At the May 11 County Council meeting, the future of Orcas Rec was determined for 2010. After the Council members heard from both Pete Rose and Dona Wuthnow about the current status of Orcas Rec, Orcas Representative Richard Fralick made a motion that the County commit to operate the Orcas Rec Program through November. The motion was seconded by Gene Knapp and was approved unanimously by the County Council members.
Orcas Rec undertook a pledge drive in April that tipped the scales in our favor. Thank you to all that pledged and donated for this special pledge drive. Without your show of support we would have been forced to close. We need continued support from the Orcas community to help execute our 2010 summer and fall programs.
The pledge drive was part of a master plan to help Orcas Rec keep the program in the black throughout this year. The pledge drive raised $21,473, which is a huge step towards our goal of $32,000 in donations for 2010. We still need approximately $11,000 in donations to meet that goal. The rest of the plan relies on fundraisers, events, user fees, and grants to keep our program in the black. We need community members to come to our fundraisers and to participate in our programs as much as possible this year.
We thank the Council for its vote of confidence and we thank the Orcas community for all of its support, past and future. This organization means a great deal to the people of Orcas Island and we are thankful that it is set up to continue until November. Beyond November, it is hoped that the Orcas Island Park & Rec District will present a plan of action to the community on a ballot measure some time this year.
Our next fundraiser, “Run for Rec,” is on May 22 at Moran State Park. We are asking people to support Orcas Rec by taking a walk or run around Cascade Lake. The cost will be $25 per person or $100 for a team of five. All proceeds will go directly to the Orcas Rec program. This will be a fun family event for all ages to enjoy, (childcare will be provided). To find out more about our fundraisers and summer programs go to www.orcasrec.org
Linda Sheridan
Orcas Rec Coordinator
