Submit your own fish drawings to see if they become Foolish Fish Artwork: Art@FoolishAprilFish.com
* Cut out your own paper fish and paste it, a picture, a drawing or Foolish Fish Art on your home or office window facing the street
* Wear a fish on your lapel. Foolish April Fish Buttons will be available soon. Look for them and how to get one on the Ripple Effect Facebook Group page, the Poisson D'Avril Facebook Event page or the www.FoolishAprilFish.com website.
* Give someone else a fish to wear and a fish to put in their window
* Make your place of business a FRRE Display, Distribution & Collection Centre
* Host a "Foolish Fish Party" to raise funds for the campaign

The Ripple Effect is not the only organisation celebrating April—the month that juvenile salmon migrate to the ocean. Salmon Talk Lillooet's Talk to DFO, Alex Morton/SalmonAreSacred's GET OUT Migration and Stoney Creek Environment Committee's Great Salmon Send-Off have their own initiatives, and the list is growing. Check out what other provincial, national and international groups are doing at http://foolishaprilfish.com/content/get-involved. Contact me if you would like to have your event or initiative listed on the www.FoolishAprilFish.com website.

2. Ripple Effect Society Name Approval

The Fraser River Ripple Effect Relay and Fundraiser Society name has had its name request approved. The next step is to complete the registration of our organization as a society and the incorporation of it, which we hope to have complete by the end of April.

3. The Relay

A schedule for the relay has been drafted and the FRRE is now confirming events and speakers. Dates and events will be posted as they are confirmed on both the www.RippleRelay.com and www.FoolishAprilFish.com websites. If you are interested in speaking at or helping with any of the Riverside events please email michelle@ripplerelay.ca. The following is an outline of the speaker themes for the Riverside Events

Dunster - We are all connected
Prince George - What is a society?
Quesnel - Connection to the earth - Dance, Art, Music
Xat'sul Heritage Village - Intro to discussion
Lilloet - Sustainable communities
Langley - Food and food choices
Pitt River - Initiating inclusivity and actions for solutions
New West - Salmon Gala
Vancouver - 8 million coming home - Offering and Celebration

Spots on the raft are available to purchase for river segments of the relay from Prince George to Vancouver. A Floatilla from Hope to Vancouver is being organized. Please contact Michelle and michelle@ripplerelay.ca with the subject line of Raft Spot or Floatilla if you are interested in joining the 2010 Fraser River Ripple Relay.

4. Fundraising

We are looking to build our operations budget for the organization and relay. We are currently unable to offer tax receipts for any donations made although partnerships for this year and charity status for next year are being considered.

Membership within the FRRE is now available to be purchased. A basic membership is $25/ year and includes a paper fish cut-out in your name, a voting stone at FRRE Annual General Meetings. A builders membership is $100 + which includes the basic membership plus the FRRE builders newsletter and the option to "sign" your name to the FRRE "Builders Wall" located on the www.ripplerelay.com website.

A group, business and organization can become a PD'AC Sponsor. Sponsor options will be various levels of visibility on the Foolish April Fish.com website and at PD'AC displays and events

* Spawner Sponsor ($25 - $499)
* Smolt Sponsor ($500 - $2799)
* FRRE Wild Salmon Sponsor ($2800 - $4999)
* Foolish April Fish Sponsor ($5000 +)

Individuals and businesses will be canvassed to pledge the relay for each kilometer that the relay will complete. A combination of hiking, biking and swimming will be used to complete this summer’s 1400km Fraser River Ripple Relay. Ripple Relay Pledge Sheets will be available at Foolish April Fish events and at participating FRRE Display, Distribution & Collection Centres. Ripple Relay Pledge and Donation pages on both www.ripplerelay.com and www.foolishapilfish.com will be available once the society has been incorporated.

RIPPLE RELAY PENNY PLEDGE - 0.01$/km X 1400km = 14$
RIPPLE RELAY NICKEL PLEDGE - 0.05$/km X 1400km = 70$
RIPPLE RELAY DIME PLEDGE - 0.10$/km X 1400km = 140$
RIPPLE RELAY QUARTER PLEDGE - 0.25$/km X 1400km = 350$
RIPPLE RELAY LOONIE PLEDGE - 1.00$/km X 1400km = 1400$
RIPPLE RELAY TWOONIE PLEDGE - 2.00$/km X 1400km = 2800$

RIPPLE RELAY FRRE WILD SALMON PLEDGE - _____ $/km X 1400km = ______$($1 - $2799)
RIPPLE RELAY FOOLISH APRIL FISH PLEDGE - ______$/km X 1400km = ______$($2801 +)

If you would like to purchase a membership, sponsor the relay or make a Ripple Relay Pledge, please email michelle@ripplerelay.ca.

Michelle Nickerson
The Fraser River Ripple Effect Relay and Fundraiser
Poisson D'Avril Campaign - 'we can no longer be so foolish with our fish'
www.foolishaprilfish.com
www.ripplerelay.com (official site launch April 30th)

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