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Casey's Conservation Challenge!

by Casey Bilyeu

Supporting: 4th Annual Driftless Flyathlon Fundraiser for Running Rivers

Campaign has ended.

Hi Folks! Thanks for joining me here!

Last year I made a '40 before 40' list; a list of forty things I'd like to accomplish before turning the big four zero. I know I have five years to go (haha), but first on the list is 'Run A Race!' And with that, I've signed up for the Driftless Flyathalon - I cannot think of a better race to run!

With less than two weeks to go, I'm gearing up for a 5.5 mile race through the Driftless Region of Iowa; a place near and dear to me, my friends and my family! This area of the state houses a cabin that my two best friends and I have spent countless years (nearly 20!) gathering at. The Yellow River State Forest is also the home of a yearly camp my Dad has taken for over 30 years. And last year I spent my first solo fly fishing adventure wading the creeks of this the state forest!

Although I'm still a newbie angler and, lets be honest, will be bringing up the rear on the race - I'd like to bring in some big money for trout habitat conservation in this gorgeous area. Help me reach my fundraising goal and I'll cast a line in your honor!

Thank you for all your support!

Much love, Casey

Event Fundraising Goal: $10,000 Campaign

Tax ID: 81-1625829

At Running Rivers, we firmly believe that the best way to ensure the preservation, protection, and maintenance of our irreplaceable public lands and waters is to develop and foster the stewards who will stand up in their defense. Our programs create unique opportunities for people to experience public lands and waters in novel and fun ways, to expand their depth of understanding of the importance of healthy functioning freshwater ecosystems, and to invest in their time, money, and sweat through on-the-ground stewardship projects. The Driftless Flyathlon is a unique, conservation-minded race event that integrates three of the world's greatest activities; trail running, fly-fishing, and craft beer. The premise is simple...

run. fish. beer.

Most importantly, the Driftless Flyathlon is a fundraising event for coldwater conservation projects, with a focus on native trout in Iowa. We will be raising money through our 501(c)(3) organization, Running Rivers. Since 2014, our Flyathlon races have raised more than $250,000 for native trout related projects in Iowa and Colorado, completed through our diverse conservation partners, including Iowa Trout Unlimited, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Trout Unlimited, the Western Native Trout Initiative, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

And while we are a Colorado-based 501(c)(3), rest assured that all funds raised through the Driftless Flyathlon will be spent on projects in Iowa!!! These are a couple of the projects that were taken on in 2018 with funds raised through past Driftless Flyathlon events:

We have committed $25,000 to support a large-scale water quality improvement / bank stabilization effort within the Yellow River State Forest.
We partnered with Iowa DNR to resurface the trails in the Yellow River State Forest to prevent erosion into the creeks and to make the trails more functional for recreation.
We funded the construction of an educational kiosk in the Yellow River State Forest that will educate visitors about the importance of this ecosystem and the native brook trout that reside within.
We funded a study that sampled a wild population of Iowa native brook trout for the collection and subsequent genetic analysis of fin clips to assess genetic uniqueness and purity of this population.

To see more projects that have been completed with Flyathlon funds in Colorado and Iowa over the past 5 years, please visit: http://runningrivers.org/projects/

Now is a critical time to invest in the preservation of our public lands and waters. Because Running Rivers is a recognized 501c3 organization, your donations are tax deductible. run. fish. beer. donate!

Running Rivers