Letter to Editor | Thank you to all the A*OK supporters

||| FROM SUSAN SINGLETON, BROOK MEINHARDT, DANNA KINSEY for ART FOR ORCAS KIDS |||

Our Art for Orcas Kids Program is gearing up for another fun-filled holiday GiveOrcas campaign and we are reflecting back to our early beginnings and our amazing gifts along the way. We want to say a HUGE thank you to the talented artists who work as teachers, the KIDS, parents, grandparents, friends – ALL program supporters. Amazing supporters include the Orcas Island School District, Orcas Center, the Orcas Island Education Foundation, the Orcas Island Community Foundation and YOU!  A*OK certainly is a community effort!  

Last year we received some very generous anonymous donations that relieved the fundraising stress and allowed us to say YES to extra projects. In addition to teaching 20 weeks in the elementary, year-round middle school exploratory and hosting the high school art club, A*OK was able to assist the middle school by building sets for their play, taking docent trips to the Orcas Center Student Art Show, and ever so much more. We view our work as so much more than just art class. Art gives our kids tools to unlock their creativity in all disciplines and provides important healing in uncertain times. 

This week our creative director, Brook Meinhardt wrote:

“I cannot begin to thank you for your contributions. This community has kept A*OK alive and thriving. I often think of you as I teach or prepare to teach because I am doing what I love to do and it brings so very much to our students. My teaching career with A*OK has spanned many years and so there are students that I taught in elementary school who are now in college. 

I recently heard from one of these students, he’s a senior in college and was having a ‘very stressful week.’ He shared some cardboard figures he (expertly) made and let me know that ‘making them really made him feel better’. He went to art making to self soothe. I was so touched that he reached out to let me know this. 

Additionally, a few years ago, right before the pandemic, I asked my elementary students to finish the sentence “I like ART (class) because…”. The most popular answer was “I like ART because it’s awesome” and the second most popular answer was “I like ART because it calms me down.” Other responses included  “I like ART because it makes me feel peaceful.” A week later, school was shut down because of Covid-19 and those responses inspired me to create the A*OK Art Kits. I knew the kids were going to need something that would engage them at home and make them feel more peaceful.The popularity of the Art Kits proved to me that I was on the right track – along with wonderful text messages from my former students.

ART education really matters! Because of YOU this program is possible, so thank you so very much for your generous support.“

Art for Orcas Kids wants to communicate our gratitude and appreciation for all that the Orcas Island  community does to support programs like ours and so many others.

We just want to say THANK YOU over and over! 

Sincerely,