— by Jim Biddick —
The end of summer marks the end of a busy fundraising season for the Orcas Island Lions Club. This letter is to thank the community, sponsors and volunteers that helped us achieve our goals and allowed us to give back to the community. One hundred percent of all funds raised by the OILC this year were returned to the community to support its many causes.
Some of these causes included: eyeglasses, Camp Horizon for Special Needs Campers in Blaine, Leaderdogs, the Orcas Food Bank, the Lions Christmas Ship, Orcas Trailblazers, School Solar Project, Camp Orkila, the Northwest Lions Foundation Health Screening Van, the Lions in Kindergarten Education Program(LIKE), the annual Easter Egg Hunt, White Canes, Mobility Equipment, Holiday Baskets, a grant to Children’s House for fence repair and the Holiday Giving Tree. The total for these activities amounted to over $11,000.00 in funding. In addition the Club awarded $17,000.00 in college scholarships to Orcas High School Students from our endowment and club funds.
The Club could not have achieved this goal without the support of the Orcas Community and our many sponsors’. Especially we would like to thank our number one business sponsor Island Hoppin’ Brewery for all they contributed to this year efforts. Without support of business such as Island Hoppin’ the Lions would not be able to accomplish the many things we are called on to do. Thank you to all the Lions Club members that helped with fundraising events and our tent business. Thanks to all our community volunteers that came out to help and thank you to our Sunrise Volunteers for their efforts.
You may ask who the Sunrise Volunteers are. This is a group of island residents that come together in an informal setting to help out with projects in the community. They meet the 3rd Friday of each month at 7 a.m. at the Island Skillet for coffee, to hear what the islands needs are and to listen to a short informational talk by an island organization representative. Come to our next meeting on November 20, to find out what this group is all about.
Now a plug for and about the Orcas Island Lions Club. If you find yourself on a Wednesday at noon with nothing to do, stop by the American Legion Hall for a free lunch and to find out about the Lions Club. In a nutshell, the Lions are an international service group and social organization. We hold many fundraisers that benefit the local community as well as international causes. This year the Club gave a donation to the Lions Club International Foundations for the NEPAL Relief Fund, which resulted in LICF being able to present $100,000.00 from the relief fund. As with all of the Orcas service organizations, our Club is looking for new members willing to give back to the community. Whether it is the Odd Fellows, the Kiwanis or the Lions, we encourage you to get involved and give back to the community. To find out how you can contribute to the Lions efforts we ask you to attend one of our Wednesday meeting to see what we are all about. You can attend three free lunches before we ask you make a commitment. If after three meeting you decide it is not for you, you still have the option to give back to the community by through signing up with the Sunrise Volunteers.
Again, thanks to all for making Orcas the “gem of the San Juan’s” and for making this a little slice of paradise.
Jim sets the example for leadership and giving back to the community in so many ways. In addition to his work in the Lion’s Club, he is President of the Historical Museum and probably even more organizations I’m not aware of. Volunteering is so important in our small community. THANK YOU, Jim Biddick!