Blog
Approaching the Finish Line
Island Market is all gussied up for the season Congratulations to all of the programs in our 2021 GiveOrcas Holiday campaign which finished FULLY FUNDED! What a great team effort on behalf of the nonprofit and this community of generous donors. Special thanks to...
Way to go!
Flat Jason and 3D Jason are doing great work raising awareness for GiveOrcas! Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the GiveOrcas Holiday Catalog. So far, 432 individuals have made 856 donations totaling $99,696 — WOWZA! Congratulations to the Senior Center...
Community Emergency Response Fund Provides Relief from Flood Damage / El Fondo Comunitario de Respuesta a Emergencias brinda alivio por daños por inundaciones
The Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) and the Orcas Community Resource Center (OCRC) are launching a trial program to help individuals and families who experienced property damage and suffered economic losses due to the recent deluges. Thanks to generous...
Happy December
I am writing today from sunny Tucson where Hank and I are taking a much needed holiday, visiting family, hiking the desert, and basking in the sun. As I relax, OICF remains very busy. The 2021 GiveOrcas Holiday campaign is off to a great start, with one proposal...
Bridging the Divide
Photo courtesy of Molly Roberts There is something sacred about how this community has responded to the recent torrential rains which brought significant road damage and flooding. When folks woke up on Monday, they realized the road just past Doe Bay Resort had...
What a week!
Waldron I had the good fortune to go on a tour of the Helsell property with Pete Helsell himself this week. The property borders Turtlehead and has a commanding view of Waldron and beyond. Ruth Brown, of Four Winds fame, gave the land to Pete’s grandmother and it...
Big Blue
Pete Moe explaining the mechanisms of Big Blue I attended the grand opening of Big Blue, the new glass crusher behind the Exchange. I have to say, it was a lovely event. So fun to be outside surrounded by our community—chatting, laughing, sipping cider and...
Spooky Times
Giant Killer Worm Emerges on Crescent Beach Orcas celebrates Halloween with pizazz. Island Market hosts a decoration contest between their departments, witches swarm Eastsound on paddle boards, and families parade through town trick-or-treating at every store. It is...
Long Live the Kings
I had the great pleasure of having very dear, old friends visiting this week. After almost two years of isolating, time together felt especially wonderful. It also gave me the opportunity to take them on a deep dive into island life. Hiking Moran and Turtleback,...
Shelter
Finding shelter in on the Village Green As the weather took a turn towards winter this week, my thoughts are with those on the island that lack sufficient shelter. In this community while some homeowners here have multiple homes, there are other folks without a roof....