As we close out our 25th anniversary and reflect on an incredible year of watershed-wins, we have so much to be thankful for and it all comes down to you, our supporters.
Let’s look back on some highlights.
This year, more than 130 volunteers put in approximately 600 hours of work protecting the river. During this time, a record 2,083 pounds of trash was picked up, over 3,000 shrubs and trees planted through restoration, and five monitoring events to collect data on the river were accomplished.
We had a record-breaking Hooked on the Gallatin this year, with a sold out crowd of 250 people who helped us raise over $325,000 to support on the ground conservation work in our backyard. Thanks to some incredible partners, we completed two restoration projects, hosted field trips and adventures with over 100 kids, and made great strides in designating the Gallatin as Wild & Scenic.
Volunteers
Volunteer Hours
Engaged Youth
Native Shrubs & Trees Planted
Monitoring Events
Restoration Projects Completed
We clearly have a lot to be proud of and so many people to be thankful for. We’d like to honor a few folks who have gone above and beyond with a Gally Award. We could go on for pages about each and every one of you, but here are a few standouts from 2025.
JACK CROWTHER VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
This award, named for former board member and all around incredible Big Sky Community member, honors Jack Crowther. This year we have the pleasure of thanking Evan Reigle for all his hard work and dedication to the Gallatin River. Evan was new to our organization this year, but quickly became a friend to us all. Putting in hours of work picking up trash and planting trees, he came to many events and we were always happy to see him.
HAGEN JOHNSON PHILANTHROPY AWARD
The Spanish Peaks Community Foundation has been an extraordinary partner in advancing meaningful, on-the-ground restoration for the Gallatin River. Through their Impact Leaders Grant, SPCF has made one of the most significant foundation investments in river restoration in our organization’s history. Their support is directly accelerating critical restoration work, improving water quality, and strengthening the long-term resilience of the river and the communities that depend on it. SPCF’s leadership reflects a deep commitment to stewardship, collaboration, and lasting impact, and we are grateful for their vision and dedication to protecting the Gallatin for future generations.
WATERSHED STEWARD OF THE YEAR
This award goes to an all-around rockstar. An advocate for the Gallatin in every way, Rob Callan is this year’s Watershed Steward. Not afraid to do the dirty work (literally – he picked up 50 pounds of poop during Runoff Cleanoff), Rob was a regular at volunteer events, educational hikes, and a huge advocate for our restoration work. We are so thankful for friends like him!e community.
PARTNER OF THE YEAR
This year we had the pleasure of working with a fellow nonprofit based out of Missoula. The Salmonfly Project is dedicated to the research and conservation of aquatic insects. Thanks to them, we have started creating a baseline of aquatic insect health by which to track future changes in water quality. This helps us better understand how threats to the Gallatin may affect the aquatic food chain. A huge thanks to Jackson Birrell and the Salmonfly Project for their expertise in the field and for hosting volunteer and education events to help benefit the community.
ROOKIES OF THE YEAR
Bob & Becky Jamo have been donating and attending events for several years, and we were stoked to see them at our Greek Creek volunteer event last spring. It’s exciting to have those special supporters who donate both money and time, and the Jamos gave a great example of this dual support in 2025. It’s been a pleasure getting to know them both and we’re thrilled to have them as part of our community!
