FISH Volunteer of the Year Award

Proud to attend the 44th Annual Issaquah Community Awards Dinner and present Grace Reamer with the FISH Volunteer of the Year Award. Grace Reamer, embodies the very spirit of FISH’s mission. A month into my job as the new executive director, the FISH volunteer coordinator left on short notice, understaffed, and heading directly into the hatchery’s busy season, Grace stepped in with remarkable composure and expertise, seamlessly taking charge of coordinating more than 400 educational tours, ensuring critical projects stayed on track and trained existing staff and volunteers amidst unforeseen challenges.

Whether it’s leading a tour of school kids, explaining a fish dissection at a science fair, or onboarding new volunteers, Grace approaches each task with a level of enthusiasm and detailed attention that is truly remarkable. Her ability to connect with visitors at the gift shop, to gently refocus a misbehaving student on a tour or to advocate for salmon at an outreach event, Grace clearly shows her dedication to FISH. And if you haven’t had a chance to read the 30 years profiles that Grace has interviewed, compiled and written: Check out the page.

Thank you Grace, for your outstanding service and for being a shining example of what it means to give back to a community and helping to ensure Issaquah’s iconic salmon’s survive for future generations.