Jump in and help build the Lopez community swim center

The nonprofit community Swim Center, open to all San Juan County islanders and visitors, gets closer to construction with its end-of-year $125,000 challenge.

||| FROM CLAIRE ANDERSON for FRIENDS OF LOPEZ ISLAND POOL |||

With only 37% of the building budget remaining to complete funding for the Lopez Island Swim Center, Friends of Lopez Island Pool (FLIP) is urging San Juan County islanders to jump in and join the end-of-year $125,000 community challenge.

“The Lopez community pool will improve the quality of life for Lopezians, San Juan Islanders, and visitors,” says FLIP Executive Director Philip Prud’homme. “We have the opportunity to do something truly meaningful; the pool on Lopez will benefit us all and the generations to come. The time is now to get off the sidelines.”

Once the Swim Center is complete, Islanders and visitors alike will be able escape the blustery winter weather and recreate, relax, and rejuvenate in the 25-yard, four-lane heated lap pool and 24-by-38-foot superheated therapy pool.

Open year-round for all ages, the Swim Center will feature a variety of programs, from swimming lessons and kayak instruction to emergency water rescue and seniors-only hours, enhancing the Island communities’ health and connection to one another. Beyond swimming, the Lopez pool will have a community room available for use, an outdoor deck and barbeque space, and a memorial garden for outside gatherings.

Longtime Lopezian and Swim Center supporter Inez Black recently pledged $100,000 toward the pool’s completion. “…the project is on a strong footing after years of diligent research and thorough planning by a dedicated local board,” says Black. “I hope others will jump in to help take this important project to its next step. What a great opportunity for cross-generational community to learn swimming and water safety together!”

To date, FLIP has raised $5 million of the $8 million needed for the Center’s construction. A $500,000 pledge was made to ensure the Center’s continued operation and maintenance, and a $100,000 scholarship for children has been established to ensure access to the pool regardless of family income.

To donate online, visit www.lopezislandpool.org/donate. By mail, send a check to FLIP, PO Box 453, Lopez Island, WA 98261. Donations of stock or cash can also be directed through donor-assisted funds (DAFs)—contact FLIP Treasurer Tom DiGiorgio at 206-579-7856 or tom.digiorgio@lopezislandpool.org for more information.

FLIP is a tax-exempt 501(c) nonprofit organization, IRS EIN #26-2079787.