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Kick-off and Open House, April 21, 6 p.m., Friday Harbor High School STEM Building

Community organizations on San Juan Island have developed a pilot project with Lummi Nation member and Master Canoe builder, Dean Washington, to build Coast Salish style cedar strip canoes in the San Juan Islands with students in grades 5-12.

Students will work with a master builder and complete two 6 Seat -21 foot canoes and paddles while learning canoe history and use in the islands. In the summer, Island Rec will feature a new Voyager canoe program which participants will paddle throughout the islands while teaching navigational skills and paddle technique.

The purpose of this pilot program is to introduce island youth to Native American culture through hands-on canoe building with one of the world’s top canoe builders from Lummi Nation.

Join us at the public Coast Salish Canoe building kick-off event on April 21! Students will start canoe building process on Saturday April 22-28 and share their final projects on Friday, April 28 from 4-5:30 p.m. in the STEM Building.

This project is a community partnership with Spring Street International School, San Juan Island School District, and Friends. To make a donation to this project, please call Friends of the San Juans at 360-378-2319 or visit www.gofundme.com/kids-and-canoes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]