— from Pete Moe —

The Orcas community has really come together to help rebuild the Exchange reuse facility.

Since a fire destroyed the Exchange almost four years ago, thousands of dollars have been donated. Now San Juan County has stepped up and agreed to build the exterior “shell” of the new building.

Orcas Recycling Services is in the midst of a final fundraising push. The County will begin construction in January, but we still need $90,000 for the interior build-out and to open the doors this summer.

ORS came to that number after studying the scope of the interior construction requirements–including utilities, fixtures, and equipment, as well as ensuring we have sufficient funds for contingencies, start-up costs, and operational readiness.

An island-wide request went out earlier this month—thanks to all who have donated.

If you have not yet made a contribution, please take a moment to invest in this critical public service before the end of the year. It only takes a second on our website: exchangeorcas.org.

It’s been a marathon folks, but now we are in the home stretch. Together we WILL get this job done.

Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange is a community-driven 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to: “Build a zero-waste community through service, education, and stewardship of our waste/resource stream.”  Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange has been in operation since 1984, and managing the Orcas Island Transfer Station since September 2013. www.exchangeorcas.org