Vashon Green School students worked the ferry line on Monday, March 14, to raise awareness and inspire action to protect endangered salmon and orcas.

Dodging raindrops, students and teachers talked to more than 100 commuters, handing out flyers and urging them to call the offices of Gov. Jay Inslee and Washington Sen. Patty Murray to support proposals to breaching the four dams on the lower Snake River.

The children’s presence in the ferry line was part of a regional day of action organized by Vashon’s Backbone Campaign in several cities. The action took place in solidarity with International Rivers Day and in support of tribes throughout the Pacific Northwest.

“Breaching the four Lower Snake River dams is the essential action needed to stop the otherwise inevitable extinction of multiple wild runs of Chinook, sockeye and steelhead,” said Backbone Campaign executive director Bill Moyer. “Allowing the Snake River to flow freely will allow those salmon to return in abundance, which will restore the food source for the endangered Southern Resident Orca as well.”

Backbone Campaign is organizing a Vashon contingent to attend the Stop Salmon Extinction/Free the Snake River rally and procession on Saturday, March 26, in Tacoma, and Saturday, April 2, in Olympia. To find out more and participate, contact info@backbonecampaign.org or visit backbonecampaign.org.