Update from OICF indicates that while the cat’s away, the mice will play

||| FROM ED ANDREWS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION |||

Hi all

Ed here, standing in for Hilary while she spends a well-deserved two week vacation basking in a warm place much further south than here. Hilary, you better be out on a walk and not reading this. 

Eagle Lake with Trumpeter Swans

It’s been wonderful to see the weather shift to more sun and less rain this week. It has been good for the soul to get out there and bask in the beauty the island has to offer. This week, I was fortunate enough to head from Deer Harbor to Eagle Lake and go on a hike with the esteemed Steve Jung. Steve is a former OICF Trustee and Board Chair. I was also lucky enough to have him as my Board Mentor when we served together. We often get together to walk and talk. This time, our journey took us around the lake while seeing two trumpeter swans, a handful of bald eagles and much more. The place certainly lived up to its name. I always leave our time together inspired by our community and reflecting on all that it offers. 

I know we are all hoping for better Covid numbers from the County this week. To help keep you safe, SJC Health Department are making N95 and KN95 masks available to the public for free. You can pick them up at Ray’s, Island Market or the Food Co-op during their normal hours of operation. A big heartfelt thanks to these businesses and to the county health department. You are community, through and through. 

We will be hosting an hour-long webinar for our nonprofits on March 1 at 12:30 where we will explore ideas on how to manage our community buildings a bit better. The conversation will help all of us learn how to assess the current health of a building, create a plan for ongoing maintenance that lives beyond the current Board and Staff and can be budgeted over time, how to secure resources for these efforts and how to reconnect an organization with the history of its facility. We have brought on a number of experts to share experience in building inspection, finances, grants and more. 

Friends in our nonprofit community, please save the date! Attendance is free and there will be a drawing for those who attend for a free capital needs assessment—a building inspection and report estimating the life span of the major components of your facility with a financial spreadsheet for better planning. Invitations will be sent to our non-profits shortly. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to send me an email at: ed@oicf.us

The fog moved in last night, and it’s looking like some rain will follow in the coming days. Don’t let that stop you from getting out there. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices.