The Return of the Salmon Committee would like to invite everyone to Sultan this weekend to celebrate the salmon that return to the Sultan River every year to spawn, and the life of Chief John T'seul-Ted, after whom the city of Sultan was named.
The 3rd annual Return of the Salmon Celebration will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27, from noon to 4 p.m. at Osprey Park in Sultan.
The event will include guided tours of the riverside trails through Osprey Park, as well as horse-drawn covered wagon rides to the nearby Sultan High School salmon hatchery. The celebration will feature children's activities, a native welcoming ceremony, a native flute concert, storytelling, Indian tacos and much more.
The celebration is free, and will be held under the cover of the basketball courts at the park.
New to the celebration this year is the Salmon Run, a timed three-mile runners' race and one-mile fast walk, which will take place at 10 a.m. in Osprey Park. Entry fee for the Salmon Run is $10 and there will be commemorative t-shirts and prizes.
Members of the Return of the Salmon Committee gathered at Sultan City Hall during a recent council meeting to hear the official proclamation, which was read by Return of the Salmon Committee Chairperson Craig Young and Sultan Mayor Carolyn Eslick.
Diverting from the normal method of simply reading a proclamation, Young asked the mayor and council to look at the proclamation as though they were receiving gifts. He stated that their first gift was Chief John T'seul-Ted. T'seul-Ted was the chief of a sub-group of the Snohomish Tribe, who was born and raised near what is now known as Sultan.
"He was so well-known and respected by the European settlers coming into the Skykomish Valley that they chose to name the city after him,GÇ¥ said Young. "He was a renowned healer, guide, and friend of those who came to raise their families here.GÇ¥
Young stated that their second gift was the Return of the Salmon Committee. The committee was formed out of a group of dedicated volunteers who wished to preserve the heritage of Chief T'seul-Ted and celebrate his memory with a day of honor. Young thanked the committee for their hard work and volunteer hours, remarking on the importance of honoring the past.
"Our memories are short,GÇ¥ said Young. "Our history needs to be carried on by our children and their children, and by new members of the community who look back to see our roots and tell not just of our recent history, but of times long ago.GÇ¥
The third gift, Young stated, was the salmon themselves. Each year a large number of salmon return to the Sultan River to spawn. Because the river won't have quite as many salmon as last year due to the fact that Pink Salmon only spawn during odd numbered years, the celebration committee has planned the Sultan High School hatchery tours as a way maintaining the emphasis on the local salmon.
"We have come to understand that our human lives are entwined with the lives of everything around us and that in the health of the salmon, we find the health of the landscape, and in the health of the landscape, we find the health of our own families and our own children,GÇ¥ said Young.
The fourth and final gift of the evening was the event's new Salmon Run. The Salmon Run was added as a means of encouraging more people from the community to get involved in the event, and also a way of reminding the community that Sultan's Osprey Park trails are available to all.
"Thanks to Sultan High School Cross Country Coach Rick Holloway and Sultan citizen and runner Don Foltz for organizing this race,GÇ¥ said Young.
When Young was finished with his heartfelt presentation, Mayor Eslick finalized the proclamation, stating that Saturday, Sept. 27 would be "a day of remembrance of Chief John T'seul-Ted, honoring Sultan's vision and celebrating the return of the salmon.GÇ¥
Many local businesses have stepped forward to help support the event including Cabela's, Kool Change Printing, Outdoor Adventures, Wagley Creek Automotive and Vick's Burger Shack. Community partners of the event include the Snohomish County Public Utility District, the Sky Valley Chamber of Commerce and Volunteers of America.
This year's event will feature a Master Gardener clinic and a mini-farmers' market, as well as numerous booths operated by local nonprofit groups such as the Sultan Historical Society, the Sierra Club, the Pilchuck Audubon Society, Wild Washington Rivers, the Skykomish Valley Indian Education program and more.
Osprey Park is located at 801 First St. in Sultan. Registration for the Salmon Run will be open from 9:15 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. on the morning of the event. The Salmon Run will begin at 10 a.m. sharp.
"The committee opens its arms to all of the residents of Sultan and the entire Skykomish Valley, and celebrates diverse heritages and cultures,GÇ¥ said Young. "It is through the combined efforts and support of businesses, teachers, and people young and old, that Sultan's spectacular resources will be enjoyed and protected in years to come.GÇ¥
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment