||| FROM HILARY CANTY |||
Thank you to everyone who attended the Ice Cream Social to celebrate Give Orcas. What a delightful way to cap off the campaign! The Senior Class, represented by Sam Sutton, Jefferson Freeman and Eddie Cunningham, presented the Youth Philanthropy Awards, with $5000 awarded to Mercy Flights, $3000 to the Orcas Island Education Foundation and $2000 to the Booster Club. All were grateful and so appreciated the recognition.
OICF launched Give Orcas in 2013 as a way to engage more of the community in supporting the nonprofit sector. At that time, OICF was receiving about $200,000 in proposal requests and had approximately $50,000 to distribute, which created a competitive situation in which many organizations did not receive enough support. The first year we switched to an online process, 57 donors contributed $75,000, raising the distribution to $125,000, a significant improvement.
This year, 957 donors contributed $259,000 and OICF added $120,000 allowing us to fully fund all 26 proposals. Thank you to everyone who participated! Over the last 11 years, $2.9 million has been raised and distributed through the Spring Give Orcas campaigns. Truly amazing support for the programs that serve the island so well.
The Pet Parade is this Saturday. Gather at the Public School starting at 9:30 with an 11 am start. Presentation of awards to follow at the Village Green. Always a great kick off to the summer!
Monday, the American Legion Post 93 Color Guard will be hosting a Memorial Day service at the Olga Cemetery at 11 am to honor all who have served this country.
Hope to see you there!
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The Orcas Island Education Foundation is so grateful to the generosity of all who made this happen: donor, OICF, and — most of all — the OIHS Class of 2024. We are humbled by this recognition. Thank you!!
Mercy Flights joins the Education Foundation in sharing deep appreciation for donor, OICF and the Class of ‘24’s generous support, we’re honored to help, Thank you!
The Orcas Island Farmers Market was the recipient of one of the Senior Class Youth Philanthropy Awards a handful of years ago, and it was a pleasure for me to stand last Thursday and witness the awards being given to other organizations for this year’s awards! We are also VERY grateful for the OICF for their continued excellence in ushering the community through such a monumental fundraiser for this year’s Spring GiveOrcas – deep gratitude for the opportunity to fundraise for the Farmers Market!