“I’m Glad I”
I am glad I grew up in Chelan; Not only is it just an absolutely beautiful town but its comfortable feel makes living here enjoyable.
Those two attributes alone make me grateful I grew up here. Not to mention the community in our town is awesome; the people who live here are incredibly warm hearted folks. The businesses down town are locally owned and their personable, taking the time to connect with the customer.

All of the reasons above being accompanied by our glistening fifty-five mile long glacier made lake Known as Lake Chelan. Every day I see the lake and I feel truly lucky to have grown up around here. I would much rather our town over a crowded suburban, smelly pollution filled town. Our town is beautiful.
When I say Lake Chelan is beautiful I am not only referring to the body of water; I’m meaning the entire Lake Chelan valley. From all the way up in Steheiken down to the power house and everything in-between.
Town has an diverse range of vegetation due to the change in altitude and weather. Just looking around you glimpse briefly at how it varies throughout the big huge snowcapped peaks up by Mt. Stormy down to the dry mountains of the Butte.
The change in landscape I find fascinating; if it were possible I would explore every inch of the Valley. For example as I was growing up my friends and I use to wonder what town would look like from the top of the Butte, so like many others before us we trekked to the top and saw for ourselves. Since then we have taken that hike countless hours spent looking over town; feeling as free as a bird and on a small scale experiencing the town from a birds eye point of view.
Personally I feel like the joyous atmosphere of our town is directly correlated to the beautiful valley nature blessed upon us. I feel for those people that take our Pretty little Valley for granted and shrug it off as another little crappy tourists town. When its not tourists season the town is so small you nearly everyone; it’s a pretty safe environment. Over all its crime rate isn’t too high in a violence directed manner; it is safe to sleep with your doors unlocked. Unlike larger cities riddled with paranoia by day and scared to walk the streets alone at night. Our Town is always a safe soothing place to venture off on little moonlight strolls nearly worry free. In the winter the town is just as pretty, and the way the untouched snow shimmers in the moonlight is surreal.
I don’t enjoy the cold weather that accompanies the flakes that fall over our town to allow such surreal views of nature. However I will admit that cold days in a gorgeous town are so bad; after a short time you adjust to the change in temperature and embrace it unknowingly you sort of seem to understand how others would enjoy it even. My Favorite time of the year is the summer the long hot days and the relaxing feelings accompanied by summertime.
Boy oh boy, is this town just the biggest tourists attraction. I have met people who travel across country and even a few families that travel internationally all to experience a piece of my hometown. Every summer that comes is sure to bring new people to town, from all over it’s a tourist destination for a reason I can’t blame them for wanting to come stay for a weekend or two. The spike in the town’s population can become discombobulating when it comes to traffic and the wait time at your favorite restaurant. I like that people know about our gorgeous Lake and Valley; it makes living here all that much more interesting you never know who you’re going to meet.
I have met multiple famous NFL athletes all from the comfort of my own home town. Lucky for me the Seattle Seahawks my favorite team practice and play a scenic four hour drive away. They also found out how short the ride seems when you know how much fun it’s going to be once you arrive. They visit often in the summer time and when they’re in town their presence is known, everyone knows the Seahawks are in town even if you have no idea what a dang Seahawk is. Also World renown UFC fight Tito Ortiz came to town and I met him and those are things I may have never experienced not living in Chelan.
Granted being a small town the employment is limited and varies with the seasons; in the winter employment is scarce. In the summer thanks to the many guests who host the job market is a lot better, and if you do well enough your summer gig may pay off and turn to a year round job. On the down side if you’re a minor or a student finding a year round job can become an issue and growing up I was both of those.
Other than that our Valley is quiet wonderful and I am glad I was raised here. I am glad I was able to be a part of such an incredible place; the memories I made growing up our ones I will cherish for an eternity. They will be stories I can tell my whole life and hopefully I will one day be able to return and see it all one last time. The Town isn’t to big so there are no huge outlet malls or chain retail stores and the limited choices on restaurants may turn some people off at the thought of living here year round. Then you take into account the crystal clear cool water that happens to be the third deepest natural made lake in the country; the wonderful people who make up our community. Last but not least take into consideration the immaculate landscape along with everything else; and it’s easy to see why I am glad I grew up where I did.