09/23/2025
For more than 3 years, this remarkable group of community members worked tirelessly to save Cuesta Inlet. This is the group that simply would not give up—even when the path forward wasn't clear and seemed impossible.
They showed up. They sold t-shirts. They counted boats. They staffed 156 farmers' markets. They set up booths at Oktoberfest, boat parades, Queerwood, and just about every local, public gathering imaginable.
They attended meetings. They collected signatures. They wrote newsletters. They organized meet-and-greets to explain why the Inlet mattered. They met with county and state officials, spoke with land trusts and nonprofits, investigated grants, and applied for them. They sat through countless meetings.
They dug into the history of the Inlet and learned about its plants and wildlife. They designed websites, taught themselves new software, redesigned websites, managed social media, answered emails, and yes—attended even more meetings.
They wrote letters. They studied conservation appraisals and the ins and outs of nonprofit funding. They put on more than 50 fundraisers—big and small. They gave talks, gave interviews, and spoke with reporters to keep the story alive.
They created spreadsheets. They crashed spreadsheets. They wrote over 350 thank-you letters—with more still to write. They designed graphics and slogans that gave the movement its voice and spirit. They went to more meetings.
They worried when an offer came in higher than they could pay—but they didn't despair. They worked harder and had more meetings.
They listened to their neighbors. They smiled when skeptics said, "You'll never be able to buy the Inlet," and they gained strength when others told them, "This matters. Keep going. We appreciate you."
All the while, they also held jobs, cared for families, and volunteered with other organizations.
In the end, they became part of the community that answered the call.
Together, in just 90 days, this community raised over $735,000 to buy our Inlet.
🩵This is the group that wouldn't give up
Photo courtesy of Bob Clover
Not all of our volunteers are pictured here, but every single one is part of this story.
Do you know one of the volunteers who wouldn't give up? Give them a shout-out in the comments!
