Trash to treasure: Volunteers clean up Fall City’s stretch of the Snoqualmie River, discover art | Photo gallery

Published 4:20 pm Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Trash and treasures alike were scooped up by Fish Festival participants Saturday, Sept. 22, but only the trash found its way to the bin. Mosaics, wood carvings, copper leaves and other beauties were toted to their new homes, in the hands of their finders, at the conclusion of what will probably be an annual river clean-up in Fall City.

“We think it was a very successful day,” said Sharlett Driggs, co-chair of the Fall City Arts-sponsored event. “Lots of smiles and shouts from people who found art treasures.”

An estimated 200 people helped with the riverside cleanup, bid in the salmon auction, or just enjoyed some of the booths, like the carvings of the Snoqualmie Tribe Canoe Carvers.

Artist Catherine Thompson, right, created the mosaic stone held by the woman on the left, and just happened to be near her when the woman found her treasure. Thompson and her family also contributed to the event by joining the cleanup effort, discovering their own treasures in the process.

Carol Whitaker, center, talks with diver Charles Frederick as he set out to search the Snoqualmie River bottom for trash. Whitaker arranged for the underwater clean-up effort.

Artist Cynthia Gerdes presents a certificate to the young treasure hunter who found one of her Snoqualmie River sunfish in Fall City’s river cleanup and arts event Saturday, Sept. 22.

Up for auction as part of the Snoqualmie River Fish Festival, these hand-decorated salmon were appropriately displayed along the fence around Fall City’s Art Park.

Fish Festival co-chairs Marci Sanders and Sharlett Driggs smile at the success of the day. They hope to make the Fish Festival, funded in part by a 4Culture grant, and with sponsorship from the Snoqualmie Tribe Wood Carvers, an annual event.

Some volunteers found art during the day, while others decided to make some, stacking river rocks along the water’s edge.