SARSAS Article for Placer Arts Perspective Magazine

Save Auburn Ravine Salmon and Steelhead Inc. (SARSAS), an all-volunteer 501C3 Non-profit, public benefit corporation, is doing with one stream, the Auburn Ravine, what must be done with all streams on the entire West Coast, and that is to make its entire thirty three mile length, starting in Auburn, flowing through Ophir and Lincoln and Verona, where it empties into the Sacramento River, navigable for anadromous fishes.

The health and well-being of the salmon and steelhead is directly linked to that of the people, us, mankind. If we improve the health and well being of salmon and steelhead, we improve the health and well-being on all mankind and therefore ourselves.

Salmon and steelhead are as resilient and adaptable as human; when they can no longer adapt, neither can mankind. They need our help … now … and by helping them we are helping ourselves to endure and prevail.
SARSAS is sponsoring the Calling Back the Salmon Celebration in Lincoln, which will be held in McBean Park in the heart of Lincoln on the Auburn Ravine on Saturday, October 23, 2010. The all-day event is chaired by SARSAS Board Member, former Lincoln City Council Member and School Board Member Stan Nader of Lincoln. Stan can be contacted at 916 300 4335 or emailed at stann@gtcinternet.com to volunteer to help shape and organize this event or just ask questions.

The mission of the SARSAS CALLING BACK THE SALMON CELEBRATION is to stimulate a collaborative relationship between the Auburn Ravine Community of Auburn and Lincoln, and groups and government organizations to educate and engage everyone to the importance of returning the salmon and steelhead runs to the Auburn Ravine. The presence of healthy salmon and steelhead in a healthy Auburn Ravine is a nexus to a healthy Auburn Ravine community and environment.

SARSAS wishes to connect with the Auburn Ravine Community to promote student and community Stream Teams, Salmon/Steelhead and Watershed Stewards. Potential activities for these groups include watershed habitat restoration, monitoring water quality, fish counts, classroom fish raising and replanting fish, observing fish morphology and other aquatic life to determine food sources for the fish. Working collaboratively SARSAS wishes to develop partnerships with agencies, environmental organizations and, most of all, with individual members and groups of the Auburn Ravine community and promote Auburn Ravine community participation in local water quality and fish and wildlife enhancement and educational outreach programs. Only the people volunteering can make the SARSAS dream a reality. First comes the dream, then the vision, then the plan. Now we need volunteers to make the plan a reality.
Many activities are planned at the Calling Back the Salmon Celebration. Activities for Children include a Salmon Run (footrace), Treasure hunt, Climbing Wall, Pony Rides, Face Painting, Carnival Games with a SARSAS bent, Crafts Projects (Painting, drawing, ceramics), and Watershed Model Interactive Display.

Activities for Everyone include Multiple Musical presentations including
Loping Wolf Flute Circle flutecircle@lopingwolf.com Dan Dicicco
http://www.lopingwolf.com/, Local Folk music performers and Commercial and non-profit vendors and informational displays.

Local Native American Indigenous People are planning to performing various activities, which will include calling back the salmon in tradition indigenous ways. SARSAS is extremely delighted that Local Indigenous Americans are stepping forward to help return salmon and steelhead to the Auburn Ravine, the most important local waterway, the Auburn Ravine, which was once the primary source of salmon, a major food source for indigenous peoples for centuries. Native American efforts help will be invaluable to the success of returning anadromous fishes to their native waterway, the Auburn Ravine.

SARSAS invites the entire Auburn Ravine Community to come to the McBean Park Calling Back the Salmon Celebration to learn what SARSAS is doing to return salmon and check us out at www.sarsas.org.