OPAL honors Lifetime members. From left, seated: Allen Smith, OPAL Board President, Phyllis and Bob Henigson. Standing, from left: Bob Gamble, Michael Brennan, OPAL Executive Director Lisa Byers.
In recognition of their long history of active participation and support, Michael Brennan, Bob Gamble and Bob and Phyllis Henigson were named “Lifetime Members” of OPAL Community Land Trust at the organization’s annual dinner on Saturday night, September 22, at Orcas Center. The honorees were celebrated and thanked for their generous gifts of time, talent, wisdom and financial resources in helping to make affordable housing available to island families of modest means.
Also announced at the gala was OPAL’s recent third-place finish and $5,000 award in this year’s Prudential Leadership Awards for Exceptional Nonprofit Boards. The annual award is a program of BoardSource, a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing the public good by building exceptional nonprofit boards. “We brought home bronze,” said OPAL executive director Lisa Byers, “and I am pleased to see OPAL’s governance recognized among this year’s top three on a national level.”
OPAL stands for “Of People and Land,” representing a commitment to protecting natural resources while providing permanently affordable homes for people who are vital to the Orcas Island community. Incorporated in 1989, OPAL now provides homes for 121 households and continues to accept applications from people who are not able to purchase a house on the open market. For more information, go to: www.opalclt.org. For further information, call OPAL at (360) 376-3191.
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