We would like to say a very fond farewell to Orcas Island as a full-time home as we are moving to Anacortes. Our family moved to Orcas Island in 1998 when our daughters were only four and six, and we bought the Orcas Hotel.

Over all these years, many people have enriched our lives, and hopefully we did the same in return. We are very grateful for the beautiful place we call home. From the Salish Sea to Mt. Constitution and all the sweet spots in between; especially the farms that provided us with their bounty. We have been blessed to have our daughters grow in such a magnificent place.

Our EMTs are the best! Several times over the years, they have provided professional and compassionate care to our family and a few of our guests.

Thank you to all of you who supported us in our business, staff members, many who were like family to us, and neighbors alike. It has been a great honor to care for the hotel, a significant, historic part of Orcas Village.

I had the opportunity to work with the most caring, creative and compassionate group of educators for twenty years. No wonder so many of our kids grow up to be the successful adults they are.

Of course, my real appreciation is for my students. For twenty years, I had the privilege of working and learning from all of them. I hope to occasionally see you in town as you go on with your lives when I come back to the island for heartfelt visits.

Thank you all for helping make these last twenty-six years of our lives such a memorable and life-changing experience that anyone could have.

Laura and Doug Tidwell

Orcas Island