Upper Valley Historical Society operates the local Greater Leavenworth Museum in its beautiful new downtown Leavenworth location. UVHS recently received Icicle Fund support to update their Collection Management System from inefficient spreadsheets and binders to a new software application system of automated and efficient cataloging and tracking of original and digitized photos, artifacts, and archival items. The new system will allow members and visitors to view archival scanned images at a collection Research Station. “Implementing a professional archival management system has been a team effort involving many volunteer hours, new learnings, head-scratching, and, ultimately, the realization that this museum will have all of its valuable artifacts documented and accessible for current and future generations. We are excited about the possibilities!” Margaret Neighbors, UVHS Board Member

The Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest, put on by the Wenatchee River Institute and North Central Washington Audubon Society, occurs every 3rd weekend in May.

Northern Pygmy Owl

Whitebark Pine Snag, Washington Pass

Artist: Heather A. Wallis Murphy

CHA CHA Artist in Residence Program

Methow Valley, October 2020

photo credit: Justin Haug

Conservation Northwest collaborates with conservation groups to assist Colville Confederated Tribes to acquire massive Okanogan land tract. The 9,243 acre property is both an ecological linchpin and part of the Tribes’ original reservation.

Wenatchee River Institute

After a long pause due to COVID, The Merc Playhouse Society produced The Fantastic Mr. Fox in March 2022. “It was the best night of my life!” said one sixth grader. Check out the trailer here to see what it was all about.

Dangerous Women is a diverse collective of female (and some male) artists based in the center of Washington State. They bring the forgotten or repressed histories of remarkable women and feminine archetypes to life on stage. The performers, writers and crew are risk takers and leaders. Pooling their talents, they present original productions that utilize a rainbow of art forms including dance, visual art, spoken word and music. The productions, staged every other year, are designed to entertain and enlighten individuals and community. Dangerous Women’s goal is to empower all people regardless of race, gender or political persuasion.

Methow Arts Alliance

CHA CHA Artist in Residence Program

Methow Valley, October 2020

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, the Icicle Fund hosted two Artist-In-Residence events to celebrate the Conservation, History and Arts (CHA) of North Central Washington at the Methow River (October 2-4, 2020) and the Wenatchee River (May 21-23 2021). The goal of the residencies was to honor, celebrate and record the unique environmental aspects of each location, inspired by revisiting past work created by poet William Stafford in the Methow Valley (1993) or Watershed Artists in the Wenatchee Valley (2001).

Chelan Douglas Land Trust

Wenatchee Foothills, Horse Lake Preserve

The Nature Conservancy

photo credit: Tom Williams

Theater Youth Camp

Beyond the Frame - Edward S Curtis exhibition

Hawkwatch International

After exploratory surveys at Chelan Ridge HawkWatch in 1997, HWI, in partnership with the USFS Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, began annual standardized counts at the site in 1998 to monitor and learn more about raptors migrating through the east Cascades of Washington within the Pacific Coast Flyway. Counts typically range between 2,000-3,000 migrants of up to 17 species per season. The most commonly seen species are the Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Harrier, Golden Eagle, and American Kestrel. HWI has also been banding raptors at Chelan Ridge since 2001 and has used the site to conduct satellite tracking research.

Chelan Ridge HawkWatch is located on USFS Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest public land, and we welcome people and groups to visit and learn about raptor migration and local ecology.

The Ripple Foundation's Elder Speak program mission is to guide Elders to awareness of their wisdom and the value of their life experience. The Elder Speak vision is to provide tools that help the Elders bring this vital and transferable Elder wisdom into their family and community. This provides families and communities a broader base to stand on, a deeper strength to lean into, and more resiliency and understanding among its members.

Icicle Fund is proud to support The Ripple Foundation’s upcoming manual and companion film to be released in 2022 that will outline the Elder Speak Experience as a guidebook to be used by communities. The manual will contain the structure of the program, the experience of discussions, wisdom worksheets and the Elders journey to wisdom. It will provide the tools to connect wisdom with family and younger generations. The companion film will support and demonstrate the depth of the Elder Speak Experience and how profoundly it impacts community.

Tonasket Community Cultural Center

Chumstick Wildfire Stewardship Coalition

Upper Valley Connection Theater Camp

Cascade Fisheries

Wasteloop

Waste Loop inspires and transforms local waste streams into sustainable resources in the greater Leavenworth area. We CONNECT with people and businesses to INSPIRE innovative solutions to local waste and recycle challenges & in-turn MOTIVATE action to integrate solutions into the community. We imagine supportive and thriving communities where the concept of ‘waste’ no longer exists and resources are valued throughout their lifecycle.

