Blog
Shades of Gray
The weather has certainly shifted, and fall has fully arrived! Time to dig out the rain boots and bumbershoots. OICF is celebrating ten years as the fiscal sponsor for the Island Reproductive Health Initiative (IRHI). Jean Henigson and a team of her neighbors started...
One Person Can Make a Difference: Robert
Robert Pregulman Island Rides, Volunteer Can you share a little bit about yourself? I’m originally from Chattanooga, TN, and I worked at my family’s steel business after college. After volunteering for a local environmental group for a few years, I decided to...
Happy Halloween
My time on the east coast is coming to an end. I have had a great time seeing old friends and family, as well as the amazing colors of the season. Even so, I am looking forward to the damp beauty of the Northwest. The OICF Team has been busy while I was away....
One Person Can Make a Difference: Patricia
Patricia Benton Orcas Island Community Foundation, Treasurer Orcas Community Resource Center, Chair Can you share a little bit about yourself? My husband, Bruce, and I moved to Orcas full-time in 2020 (no not because of COVID) after spending time here since...
Building Community
I am enjoying my weekend in South Carolina with my high school mates. We have rented a large house on the Isle of Palms. The pool and the ocean are still warm enough to swim in—mighty fun. There is nothing like time with really old (in every way) friends! One...
One Person Can Make a Difference: Justin
Justin Paulsen Orcas Island Park & Recreation, Commissioner Can you share a little bit about yourself? I was born and raised in Renton, Washington and spent a good amount of time looking at Orcas Island from Bellingham, where I attended Western Washington...
Sail On, Bruce
I am sad to let you know that Bruce Coffey died this week. Bruce was one of the Founders of OICF and was a Board and Committee Member for nearly 20 years. He was instrumental in setting up our investments independently and helped guide us to where we are today....
One Person Can Make a Difference: Susan
Susan Singleton Arts for Orcas Kids (A*OK), Volunteer Can you share a little bit about yourself? I’ve been on Orcas now 28 years. We moved here to live in an environment closely linked to the forest and the sea. I am most comfortable, delighted, and challenged...
Housing Solutions
A 2001 Starter Home Hank and I bought our starter home in 2001. It will likely be our finisher home as well. We were able to purchase it with a monthly mortgage of $1,000 with a down payment of $60,000. It was a stretch for us at the time, as I was working as...
One Person Can Make a Difference: Anika
Anika Blackman Orcas Island Food Bank, Volunteer Can you share a little bit about yourself? I was born in Kazakhstan, but I moved to the United States when I was around eight months old. From there, I moved to Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, and now Orcas...