Didier Gincig, Coordinator, Orcas Island Recreation Program, was informed today, June 4, that the county is considering cutting funding (currently $10,000, down from $16,500) for the Orcas Island Recreation Program.
He issued the following call for action to save the recreation program:
We currently receive approximately 10% of our funding from the county (the remainder comes from participation fees, community donations, and grants). As it is, we must do a tremendous amount of fundraising to meet our annual expenses.
Now it is up to the county council to make the final budget decisions, including whether or not to continue funding our vital community program.
We are asking you to please take the time to contact the county council members with phone calls, and/or e-mails, faxes, and letters expressing support for the Orcas Rec. Program and asking them to continue program funding.
Costs to provide programming are up as are the requests for scholarship support. We are raising some prices, but can only do so much of that without making programs too expensive for the families that need them. We appreciate the community support we receive through donations and grants, but the competition for each dollar is increasing with so much fundraising going on with the many non-profit organizations on Orcas.
— Orcas Rec is a priority, a vital asset to the community — a key investment in our children.
— Orcas Rec promotes healthy kids and a healthy community.
— Orcas Rec helps create a safe community, reducing criminal system costs.
— Hundreds of children and families participate annually
— Orcas Rec is doing everything we can to meet expenses through raising participation fees and fundraising to be as self supporting as possible while keeping prices affordable for families.
— It’s our duty as adults. It’s not so much that we’re looking to provide programs so kids stay out of trouble and not experience substance abuse. We’re doing what we do so children can thrive.
Gincig includes the following email and street addresses of county officials and asks that Orcas Rec supporters contact them:
Pete Rose, County Administrator, peter@co.san-juan.wa.us
Council Members: Howie Rosenfeld, Lovel Pratt, Bob Myhr, Rich Peterson, Richard Fralick, Gene Knapp.
350 Court St. #1, Friday Harbor WA 98250 — street address for all
Phone 360-378-2898 for all
Fax 360-378-7208 Fax number for all
Lovel Pratt
lovelp@co.san-juan.wa.us
Rich Peterson
richp@co.san-juan.wa.us
Howie Rosenfeld
howier@co.san-juan.wa.us
Richard Fralick
richardf@co.san-juan.wa.us
Gene Knapp
genek@co.san-juan.wa.us
Bob Mhyr
bobm@co.san-juan.wa.us
See:www.sanjuanco.com/council/AboutTheCouncil. for contact information.
