About a year ago three of us stood in the back of the Wagner Elementary School parking lot and wondered, what if anything, could be done to save the Monroe chimney and ultimately the swifts.?
Since then a host of people, importantly the Monroe community, have come together in an?enthusiastic?effort to raise awareness and work on a solution.


Some of the highlights have included:
September 6 proclaimed as Monroe Swift Day by the Monroe City Council 800 plus people attending Saturday night's Swifts-Night-Out celebration with a strong showing of people viewing the 12,000 swifts on successive nights Hearing the delighted crowd when the birds begin their descent?
Completion of the only known survey of Wa State roosting sites Determining that this site hosts the largest flock of swifts in WA state and likely one of the? largest flocks in the world.? Two educational assemblies that were well-received by Wagner's 1100 students Generous and supportive local media attention Support from the Monroe Mayor and the Monroe School District Superintendent (both in attendance Saturday night)
Certainly the efforts of so many from Pilchuck, Seattle and Eastside Audubons, PAWS, WA State Fish and Wildlife, Wildbirds Unlimited plus the many people of Monroe and the surrounding areas have all served to raise people's awareness that we have something very unique here that needs our continued work and protection. ?We accomplished our goal to raise public awareness and create?enthusiasm?for the cause.


Saturday night we began some initial fundraising. This project will be an expensive fix. We recently learned that the $45,000 ?Toyota Green Grant we applied for was denied. Needless-to-say, we are disappointed. ?The initial survey and subsequent retrofitting of the chimney will be expensive but we will continue to look for additional funding opportunities. ?We welcome contractor-work donations as well as individual contributions. Checks and contacts may be directed to Pilchuck Audubon.


Thank you to so many that have made this journey so inspiring and rewarding.


Paulette Hunter
Education Chair
Seattle Audubon