Richard Track
Orcas Center, Board Member
Odd Fellows, Member
Can you share a little bit about yourself?
I grew up on Long Island, NY. After college, I traveled alone to India, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Nepal. I continued to visit India over five times, eventually living there and studying yoga and meditation for nearly two years. Traveling and experiencing the diversity and beauty in this world is one of my greatest passions.
Upon returning from India, I founded a video production company in New York City. For over twenty years, I loved the creative role of producing videos for a wide range of clients from non-profit organizations to Fortune 500 companies by providing production services for independent films and music videos. I loved the ways that video was beginning to be used as a communication medium, at that time.
I have also been fortunate to be married to Debra Babcock, an amazing and gifted artist, writer, and human being, for nearly 30 years. We raised our niece and nephew after their parents’ untimely deaths, and we are now proud and ecstatic grandparents of three grandchildren.
What brought us to Orcas was Debra’s vision during our very first visit here. Finally, after five years of visiting, with many short-term house swaps with Islanders who wanted to visit NYC, I said yes, and we moved to Orcas full-time in 2018. I love kayaking, hiking, cooking, camping, biking, and growing food. I am extremely grateful for the life I have had and what I have received. I made a commitment to myself based on that gratitude, to give back to the community.
Tell us a little bit about the organization you volunteer at.
I am currently a member of the Odd Fellows and a new member of the Board of Directors of the Orcas Center where I am the Chair of the External Affairs Committee. I love supporting the incredibly varied offerings of the Center. I see it as a hub of the community, providing opportunities for all of us to experience and participate in some form of creative expression. The staff is amazing. As a board member, I am excited to support and help grow this wonderful institution and open it up to as much opportunity for the entire Orcas community to participate as possible.
As an Odd Fellow I so appreciate the relationships that we have and the service that we bring to the island. We split and deliver wood for people in need, drum and dance in the parades (Solstice is by far my favorite), raise money for school scholarships, and coordinate for The Orcas Food Project for neighborhoods to support the food bank, I love it all.
What does volunteering do for you?
Volunteering for me is a way to connect with the community, to share our common needs and goals with others, and a way to give back my own gratitude. Plus, as a relatively new resident, it’s a great way to meet and connect with new people!
Visit the Orcas Center and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows to learn more. Reach out to them if you would like to get involved.
If you would like to learn about other volunteer opportunities on Orcas, please email Ed. He would love to get together for tea/coffee to chat about your interests.