Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association — Local services in Bellingham

I write this with a heavy heart as I completely stand behind NSEA’s mission; however I would be remiss if I didn’t share our story about NSEA’s summer camp. My two girls, ages 3 and 5, went for the first time today (8/4/25). Both my girls are potty trained, though understandably they need help with wiping, especially after a number 2. My 3-year-old went number 2 in the potty at camp. Unbeknownst to us the staff would not help at all with wiping or cleaning up. My FIVE-YEAR-OLD stepped in and offered to help, knowing this was something my 3-year-old could not do. I’m so upset writing this. And so my 5-year-old wiped my 3-year-old’s poopy bum, and this was okay with the staff. This is wrong on so many levels. I wasn’t told this by the staff at pick up. Nope. My 5-year-old told me this when we got home, through tears. She was so disgusted and embarrassed and will not go back. The staff did not check to see if my FIVE-YEAR-OLD did a good job (of course she didn’t!) and so to top this off my 3-year-old was in her own filth for the remainder of the camp. Nowhere in the handbook do they say they do not assist at all with the potty. It states the campers must be potty trained, and that the staff would accompany children to the bathroom. We’ve put our kids through many programs around Bellingham and Whatcom county and never have we heard the expectation that a 3-year-old must be able to wipe themselves, which is not physically possible for most 3-year-olds nor would I trust them to do a good enough job on their own.

We spoke with the Educational Program Manager, and he agreed this policy is not stated in the handbook, so we got a full refund for the camp. However, I can’t imagine this is the first time this has come up and am dumbfounded that this is not stated clearly in the handbook, so parents please be aware. I understand NSEA is opening up a preschool. I can only hope their...

What an amazing organization. I learned so much about salmon and watersheds at our training. Work parties are beginning next Saturday and I hope to join a few this year. Habitat restoration is so important to our community and it's so important to teach this to our children. I will be...

Beautiful display garden for ideas on how to use native plants. Work parties are great fun, well organized, short 2 hour bursts of planting or potting up native plants. Check out their website...