Christmas for Coho Day 2, with Field & Stream

By Michael Ellis

Jeff goes over some details with the Field and Stream crew at Royal Treatment Fly Shop. Fm. Left: Jeff Price, Jay P. Morgan, Videographer,  Bob Marshall, Conservation Editor/Host, and Jeff Hymes, Producer.

The second day of tree collection for Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited's Christmas for Coho habitat restoration project went well despite the dire weather predictions. A crew from Field and Stream magazine was in town to produce a video of our project for their Hero For A Day website.

Part of the Field and Stream crew [L-R]: Amanda McNalley, Bob Marshall, Nick Ammazalorso, and Laura Nealon

I met the crew at their hotel around 8 AM and we were off to visit the two tree collection sites. On hand from Field and Stream were Jeff Hymes, Producer, Bob Marshall, Conservation Editor, Amanda McNalley, Public Relations Director, Laura Nealon, Events and Promotions Director, Nick Ammazzalorso, Director of Public Relations for Saatchi and Saatchi representing Toyota, Benny Migliorino, Videographer, and Jay P. Morgan, Videographer.

Bob Marshall, Joel LaFollette and Jeff Price talk about the project at Royal Treatment Fly Fishing shop.

We went to Joel LaFollette's Royal Treatment Fly Fishing shop in West Linn first. TVTU volunteers were hard at work collecting trees and the weather was actually not too bad. Grant McOmie from KGW came to check out the project also. The Field and Stream crew was busy conducting interviews and filming our volunteers in action.

Bob Marshall, center, talks about the Christmas for Coho project as Jay P. Morgan, Videographer, films and Jeff Hymes looks on.

Bob Marshall delivers his opening dialogue as Jay P. Morgan films.

TVTU volunteers Jerry Lorang, Travis Walters and Bryant Kraus at Royal Treatment Fly shop.

Grant McOmie (blue coat) interviews Bob Marshall(r) about Field and Stream's interest in the Christmas for Coho project.

Christmas trees were loaded into the Field and Stream Hero for a Day Toyota Tundra for transport to Coho Sanctuary near Seaside where volunteers from Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited, The Necanicum Watershed Council, and The North Coast Land Conservancy awaited our arrival so they could be filmed placing the trees into the off channel wetland complex.

We next went to Northwest Flyfishing Outfitters on NE 109th and Halsey in Portland where TVTU had a second crew collecting trees. The weather had deteriorated a bit by that time but everyone was having a good time. Bob Marshall pitched in and helped load trees into the drop box. When the first drop box of trees left for the coast it was time for us to go too.

From left: Bob Marshall, Laura Nealon, Jack Hagen and Amanda McNally at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters.

TVTU volunteers Robin Healey(l) and John Burger talk to a customer dropping off his tree at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters.

TVTU volunteers loading a drop box at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters as Benny Migliorino films from above. From left: George Wilson, Jeff Price, Bill Schoen, Benny Migliorino, Jon Pampush and John Burger.

TVTU volunteers loading a drop box at Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters as Benny Migliorino continues filming. From left: Benny Migliorino, Bob Marshall, Bill Schoen, Erin Thompson.

The TVTU crew at NWFFO, from left: John Burger, Robin Healey, George Wilson, Erin Thompson, Bill Schoen, Jon Pampush (in box), Michael Ellis, and Jeff Price.

It took a while to reach Coho Sanctuary near Seaside because there were some downed trees and power lines that closed Hwy. 26 for a while, but between ODOT and the local utility crews the road re opened and we were on our way again. We made a stop to film the Toyota Tundra zipping by on the highway, at which point it was raining heavily and trying to snow and hail.

F and S videographers Benny Migliorino and Jay P.Morgan set up to film the Toyota truck cruising in the coast range.

Thanks to Doug Ray, Byren Thompson and Melyssa Graeper, when we reached Coho Sanctuary we were greeted by more than 30 volunteers from the Necanicum Watershed Council, the North Coast Land Conservancy, Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited as well as Seaside community members who had waited for us to arrive so the Field and Stream crew could get some footage of the trees being placed in the off channel wetland complex.

Volunteers from Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited, The Necanicum Watershed Council , The North Coast Land Conservancy and the Seaside community help to place trees in the off channel wetland complex at Coho Sanctuary.

Cassandra Profita(l) of OPB takes a few pictures of the volunteers while Benny Migliorino(m) and Jeff Hymes(r) of Field and Stream set up for video.

Volunteers from Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited, The Necanicum Watershed Council, The North Coast Land Conservancy and the Seaside community help unload the Hero for a Day Toyota Tundra.

We were in a race against the weather and the daylight but the weather held and it was light long enough for the crew to get the material they needed for the video.

TVTU member extraordinaire Doug Ray is interviewed by Bob Marshall, for the Hero For A Day program. Jeff Hymes, producer watches and Jay P. Morgan films.

Jaime Craig drags trees to the placement site at Coho Sanctuary.

A tree hits the water at Coho Sanctuary.

Bob Marshall talks to Byren, Duncan and Hunter Thompson as Mike Coddington walks by.

Videographer Jay P. Morgan films the volunteers at Coho Sanctuary, from left standing: Michael Ellis, Pat Wollner, Jaime Craig, Melyssa Graeper, Tony Grubb, Byren Thompson, Duncan Thompson, kneeling, Doug Ray, Stan Gandy, and Hunter Thompson.

Volunteers at Coho Sanctuary, from left standing: Michael Ellis, Pat Wollner, Jaime Craig, Melyssa Graeper, Tony Grubb, Byren Thompson, Duncan Thompson, kneeling, Doug Ray, Stan Gandy, and Hunter Thompson.

When the work was done we went to The Relief Pitcher in Seaside where everyone enjoyed Tuna Reuben sandwiches and a cold drink. The folks from Field and Stream were really impressed with our project and especially with the willingness of all the volunteers to brave the weather and help provide enhanced habitat for the baby coho.

Amanda McNalley(r) and Doug Ray at The Relief Pitcher.

With the Field and Stream crew at The Relief Pitcher. from left: Doug Ray, Amanda McNalley, Nick Ammazzalorso, Benny Migliorino, Jay P. Morgan, Bob Marshall and Jeff Hymes.

A big thank you from Tualatin Valley Trout Unlimited goes out to all the volunteers who gave so generously of their time, the Editors and Staff of Field and Stream Magazine, Bonnier Publishing, Toyota, Royal Treatment Fly Fishing, Northwest Fly Fishing Outfitters, The Necanicum Watershed Council, The North Coast Land Conservancy, and especially the onsite Field and Stream crew; Jeff Hymes, Bob Marshall, Amanda McNalley, Laura Nealon, Nick Ammazzalorso, Benny Migliorino, and Jay P. Morgan.