Spectacular Fin-Ish to the 2025 Run with the Chums

The excitement and joy was palpable at the 13th Annual Run with the Chums!

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir

Whole families, including pets, celebrated water, orcas, community, and enjoying the outdoors!

Children under ten competed in the Smolt Sprint Obstacle course.

There is so much joy to be found in being outside and celebrating together – the 2025 Run with the Chums fit that sentiment entirely! Over 400 people of all ages and speeds came to the BP Highlands on September 13^th to celebrate water, salmon, orcas, community and having fun outside! With beautiful views, educational booths, trivia, 5k Fun Run, and a kids’ Smolt Sprint Obstacle Course, this event is fun for the whole community. This year marks the 13^th iteration of Run with the Chums, which kicks-off Whatcom Water Week, an annual community event that celebrates the water resources of Whatcom County. For many, this has become an annual family tradition! 

Through the course they weave through, duck under, and leap obstacles representing what a salmon smolt encounters on their way to the ocean.

Saturday the 13^th was a perfectly overcast and mild temperature day to walk, run, or roll five kilometers with views of Point Whitehorn, local farmland, and more. From strollers to canes, people of all ages and abilities enjoyed the route, and were joined by four legged friends on leashes, including Phoebe the pig.  Along the way participants could stop for hopscotch, read an educational sign, or admire the scenery. Whether participants were trying to compete, make a personal best, or enjoy a stroll with friends, a sense of joy and accomplishment was palpable at the finish line. Awards were given to the first three men, women, dogs, and strollers. Additional prizes included best dressed and best finish. 

Before the 5K began, children under ten competed in the Smolt Sprint Obstacle Course. Through the course they duck under, weave through, and leap obstacles representing what a salmon smolt encounters on their way to the ocean. There were so many kids this year that the Smolt Sprint was split into three heats! Our beloved mascots Sammy the Salmon and Wayne Drop guided the young “smolts” through the race, and gave high fives or hugs at the finish line. 

Every part of the event was designed for participants to connect with their water and the creatures that depend on it, including at interactive booths.

Every part of the event was designed for participants to connect with their water and the creatures that depend on it. Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA), Whatcom County Public Works, Whatcom Conservation District (Whatcom CD), BP Cherry Point, Whatcom Land Trust (WLT), Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Whatcom Marine Resources Committee (Whatcom MRC), and Whatcom County Library Systems (WCLS) all had interactive booths at the registration area. After the race, participants could answer trivia related to the booths or education signs along the course to receive prizes donated by local organizations. 

Run with the Chums is made possible every year by generous sponsors. Thank you to our 2025 sponsors: Whatcom CD, NSEA, Blaine-Birch Bay Parks & Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2), Whatcom Water Alliance, Birch Bay Water and Sewer District (BBWSD), BP Cherry Point Refinery, Deb & Dave Hiller eXp Realty, MC Portables & Septic, LLP, Whatcom County Public Works, and Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management District (BBWARM).

Thank you to the generous donors for helping to provide refreshments, prizes, and porta potties: BP Cherry Point Refinery, BBWSD, BBBPRD2, Dave and Deb Hiller eXp Realty, BBWARM, NSEA, MC Portables and Septic, Beach Cat Print Shop, Birch Bay Bike Shop, the Community Boating Center, WCLS, WLT, WDFW, Whatcom CD, Flax4life, and Whatcom MRC. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed to a fin-sational Run with the Chums!

If you would like to join in the fun next year, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and/or subscribe to our monthly E-News to be one of the first to hear about the event and our other events and programs!

We can't wait to see you next year at the fin-ish line!

Looking for more ways to support salmon and orcas? Join us on Saturday, October 18th from 9 am -12 pm for the 8th Annual Orca Recovery Day! Whatcom CD, NSEA, and WLT are joining forces to host a work party restoring salmon habitat along Kenney Creek, a tributary of the North Fork Nooksack River that provides spawning habitat for Chinook, chum, coho, and pink salmon. In addition to in-stream habitat improvements, upcoming restoration work on the property includes planting over 6,000 native trees and shrubs in pursuit of restoring nine additional acres of degraded streamside habitat.

Plant a tree, leave a legacy.