Kate Long, Sam Sutton and Gabe Thompson smile as they work in Aspen's Garden
The National Day of Service was observed by several Orcas Island organizations on Monday, Jan. 17, in cooperation with the Orcas Island Community Foundation.
For the third year, the Community Foundation put out a call for local service projects. Garden, gutter and data cleanup were a few of the projects tackled outdoors and indoors by volunteers who answered the call to help.
Madison Pollack digs away in Aspen's Garden on the National Day of Service
Inside the school cafeteria, the Community Foundation, Farm to Cafeteria program, Indian Island Marine Science Observatory, Orcas Montessori School, Kiwanis, Hearts and Hands, Orcas Historical Museum, set up tables to inform visitors of their missions and sign up volunteers.
The sun shone brightly most of the morning at Aspen’s Garden behind Orcas High School, where the Key Club President Halley McCormick, joined by fellow senior Piper Hayworth and 7th grader Halle Thompson, pulled weeds, cut blackberry brambles, gathered brush and disposed of litter. They were joined by Kate Long, Sarah Lyle, Gabe Thompson and Sam Sutton, who successfully uprooted blackberry vines and supervised the pruning operations. Kyle Zbornik and David Kau pruned much of a noxious “butterfly tree.” Susan Stoltz and Madison and Bill Pollock also pruned trees, cultivated the ground, unearthed plant labels and carted away garden debris.
Aspen’s Garden was constructed in honor of Orcas High School student Aspen O’Donnell, who died in 1997. The Key Club and the Environmental Club plan to continue to maintain the garden.
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