Rainbow over Orcas Island Leather Goods Megan here, saying “hi” on this first Friday of February as Hilary is still away south of the border. Earlier this week the Groundhog emerged and reported six more weeks of winter, which means (according to a rodent) that we are...

Eagle Lake with Trumpeter Swans Hi all Ed here, standing in for Hilary while she spends a well-deserved two week vacation basking in a warm place much further south than here. Hilary, you better be out on a walk and not reading this.  It’s been wonderful to see the...

Cascade Lake OICF remains a very active philanthropic agency.  In 2021, we opened 15 new funds, distributed $2.5 million in grants and received 2,554 donations ranging from $10 to $500,000. Each donation is an investment in building a stronger community, strengthening...

API / Reuters Images Nonviolence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one's whole being into the being of another. —Martin Luther King, Jr., 1957 Monday is the day we...

Woodside Farm from Deer Point Rd 2022 has dawned with weather!  Freezing temps, snow and ice has kept us all on our toes.  Hopefully things will settle down soon. Until then, stay cozy! The Flood Relief Program that was launched after the November floods is winding...

Indian Island 2021 was quite a ride!  Our community has been so remarkable during this pandemic.  We remain one of the very few counties in the world that has not lost a single fife to Covid.  If we met the per capita death rate in Washington State, San Juan County...

Aerial of Island Hardware As we prepare to celebrate and to hunker down with the severe cold front heading our way, I want to take a moment to share a sweet and sad story. There is a young person who grew up on Orcas and has hit a very low point.  That individual’s...

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...

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...