COLUSA, CA (MPG) – Family Water Alliance’s Hot Cajun Night on Nov. 16 celebrated the organization’s 33rd year of fighting for fish and farms – and enough water to protect both.
A large coalition of regional farmers and ranchers come together each year to raise money for the nonprofit, launched in 1991 after the state placed onerous restrictions on water that limited the ability of local farmers to grow food and stabilize the local economy.
Hot Cajun Night is Family Water Alliance’s only fundraiser and allows staff to educate local, state, and federal leaders about overreaching environmental intrusions on water and land that jeopardize agriculture and rural living.
The FWA Board of Directors, headed by Joe Lauwerijssen, of Arbuckle, held the dinner and auction at St. Bernadette’s Hall in Colusa.
“They are the people responsible for pulling this dinner off,” said FWA Executive Director Nadine Bailey. “They go out, they get the gifts, they get the sponsorships… and a lot of other people show up and help us.”
Since 1996, Family Water Alliance, in cooperation with private contributors and state and federal agencies, has spearheaded research, development, and installation of fish screens on small agricultural diversions.
Current projects include a partnership with Trout Unlimited to implement a fish screen program for the Klamath Basin to ensure endangered fish coming into the system from the newly removed dams stay out of irrigation water, protecting both fish and farms.
FWA also currently partners with Jefferson Resources Company and Cal Fire to reduce fuel on 1,923 acres previously burnt in the Boles and Mill fires, which will help show the benefits of protecting the upper watersheds from fire, FWA officials said.
This year’s event returned with Tom Indrieri and son Quinton Indrieri behind the tri-tip, chicken, and jambalaya. Maxwell High School FFA members served dinner and as auction runners. As the only fundraiser, supporters of the non-profit organization dug deep into their pockets during the live and silent auctions.
“This is just an amazing event and it’s a miracle every time it happens,” Bailey said.
Special guests included California Senator Brian Dahle, Senator-elect Megan Dahle, Assemblywoman-elect Heather Hadwick, and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Gary Evans.
Resource Environmental Solutions and Butte Creek Farms sponsored a VIP reception before the event. G&L Rominger Farms and Intake Screens, Inc. were Royal Sponsors. FWA also recognized about 30 other individuals and businesses as Diamond, Platinum, and Gold sponsors for their generous contributions.
FWA has, for several years, recorded the stories of Family Water Alliance supporters to ensure the organization’s institutional memory is not lost to future generations, Bailey said.
Videos on FWA’s YouTube channel include local icons Maureen “Lady Bug” Doherty and FWA co-founder Marion Mathis. Both women died in 2023.
Visitors to the site can also learn how technology has changed family farming from FWA giants Jerry and Sherry Maltby. Russell Berry IV, owner of Intake Screens Inc., has several videos showing how fish screens help end the standoff between environmental groups and farmers by creating a win-win solution for both groups.
The videos were playing with closed captioning throughout Saturday’s event.