Blog
Community Support
One of my neighbors has breast cancer. She was pretty scared when they discovered it. She works as a caregiver, so becoming the one cared for was challenging, but she eventually opened up to the support of many friends. Every other week, a volunteer flies her over to...
Board Boot Camp on Sept. 20
The Orcas Island Community Foundation will offer Board Boot Camp on Thursday, September 20, 1-5 pm at Eastsound Firehall. This action-packed workshop will help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to be an effective Board member. We will focus on individual...
Blue Skies
Finally, the smoke has cleared, and perhaps more exciting, there is a chance of rain in the forecast! We can hope it actually comes to pass, as it has been one long dry summer. OICF is planning a series of focus group meetings to further develop our Children’s Saving...
Donor Advised Funds at OICF
There have been a few articles about Donor Advised Funds in the news lately, spurned by the amazing growth of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. They have amassed over a Billion dollars under management, but do not have a great record of getting those dollars...
August is underway!
The thousand days of August are upon us. Both Doe Bay Fest and the Chamber Music Festival get underway this weekend, the park campground is on overload, and the ferry reservations are as well. Ah, Summer. Fortunately, the lake is perfect for swimming and the...
Children’s Savings Accounts
OICF is exploring the possibility of creating a Children’s Saving Account (CSA) program for Orcas. CSA’s focus on teaching financial literacy, encourage savings, and can be used for career training or post secondary education. Research has shown that CSA’s have a...
Thank you, Lahari
Aging in a rural and remote community presents unique challenges. Access to health care can be difficult and care providers may be both limited and quite costly. Frequently, transportation becomes an issue when driving is no longer an option. Orcas is very fortunate...
Music to my heart
One of the joys of living in a small community is that you get to know so many people. I have especially enjoyed watching the youth of Orcas grow into adulthood and seeing what sparks their passion. It seems that Orcas is fertile ground for many to blossom. One such...
What is new in Eastsound?
I hope you can join me for an Eastsound walk on Thursday, July 19th, 10-11:30 am. We will start from our current offices and walk over to see our new office space on Urner Street. From there we will walk ‘the back way’ to Madrona Point, where Peter Fisher will join us...
Get on Board!
Human resources are really our most valuable resources as every nonprofit on the island relies on the efforts of a volunteer board to guide and support their work. A skilled board is critical for the growth and development of the many programs that serve Orcas. Board...