||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER |||

Once again, the Orcas community has risen to the challenge! Thanks to you, the Orcas Senior Center non-profit has not only reached, but has exceeded, our annual fundraising goal of $50,000. Even more than the money raised, we are touched by the broad support this represents, as it comes from more than 200 different, individual donors. This level of community support means the center can now handle more months of maintaining a pandemic level of vital services, from Buddy Check-In to Meals on Wheels, and more.

We are equally touched by the number of volunteers who stepped forward this year to help in so many ways. There are more than 200 of you, as well! Many have been Buddy volunteers, making sure that no senior needs to feel totally isolated while protecting their health. Others have done everything from stamping envelopes to creating unique pandemic events like Take-Out with Christina; from helping maintain our landscaping to helping to make and sell Maggie’s Masks.

It will still be a long winter with some challenging months ahead, but with several vaccines on the horizon, we can begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you Orcas Island for helping the Senior Center continue to make sure we get through that tunnel together. You make us both Orcas Strong and Orcas Proud.