Hope for a Wild Future Auction Raises Over $540,000 for Conservation Northwest
Jasmine Minbashian / Apr 23, 2026 / Events, News Releases, Video, Wildlife Crossings
Conservation Northwest’s 2026 Hope for a Wild Future Auction and Gala was a powerful celebration of community, conservation and the people who make this work possible. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, sponsors, guests, volunteers, and supporters, the evening raised more than $540,000 to help protect, connect, and restore wildlands and wildlife across the Pacific Northwest.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us for this special evening. It was a night to reflect on what this community has made possible, to honor extraordinary leadership, and to look ahead with hope to Conservation Northwest’s next chapter.
Throughout the evening, we heard from inspiring speakers who reminded us why this work matters so much. Thank you to all who helped make the night so meaningful, including those who welcomed our community, shared stories from the field, and brought our mission to life. We are especially grateful to Lauren Terbasket and members of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, as well as Amelia Marchand of the LIGHT Foundation, for joining us and helping honor longtime Executive Director Mitch Friedman. In one of the evening’s most moving moments, Mitch was presented with two blankets in recognition of his years of leadership, partnership, and commitment to conservation.
The evening also marked an important moment of transition as we welcomed Cullen Brady as Conservation Northwest’s new Executive Director. We are excited for Cullen’s leadership and for the future ahead as Conservation Northwest continues building on a strong foundation of science, partnership, and community-rooted conservation.
One of the highlights of the evening was celebrating the successful completion of Conservation Northwest’s Cascades to Olympics Capital Campaign, a bold and hopeful effort to protect one of the Pacific Northwest’s most important wildlife corridors. The campaign video shown before the paddle raise (below) captured both the vision and the impact of that work.
We were also honored to hear Ellen Ferguson and Martha Kongsgaard announce the Mitch Friedman Wild NW Fund, a meaningful tribute to Mitch’s legacy and a powerful investment in the future of Conservation Northwest’s mission.
A heartfelt thank you as well to our talented videographers, Ted Grudowski and Darrin Gunkel, for helping tell the story of this work so beautifully.
Most of all, thank you to every person who showed up, gave generously, bid enthusiastically, raised a paddle, sponsored the event, volunteered your time, or continues to believe in a wild future for the Northwest. In a time of change, your support is a powerful reminder that this community is strong, committed, and ready for what comes next.
Together, we are keeping the Northwest wild.
