This week brought the news that Sam Coleman had died after a brief illness. He was home in Pasadena surrounded by Cynthia and their children. Sam was an OICF Board Member for several years. He also served on the Orcas Center Board. But his true love was music, and he treasured his time on the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Board, serving as Chair until his death. Sam was a true ambassador and cared deeply for this community. What a lovely man, and what a loss. Sail on, Sam.
Lynnette Wood has established a memorial endowment fund in honor of her husband Ken Gibbs, a remarkable scientist who enhanced our knowledge of the universe, who died this past summer. The fund will support science programming and materials at the Library, a place near and dear to Ken. There is a matching grant for the first $25,000 of donations, meaning every dollar will be doubled. You can read more about the opportunity here.
A slightly different kind of goodbye — I would like to bid Nikki Ames and her most fabulous Trés Fabu! a fond farewell. I have truly loved the experience of her little shop, as a peek into my closet would confirm. It was always a welcoming space, filled with love and a delightful bevvy of shop girls (as Nikki deemed her tribe). Nikki was a strong supporter of OICF, OPAL, OCRC, and many other vital Orcas programs, frequently donating a percentage of sales to the cause. She is retiring, and a new shop will be filling the space soon. Farewell, Nikki and thank you for making us feel snazzy.
The OICF office will be closed this next week starting on Wednesday in honor of Thanksgiving. We are going to get a little rest before the start of the Give Orcas Campaign. We will be launching the Flat Person guessing on the day before Thanksgiving. Look for hints on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Everyone who guesses the correct person will be entered into a drawing and may win $500 to contribute to the GiveOrcas opportunity of their choice.
Hope your Holiday table is filled with delight and surrounded by love —
Hilary