#46 Patrick Walker and the Wenatchee River Institute

My guest this week is Patrick Walker, the energetic executive director of the Wenatchee River Institute, an outdoor learning center in Leavenworth that is providing unique opportunities for students and community members to engage with the natural world. When Walker took over the program four years ago, the institute was struggling to find its place in the community. Walker has a knack for hiring talented people and rallying people around a common vision. The institute has developed into a wonderful community asset. The number of kids who have visited the Wenatchee River Institute campus exceeded 1,300 in the past school year, Walker told me. In a society where kids tend to be tuning nature out and spending more time on devices, programs like the Wenatchee River Institute provide a way to connect them to the natural world. We spoke about Walker’s background, how the institute is transforming lives in the community and the programs like BirdFest that are having a positive impact in North Central Washington. This is a nonprofit with great potential to contribute to our well being. We will all be better of if we take the time to slow down, observe nature and allow our nervous systems to relax. I hope you enjoy the conversation.