MEMBERSHIP:
            45 Current paid members
            13 Complimentary memberships (agency personnel, etc)

FINANACES:
            Ending balance of $681.05

LOOKOUT NEWS:
            With assistance from the Colville local chapter of the FFLA, the cab of the former DNR lookout on Stranger (Stensgar) Mt. was moved by volunteers to it’s new home in the Colville Fairgrounds.  The move became necessary after some electronics interests decided they had to have the exact spot where the lookout stood for some new “e-junk.”

            Washington state lost the only two 60 foot DNR lookouts ever built when the long abandoned and storm-damaged Harriet’s Lookout in central Washington, as well as the also long abandoned Cascade Lookout in western Washington, both collapsed.  Ironically, both events happened at almost the same time, even though these lookouts were located on opposite sides of the Cascades.  Both lookouts had been located on private land, which made attempts to save them much more challenging.      

            There were no significant changes to the short list of actively staffed lookouts from previous years.

CONFERENCE:
            This year’s Western FFLA conference will be co-hosted by the Eastern Washington and Western Washington chapters of the FFLA, and will be held somewhere in the Wenatchee area in September.  Details will be announced in the FFLA newsletter and the website once confirmed.  Plans include all the customary activities – area lookout tours, guest speakers and displays, as well as our popular silent auction.  The advantage to this central Washington location is to allow easy attendance for members all over the state.  It’s not too early to start making plans to attend.  See you there!!

Dave Bula
FFLA Eastern Washington Director