"Against the Current"
By Tyler Huey

Wendy Scherrer’s professional life has revolved around the protection, restoration and recovery of wild salmon in Whatcom County. After her battle against cancer, Scherrer returns to work on the river

"I want to work until I die," Wendy Scherrer said. "I know that maintaining, restoring and preserving the environment is going to be with us forever. As long as I live, I will do what I can to make the community where I live a better place."

For more than three decades, Scherrer’s professional life has been devoted to the protection, restoration and recovery of wild salmon. She said she focuses her energy on making Whatcom County a better place to live for her family and the rest of the community.

Since June 1999, Scherrer has been the executive director of Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. NSEA was formed in 1990 as a non-profit coalition of community members with a common vision of seeing naturally spawning salmon return to Whatcom County streams.

Scherrer was born in New York but moved to Washington in 1973 to attend Huxley College of the Environment.

"I love the air and the water that is around us," Scherrer said of Bellingham. "I feel it is a climate that supports the ecosystem that can heal itself and I am very encouraged by how energized these kinds of woods and streams make me feel. I just felt like this was the right place for me."

On Sept. 24 in Bremerton, Scherrer was inducted into the Wild Salmon Hall of Fame at the Kitsap Conference Center. This marks her eighth environmental achievement award. She was nominated by 21 people from Whatcom County.

Scherrer was inducted into the hall of fame, sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Salmon Center, which recognizes individuals who work to conserve and protect wild salmon populations because of her dedication and accomplishments, said Jeff Koenings, director of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and member of the Wild Salmon Hall of Fame final selections committee.

Bert Webber, former NSEA board president, said Scherrer was deserving of the induction because of her passion and commitment to salmon protection and recovery.

"There is no person that is better at networking the community," Webber said. "(Scherrer) is a problem solver. She is optimistic, courageous and cheery. We are lucky to have a person like that in our community."

Scherrer said she is passionate about taking action. Just talking about something doesn’t get anything accomplished; people have to actually go out and do it.

"She is a bulldog after deciding what needs to be done," Webber said. "I am amazed at her can-do attitude and dogged determination to move a controversial project forward."

In February 2005, Scherrer was forced to put her profession on hold while battling lymphoma, a cancer of the blood. Scherrer said her family, who has been by her side during this difficult year, is her greatest accomplishment and the most important thing in her life. She has three children: Ben, 24, Peter, 22, and Katy, 17.

After being diagnosed last year, Scherrer took a leave of absence from April through December from NSEA to treat her cancer. In October she received a stem-cell transplant at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Prior to the transplant, she underwent radiation and chemotherapy at the University of Washington Medical Center. Scherrer returned to work in January and restored some normalcy to her life.

"I think going back to work was good for her," said her son Peter. "It was nice to have her more relaxed and content. It really gave everyone a good peace of mind because it was a good sign of improvement."

Scherrer said she is thankful to be alive.

"The message with all these things that are horrible is that you live one day at a time," Scherrer said. "You are profoundly grateful for everything and hopefully the message is you have to appreciate every day as you see it."