Family Connections Works Tirelessly Behind the Scenes
– by Cara Russell –
An Orcas Island Santa’s workshop at Orcas Family Connections. Photo: Cara Russell
It’s just one week before Christmas, and Erin O’Dell, head of Orcas Family Connections (OFC), along with Amber Paulsen of Orcas Island Trailblazers, have been working closely together in the small and confined space of the OFC office. Surrounded by stacks of wrapped Christmas presents, and boxes filled with stuffed, red stockings, all waiting to be delivered, O’Dell and Paulsen are in the midst of experiencing their busiest week of the year. “For us, right before Christmas, there’s still so much to do. All of these stockings and presents have to be delivered to the Food Bank and Island Market by this weekend,” said O’Dell.
O’Dell plays an essential role in the entire functioning machine wherein local businesses, organizations and individuals work together to make Christmas happen for needy families on Orcas Island. “There are two main programs that we coordinate this time of year—the Giving Tree, and the Stockings,” explained O’Dell.
The Giving Tree, located at Island Market from the first week of November to the third week in December, provides Christmas gifts to local children who may otherwise go without this Holiday season. Although “we officially called it quits on December 16,” said O’Dell, with a total of 198 forms, she expects to end up with one or two more at the last minute.
In the spirit of the Giving Tree program, when a member of the community pulls a tag from the tree, the gift is then up for their interpretation. “In the spirit of the Giving Tree, if you can afford to buy a ten dollar present, then we are grateful for what you can give,” said O’Dell. Donations from the Lions Club, Kaleidoscope, Island Market, and the off-island Salvation Army then fill spots that have been missed. Money donated by these organizations goes to supplement gifts and to buy presents for the tags that are still on the tree.
Amber Paulsen of Orcas Island Trailblazers 4-H Club, has been overseeing the last stages before the delivery of over 100 stockings to the Orcas Island Food Bank, on December 17. Orcas families were able to sign up for the stockings at the food bank back in November. “What we are doing now is matching up the appropriate stocking to the appropriate kid, based on age and gender,” said Paulsen.
As part of 4-H, the Trailblazers do a community service project every year. The girls do all the shopping for the stockings, and then fill all 100 of them. The Orcas Kiwanis contributed toys, and the Lions Club donate specifically to the Trail Blazers every year. The girls also use the money they earned from selling Girl Scout cookies towards the stockings, which Mary Minnis sews every year.
The stockings hold the basic necessities, including tooth brushes and oral hygiene products donated by the local dental offices. There are also frugal things, and the little extras, like necklace making kits, feather boas, hats, gloves, cards, and for the older kids, head phones, flashlights, coloring books, and crayons.
This year 62 kids, six to ten years-olds, will find a free movie ticket for them, their siblings and an adult to a fundraiser on January 18 at 1 p.m., benefited by Seaview Theater. The kids will get to see a showing of “How to Train your Dragon.” The ticket includes popcorn and a soda. “Different businesses donate something for the stockings each year, and this year it’s Seaview Theater,” said Paulsen. “So that is something fun that we got to do this year. In the past, there have been tickets for free gelato at Enzos, cookies at Teezers, movie rentals, book exchange, just about anything.”
Aside from the Giving Tree and the Stockings, Orcas Family connections also work as a middle man between the donors and the families. “Because this is a small town, it is important that a business or individual giving to another remains anonymous,” noted O’Dell. Recently an anonymous donor gave $500 through the Community Foundation, asking that OFC find five families in need of a $100 Island Market certificate for groceries.
It takes many to help make Christmas happen for needy families and children. O’Dell plays one of the many important roles in the community effort to help make Christmas happen on Orcas Island.
If you would like to get involved with Orcas Family Connections, donate, or become a member, visit the website, or contact Erin O’Dell at OFC during hours of operation, 360-376-3184, or via email.
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Orcas Family Connections Resource Center connects with many Island organizations and county offices to help out families of all types and ages all year long. They work especially hard to make the Christmas season bright for all. Thank you to OFC staff, board and volunteers!
Erin, Kalie, Amber and all:
Your help and support to the Orcas Community is greatly appreciated by so mnany. Thank you! Rick
I was lucky enough to be at the OFC office as literally truckloads of gifts were being forwarded on from Judy Lindgren and her team at Island Market.
Even more amazing than the vast amount of work that was going in to the organizing of the gifts and the stockings was that throughout the entire process, Erin and Kaley were also performing their normal work duties! While I was there they helped provide energy assistance for a family, took an application for rental assistance, discussed items relating to the Affordable Care Act with 3 different people and arranged for off-island transportation for a family heading to Seattle for medical care.
Oh – and did I mention their office was also doubling as a vaccination clinic for San Juan County Public Health to immunize nearly a dozen pre-schoolers!
Thank you to OFC for serving our island community and taking the lead in helping to assure that everyone in our community finds and receives the vital services they need.
This year one of the gifts that our family places under the tree will be marked for OFC knowing that they will put it to the best use for our island neighbors!