Methow Arts Alliance

CHA CHA Artist in Residence Program

Methow Valley, October 2020

Dangerous Women

2018 Performance of “Victorious”

Classroom in Bloom

Wenatchee Valley YMCA

The mural, “Better Together Mejor Juntos”, was a creation of artists Heather Dappen and Ellen Smith as a vibrant visual cue reminding everyone of the creativity and imagination that exists in the Wenatchee Valley. The phrase in English and Spanish shows the two aspects of Wenatchee but as one community.

Leavenworth Summer Theater

Sound of Music

The Merc Playhouse

Classroom in Bloom

Bench Collage

photo credit: Alex Farrell

Methow Valley Citizens Council

Classroom in Bloom

Ethnobotany

Methow Arts Alliance

Youth Arts Initiative

Methow Arts Alliance

CHA CHA Artist in Residence Program

Methow Valley, October 2020

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, the Icicle Fund hosted two Artist-In-Residence events to celebrate the Conservation, History and Arts (CHA) of North Central Washington at the Methow River (October 2-4, 2020) and the Wenatchee River (May 21-23 2021). The goal of the residencies was to honor, celebrate and record the unique environmental aspects of each location, inspired by revisiting past work created by poet William Stafford in the Methow Valley (1993) or Watershed Artists in the Wenatchee Valley (2001).

Wenatchee River Institute

Fire Awareness

Methow Arts Alliance

CHA CHA Artist in Residence Program

Methow Valley, October 2020

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, the Icicle Fund hosted two Artist-In-Residence events to celebrate the Conservation, History and Arts (CHA) of North Central Washington at the Methow River (October 2-4, 2020) and the Wenatchee River (May 21-23 2021). The goal of the residencies was to honor, celebrate and record the unique environmental aspects of each location, inspired by revisiting past work created by poet William Stafford in the Methow Valley (1993) or Watershed Artists in the Wenatchee Valley (2001).

Methow Arts Alliance

CHA CHA Artist in Residence Program

Methow Valley, October 2020

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, the Icicle Fund hosted two Artist-In-Residence events to celebrate the Conservation, History and Arts (CHA) of North Central Washington at the Methow River (October 2-4, 2020) and the Wenatchee River (May 21-23 2021). The goal of the residencies was to honor, celebrate and record the unique environmental aspects of each location, inspired by revisiting past work created by poet William Stafford in the Methow Valley (1993) or Watershed Artists in the Wenatchee Valley (2001).

Washington Trails Association

Youth Volunteer Vacation

Alta Lake

Upper Valley Connection Theater Camp

Methow Arts Alliance

CHA CHA Artist in Residence Program

Methow Valley, October 2020

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, the Icicle Fund hosted two Artist-In-Residence events to celebrate the Conservation, History and Arts (CHA) of North Central Washington at the Methow River (October 2-4, 2020) and the Wenatchee River (May 21-23 2021). The goal of the residencies was to honor, celebrate and record the unique environmental aspects of each location, inspired by revisiting past work created by poet William Stafford in the Methow Valley (1993) or Watershed Artists in the Wenatchee Valley (2001).

Classroom in Bloom

Methow Arts Alliance

CHA CHA Artist in Residence Program

Methow Valley, October 2020

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, the Icicle Fund hosted two Artist-In-Residence events to celebrate the Conservation, History and Arts (CHA) of North Central Washington at the Methow River (October 2-4, 2020) and the Wenatchee River (May 21-23 2021). The goal of the residencies was to honor, celebrate and record the unique environmental aspects of each location, inspired by revisiting past work created by poet William Stafford in the Methow Valley (1993) or Watershed Artists in the Wenatchee Valley (2001).

Icicle Creek Center for the Arts

Canyon Wren Recital Hall

photo credit: Alex Farrell

Methow Valley Citizens Council

Chelan Douglas Land Trust

Sam Hill, Leavenworth WA

The Trust for Public Land

Pearrygin Lake, Methow Valley

Washington Trails Association mobilizes hikers and everyone who loves the outdoors to explore, steward and champion trails and public lands.

