Many of you know me, as I have been a resident of Orcas Island for some time. You may not know that as President of the Board and then the first Executive Director of the Orcas Center, I played a key part along with many others in accepting the generous donation to the community from the Robert Buck family of 17+ acres known as Buck Park. The Orcas Center held this property in trust until a committee was formed to administer it and ultimately donate it to the school district for safe keeping until another public entity could provide funding for the park.

Without funds to properly maintain it Buck Park is in great need of some tender loving care. The best organization/agency to facilitate this is Orcas Island Park and Recreation District.

Created in 2009, OIPRD has come up with a wonderful plan to provide a wide variety of services to our community. Outdoor programs such as tennis, soccer, baseball, volleyball, sailing, basketball, and swimming, as well as indoor programs that give children a constructive place to be after school and on weekends. If the Rec District had any funds some of them would be budgeted to help minimally refurbish and maintain Buck Park.

I have been sorely disappointed recently that we have not been able to gain approval for much needed repairs and replacements for our aging school buildings. I also regret that we have seen fit to minimally fund important programs outside of our schools for our children. I cannot remember a time since I have been here that the community has turned down a chance to help with education or youth programs. We’ve seen our son graduate from Orcas High School and now have a grandson in kindergarten in Orcas Elementary School. This is not about us, but about him. Let’s not once again disappoint our children and grandchildren.

To paraphrase a great statement, “ask not what your community can do for you, but rather what you can do for your community.”

Bruce R. Orchid

Westsound