Bellingham City Club returns to in person programs hosting a climate resilience panel at a catered luncheon taking place at the Bellingham Yacht Club, 2625 S Harbor Loop Dr. on Wednesday, May 24 from 12 noon – 1:30 PM. Public and Private Partnerships at Work: options for personal action to combat climate change is the focus of the panel. Space is limited and advance ticket purchase is required via the website at www.bellinghamcityclub.org.
The program will be recorded and rebroadcast at a later date, but live streaming will not be available.
The panel includes: Seth Vidana, Bellingham’s Climate and Energy Manager who will highlight steps the City is taking to implement its Climate Action Plan, and Parks & Recreation Director Nicole Oliver describing her department’s efforts specifically. Michael Feerer, Director of the Whatcom Million Trees Project will outline practical projects citizens are doing right now to enhance benefits of trees as natural inhibitors of rising temperatures in years to come.
Seth Vidana was named Bellingham’s first-ever Climate & Energy Manager in 2020. An M. Ed. graduate from Huxley College of the Environment, he previously served as Director of WWU’s Sustainability Department.
Employed by the City for more than 20 years as an analyst and program manager, Nicole Oliver also was City Council Legislative Coordinator before becoming Parks facilities developer and eventually the Department’s Director in 2020. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Environmental Studies from WWU.
Michael Feerer, after earning a degree at California Polytechnic, gained years of experience in project management and business creation in technology. In 2020, County Exec Satpal Sidhu appointed him to head the Whatcom Million Trees Project, a volunteer-driven effort to plant, nurture and preserve a million trees in the next five years to adapt to climate change.
Bellingham City Club’s mission is to inform, connect, and engage our community to strengthen the civic health of our region. Membership is open to all who support our mission and involves modest annual dues to pay speaker expenses and support operations. More information is available at bellinghamcityclub.org.
