The Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) and its Partners in Philanthropy — Anonymous, Marilyn Anderson, Michael Brennan, Joe Cohen, Martha Farish and Clayton Philbrick, Cynthia and Sam Coleman, Betty Corbett, Phyllis and Bob Henigson, Hull Family Supporting Organization, Masterman Family Fund, The Olga Symphony, and the Wright Janeway Family Fund awarded grants totaling $72,830 to community non-profits.
The awards were announced at a ceremony at the Orcas Center on Friday, May 22.
The Community Foundation Grants Committee awards the funds from the Community Endowment Fund — whose earnings are the primary source of annual grants money — and from the Partners in Philanthropy program, which allows donors to either contribute directly to the yearly grants pool, or to select from a list of approved and ranked projects provided by the Grants Committee.
The non-profits receiving OICF grants are:
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DV/SAS) — $2,500 for operating funds. Award funded by Anonymous and Henigson;
Farm to Cafeteria – Orcas Island School District (OISD) -Orcas Island Education Foundation (OIEF) — $5,000 for a program to incorporate locally-produced foods into school curriculum and food service. Grant award funded by Anderson and Cohen, Farish and Philbrick and Henigson;
Farm Education and Sustainability for Teens (F.E.A.S.T.) – The Funhouse–$3,500 for summer high school sustainability and stewardship education program. Award funded by Cohen, Farish and Philbrick;
Friends of Moran Park –$1,500 for the “Creatures of the Forest” preschool program, funded by OICF;
Friends of Moran Park — $3,600 for Mt. Constitution tower renovations, funded by OICF;
The Funhouse — $3,800 for college counseling, SAT prep class and on-line high school classes, funded by Cohen, Farish and Philbrick;
Islands Oil Spill Association –$925 for HAZWOPER emergency response training class, funded by OICF;
Kaleidoscope –$4,693 for “Bringing Books Home” literacy program funded by Henigson, The Olga Symphony and OICF;
Kaleidoscope –$1,500 for operating funds, funded by OICF;
Kwiaht — $1,700 for Fishing Bay toxicant study on freshwater shellfish, funded by OICF;
Long Live the Kings — $3,400 to replace salmon egg incubator at hatchery, funded by OICF;
Orcas Center – OISD/OIEF — $4,000 for second year of grant for school theater and dance programs; funded by OICF;
Orcas Family Connections — $8,000 for family home visits, literacy fair, training for outreach advocate, funded by Cohen, Farish and Philbrick, Corbett and OICF;
Orcas Family Health Center $2,500 for ultrasound diagnostic machine for use by all medical practice, funded by OICF;
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival and Music Advocacy Group — $2,500 funded by Masterman and OICF; $1,500 for second year of three-year grant for preschool music program, funded for 2010 by Masterman and OICF;
Orcas Island Historical Museum — $4,000 for operating funds, funded by Hull and OICF;
Orcas Island Recreation Program — $2,000 for summer activities for kids, funded by Hull;
Orcas Island Rowing Association — $978 for Cox box (microphone and speaker system) and boat lights, funded by OICF;
Orcas Montessori School — $500 for sandbox cover, funded by OICF;
Primary Intervention Program – Orcas Island School District — $1,800 for child mental health specialist to train volunteers who help at-risk children, funded by OICF;
Readiness To Learn – Orcas Island School District — $7,500 to connect needy families with social services and provides emergency funds, funded by OICF;
San Juan Nature Institute – Orcas Island School District — $530 for compound microscope for elementary classroom use with video projector, funded by Cohen, Farish and Philbrick;
San Juan Nature Institute – Orcas Island School District 4th grade — $1,400 for teacher training and salmon study program, funded by OICF;
Youth Grants (see accompanying article “High School classes award $5,000 in Youth Grants through the Community Foundation”) — $5,000 funded by Brennan
Kathleen Collister’s class:
$1000 to the Funhouse
$1000 to Orcas Open Arts
$250 to Children’s House
$250 to Kaleidoscope
This class concentrated on organizations and projects that provided “Fun.” They specifically want the Children’s House and Kaleidoscope to use the money for something that the preschoolers think is “Fun” — whatever that is.
Val Hellar’s class:
$800 to Orcas Family Connections
$900 to Orcas Food Bank
$800 to Orcas Family Health Center (they would like the money to go to the “Emergency Fund” for families that would otherwise not be able to afford treatment.
This class focused on organizations and projects that help people during these tough economic times. They hope this money will ease the burden, if only just a bit, on our island neighbors that are struggling.
The Youth Grants Presenters were Emma Gallo-Chasnoff, Edi Sale and Lily Sky,
In 2008, OICF funded 27 grants for a total of $72,000, including unrestricted donations to local charities selected by the 2008 high school class. Last year, there were 38 applications requesting a total of $168,000.
The Community Foundation extends a “Special Thank You” to the Orcas Center for use of the Madrona Room, William Patterson for catering,
and to the Sunflower Café and Teezer’s “for nourishing the Grants Committee.”
Reception underwriters are Dr. Steven Bailey, Valerie and Dr. Evan Buxbaum at Treehouse Pediatrics, Healing Arts Center, Orcas Family Health Center, Orcas Island Medical Center, and Dr. Michael Triplett.
Grants Committee Members are Joe Babcock, Betty Corbett, Rick Gould, Whitney Hartzell, Paul Kamin, Moana Kutsche (chair), Coleen O’Brien, Doug Pearson, Ann Snelson and Robin Woodward.
