Originally published in Columbia Riverkeeper “Currents” Issue 1, 2026
How We Collaborate Community by Community
By: Eric Block, Communications & Marketing Director
Columbia Riverkeeper is directly powered by more than 25,000 members and supporters, whose connections to our mission, programs, and love for the river are often deeply personal. Each has a unique story of how they first came into contact with Columbia Riverkeeper and what inspires them to continue to support us.
“I kept seeing them show up at meetings, permit processes, and public comment periods,” said Jasmine Lillich, a farmer in Columbia County, OR, “reviewing long documents most people don’t have time to read, and having conversations with people directly impacted. They (Riverkeeper) stepped in where it actually mattered, asking questions a lot of us wouldn’t even know to ask, and taking the time to walk people through the technical language and legal process so it made sense. They know how to carry local voices into spaces where they’re usually overlooked, and have them actually be heard. If you’re lucky enough to have Columbia Riverkeeper in your corner, it changes things.
“The folks at Columbia Riverkeeper really care, and you can tell by how they listen,” Lillich continued. “They don’t come into a community pretending to already know the whole story. They pay attention to local people, ask good questions, and let that shape the work. Having staff paying attention, helping make sense of the process, and keeping local communities informed makes a real difference. I can’t imagine what industrial expansion in our region would look like without Columbia Riverkeeper’s watchful eye and steady advocacy. All I can really say is thank you. Our farms and our community owe them so much.”
“They know how to carry local voices into spaces where they’re usually overlooked, and have them actually be heard.” — Jasmine Lillich
Photo on the right: Jasmine Lillich (right) and her partner Brandon Schilling (left) lead the nonprofit Clatskanie Food Hub, a marketplace, farm-to-table venue, and food literacy classroom. Photo by Paloma Ayala.
In Hood River, Melody Shapiro was drawn to Columbia Riverkeeper’s volunteer programs and dedication. “What initially motivated me to support Columbia Riverkeeper with ongoing donations was not just my love and concern for the river and the years I spent kayaking miles of its waters, from Mosier to the Columbia Bar. It was the dedication of the staff and their obvious commitment to
restore and protect the river. “Columbia Riverkeeper’s volunteer programs and outreach provided me not only a chance to meet and interact and learn more with staff,” Shapiro added, “but to really experience their dedication. I want to always be a part of that by supporting Columbia Riverkeeper in restoring and protecting the river!”
In 2007, a pipeline proposal threatened to rip through the Western Washington County, OR, forestland of Martha and Allen Neuringer. They soon forged deep and lasting relationships with Columbia Riverkeeper staff. “We learned that our forestland was in the path of two giant pipelines proposed to bring natural gas to two mega-LNG terminals at the mouth of the Columbia,” said the Neuringers. “Those projects at Bradwood Landing and Oregon LNG would be disastrous for the river and its salmon, as well as all of us living along the 130-mile route.
“Together with folks in Forest Grove, Gales Greek and Yamhill we created OCAP (Oregon Citizens Against the Pipelines) to inform ourselves and generate opposition,” the Neuringers explained. “In short order, we linked up with Columbia Riverkeeper, which offered
amazing technical expertise, organizing skills, political savvy, and financial support for the battles to come.
“Month after month, continuing for years, Dan (Serres, Advocacy Director) would drive to Forest Grove to participate in our OCAP meetings. Facing public outcry and one legal battle after another, the first proposed pipeline project—Palomar Pipeline—gave up and folded. A second mega-project also went under. In one case, (Riverkeeper Executive Director) Lauren Goldberg and her legal team prevailed against three of the most prestigious law firms in Oregon. Experienced land-use lawyers advised us that our cause was hopeless, that we could not win. But they didn’t count on the commitment and savvy of Columbia Riverkeeper.”
“We feel deep gratitude for the extent to which Columbia Riverkeeper has contributed to the protection of the Northwest’s natural resources. Its continuous record of success in environmental protection will extend into the future if we all continue to give it the support it needs,” – Martha and Allen Neuringer.
Many thanks to Jasmine, Melody, Martha, and Allen for sharing their stories. Our members and supporters power our work and inspire us each day to continue to fight for what we love.
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