FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition annual breakfast
Business leaders discuss threats to WWRC, local projects, at annual breakfast
SEATTLE -- Parks and preservation projects in neighborhoods across King County are being threatened by proposed cuts to the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program, a state program that provides millions of dollars in grants to local communities.
The press is invited to a discussion of the future of the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program at the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition’s annual breakfast Sept. 21 at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle. Representatives from Group Health, the Washington Association of Realtors, and REI, Inc. will explain the benefits of WWRP projects to local communities, businesses, developers, and the region’s overall health. Bill Riley, 2010 president of the Washington Association of Realtors, Scott Armstrong, president and CEO of Group Health Cooperative, and Sally Jewell, CEO of REI, Inc. will discuss the ways that parks and open space create jobs, improve health, and sell homes in communities across King County and across the state, despite the economic challenges facing our state. The Coalition’s board voted recently to request $100 million from the state capital budget to fund job-creating, tourism-enhancing, community-building projects across the state.
Details:
Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition Annual Breakfast
Westin Hotel, 1900 5th Ave., Seattle
Tuesday, Sept. 21
7:30 a.m.-9 a.m.
Representatives from the Washington Association of Realtors will be available after the program to answer questions about environmental conservation and how it impacts homes and the housing market. Representatives from WWRC will be available to answer questions about the program, the impact of budget cuts, and the coalition’s request for $100 million from the capital budget to fund next year’s programs.
Contact: Erica Doctor, 253-653-5582
Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition
Erica@WildlifeRecreation.org
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The Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition is a non-profit citizens group founded in 1989 by Govs. Dan Evans and Mike Lowry. In 1990, the Coalition convinced the Legislature to create the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program to provide a source of grant funding for projects across the state. Today, the Coalition includes more than 270 businesses and environmental, recreational, and community groups in Washington. The Fund has provided more than $615 million to more than 1,000 projects across the state. For more information, visit www.WildlifeRecreation.org.
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