Orcas This Week: Service, Classes and Meetings — and then “Orcas Has Talent!”

Monday, January 17

National Day of Service Celebration and Work Party! 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Public School Cafteteria. Come join the Orcas Island Community Foundation for National Day of Service in celebration of Martin Luther King.  The Foundation is hosting a volunteer party  from 11-3 at the public school cafeteria. The entire community is invited to lend a hand and volunteer.  There will be several projects available to choose from, including garden clean up for the public school, Montessori school and the Museum, spreading chips at the playground, cleaning gutters at the Senior Center, and park clean up at Crescent Beach and Waterfront Park. For those who would prefer an indoor activity, there is also data entry needed by the Orcas Island Education Foundation and computers will be available to complete this project.  Several organizations will also be on site at the cafeteria to provide information on ongoing volunteer opportunities.  Warm beverages and snacks will be provided.  Please bring tools and gloves if you have them. Contact Hilary Canty at OICF, 376-6423.

The Island Reproductive Health Initiative (IRHI) meeting to nominate officers and elect a Steering Committee from 5:30 – 7 p.m. in the Orcas School Library. Contact Jean Henigson if unable to attend this meeting but would like to help.376-6549 or dance@rockisland.com

Doe Bay Cafe Free Movie, “Exit Through the Gift Shop” Movie starts at 7:00pm, free popcorn at show time, half-priced bottles of wine.   “Exit Through the Gift Shop” is an exhilarating hall-of-mirrors look at what happens when global art fame turns anonymous, artists become objects, fans turn into artists, and the whole what’s-sincere-and-what’s-a-sham spectacle is more fun than art was ever supposed to be. Dinner reservations are recommended. Call 376-8059 or see www.doebay.com

Tuesday, January 18

Food Bank open 11:30 to 2 p.m. in the lower level of the Community Church.

Toastsmasters meet at 6 p.m. at the Senior Center. Free and open to all to improve public speaking skills.

SeaDoc presentation on Humpback Whales (rescheduled from last Tuesday due to snow) at 7 p.m. at Camp Orkila Marine Salmon Center. Dr. Jeremy Goldbogen of Cascadia Research will give a presentation on humpback whales. In a feat that makes Olympic distance runners seem like toddlers, humpback whales migrate every six months between their summering grounds in the North Pacific and their wintering grounds in Hawaii or Southern Mexico. It’s quite a journey, even for a whale that is 1.5 times as long as a school bus. Goldbogen will entertain with stories about the singing of male humpbacks, their interesting feeding behaviors and new findings on these whales that, like killer whales, can be identified individually. Free.  376-3910

Wenesday, January 19

Orcas Garden Club will feature a talk on Landscape Design, presented by Colleen Howe  at  10 a.m. at the Orcas Center. 376-6110.

“An Introduction to Birding Orcas Island” with ornithologist/artist Kim Middleton.This class will be offered on both Wednesday and Saturday.  Class dates are Wednesdays, January 19-February 23rd, from 1 to 4 p.m., and Saturdays, January 22-February 26th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Cost for the 6 week course is $75.00 and class space is limited.376-4985.

Indian Island Marine Health Observatory — 3rd annual nighttime low-tide walk around Indian Island at 8:30 p.m. The interpretive walk will begin on the beach below the County Waterfront Park in Eastsound.

Thursday, January 20

Kathi Ciskowski will offer “An Introduction to Genealogy and Family History”, a 2 week course, today and  Thursday, January 27th from 12:30 to 2:30pm.  Class size is limited to 10 students and the fee is $15.00. 376-4985.

Salmonberry School Afternoon Tea and Open House from 3 to 5 p.m. Come join us for a visit to the early childhood classroom at Salmonberry.  The kindergarteners and teacher Linda Ellsworth have been planning this afternoon together, and are inviting the community to stop by and enjoy a yummy snack, a simple craft activity, and a chance to play and explore the classroom.  Salmonberry is now enrolling 3 to 6 year olds for the spring semester, and is not too early to reserve a space for the fall. Call 376-4310 or www.salmonberryschool.org

Mount Property Constructed Wetland projectOpen House in Eastsound from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., at the Eastsound Firehall to provide an overview of the project history and current status of the project design.  Construction is scheduled for late summer of 2011. Volunteers are needed to participate on an Aesthetic Design Review Committee for the project; the first committee meeting will be held on January 27.
The public is  encouraged to attend and/or to write County Public Works at San Juan County Public Works, PO Box 729, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, or email  pubwks@sjcpublicworks.org.
For further information on the Open House or the committee, contact Shannon Wilbur, Project Manager, at (360) 370-0522.

Food Bank open 5 to 6 p.m. in the lower level of the Community Church.

Saturday, January 22

Orcas Has Talent Auditions and Junior Competition at the Grange Stage 2 p.m. for the Junior Show; 7:30 pm for the Auditions.
A great line up of talent, 15yrs and older signed up for the auditions where they all will be vying for one of the 8 “golden tickets” that allows them to compete in the “Finale show” (Feb. 5th/Orcas Center) for the Grand prize winnings of $500 cash!  At 2 p.m., the always entertaining “Orcas Has Talent Jr.” competition where young musicians, singers, and even a magician are hoping to grab the first prize of $50. plus the chance to compete against the adults for the $500 winnings in the Finale show!  Tickets at the door:  “Auditions” 7:30pm -$10.  “Orcas Has Talent Jr.” 2:00pm- $10 adults /$5 students.  All proceeds benefit Orcas Island Prevention Partnership. www.orcasprevention.org