Methow Valley Chamber Music Festivalusic Festival

Icicle Creek Center for the Arts

Summer Symphony Camp

Upper Valley Connection Theater Camp

photo credit: Tom Williams

The Trust for Public Land, Wenatchee Foothills

For 20 years, the Wenatchee River Institute and community partners have been bringing the public together to celebrate the Leavenworth Spring Bird Festival

Victorious, 2018

Victorious was Dangerous Women’s initial offering on women’s fight for the vote in the United States. Performed live for one night to a sold out house at Snowy Owl Theater, the production featured spoken word narration by the historic character of Inez Mulhulland. An impactful look at women’s journey for equal recognition as voting citizens, the show featured choral, instrumental, dramatic and comedic scenes crafted by the women in the cast and bound together by the universal goal for freedom over our own lives. Directed by Rhona Baron.

Wenatchee Valley YMCA

The mural, “Better Together Mejor Juntos”, was a creation of artists Heather Dappen and Ellen Smith as a vibrant visual cue reminding everyone of the creativity and imagination that exists in the Wenatchee Valley. The phrase in English and Spanish shows the two aspects of Wenatchee but as one community.

Upper Valley Connection Theater Camp is an annual day camp focused on providing theater arts training and experience to people with developmental disabilities.

“Theatre Camp is so much more than just putting on a play. It's a safe space for our participants to learn who they are, to learn how to be themselves”

Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival annual programs are curated to be friendly enough for newcomers as well as sophisticated enough for the toughest critics. The world-class guest artists bring passion, virtuosity, and insight to the beautiful Methow Valley.

Methow Valley Interpretive Center’s mission is to foster cultural awareness and understanding of Indigenous peoples and the natural history of the Methow Valley and Upper Columbia region through education, interpretation, creative expression and cross-cultural connections.

MVIC’s success story in the fall of 2019 was a harvest celebration that they helped organize at the newly “Homestream Park” in Winthrop. This celebration focused specifically on a “Coming Home” ceremony for salmon returning to the Methow River. This was a partnership with the Methow Conservancy, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CCT), and many other groups and individuals. A group from the CCT Language School erected a tule mat lodge, the first erected in the Methow Valley in a very long time. This part of the celebration was recorded on film. There was Native American ceremony, first foods, native sculptures and more than 200 people attended. The power of Native Americans and white settlers gathering together like this to honor salmon, first peoples, traditions, and place is still reverberating through this valley today.

WVMCC has been busy! Check out this recent exhibit and progr https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=H7cEPKKHZyd am below.

Raising our Voice: Empowering Women

Virtual Tour Available at: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=H7cEPKKHZyd

Women won their right to vote in the United States 100 years ago. Much has changed since then. This exhibit educated and celebrated women’s voices, featuring a historic synopsis of women’s suffrage in the State along with the 90th anniversary show of Women Painters of Washington. We were honored to host this celebration of the female voice. Icicle Fund was proud to support this beautiful exhibit.

Wenatchee River Institute fire scanning

The Waterville Empire-Press: December 29, 1983

The Douglas County Museum is located in downtown Waterville and holds many archeological and historical treasures from the area. Recent support from the Icicle Fund enabled the purchase of a photo scanner and related equipment. Photographs and paper documents deteriorate easily over time, becoming extremely fragile and digital copies of them can extend their life indefinitely. An Icicle Fund grant also helped purchase an air filtering system that increased the level of comfort in opening the Museum in the COVID environment and the expense normally would have been a luxury not easily to afford.

For more information and to see some photos visit the Douglas County Museum’s Facebook page or take a trip and visit them in downtown Waterville.

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy’s largest preserves in Washington are on the spectacular Columbia Plateau. Here we are protecting and restoring the fabled sagebrush country of wide-open skies, dramatic geology and amazing desert species.

With its Ice Age floodcarved, steep-walled coulees, its pothole lakes, dunes, haystack boulders, waterfalls and scablands—this area is home to a rich and fragile mosaic of rare living things. Between the shrubs and grasses grow a profusion of wildflowers, including sulfur lupine and the vibrant bitterroot, long a favorite food harvested by native peoples. Totaling more than 30,000 acres, The Nature Conservancy’s Moses Coulee/Beezley Hills Preserve is an especially rich and diverse example of Washington’s shrub-steppe.

Since 1954, Central Basin Community Concert Association has been bringing live concert performances from around the world. We provide opportunities for you to enjoy various talented musicians from around the world.