Wednesday, March 13, 2013 • The Islands’ Sounder
WWW.ISLANDSSOUNDER.cOM
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Rally accepting applicants Orcas School looks at new designs for campus by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONG Editor/Publisher
contributed photo
OPALCO Youth Director Connar Smith (middle) participating in team building in 2012. Orcas High School senior Cameron Schuh, a 2012 OPALCO scholarship recipient, was elected by his peers at the 2012 Co-op Youth Rally to return this year as a Youth Director. This one-week program for high school sophomores and juniors, established in 1986, educates students about rural electrification and grassroots organization, helps them develop leadership skills and also provides some good summer camp fun. At a planning meeting for the 2013 Rally this month in Boise, Schuh once again rose to the top when he was elected president of the 2103 Youth Directors. For 2013, OPALCO will again be selecting three students to receive the Nourdine Jensen Cooperative Youth Scholarship ($500) and, with Schuh, attend the Co-op Youth Rally and leadership camp at the College of Idaho. Applications are available online at www. opalco.com; the deadline is March 22. “This is a life-changing experience,” said
Schuh after the 2012 Rally. “I have met so many new and interesting people and am making friendships that will last a lifetime.” The three students from San Juan County (along with OPALCO chaperones) will join with up to 100 peers from rural electric coops in Idaho, Alaska, Oregon, Wyoming, and Utah for a packed schedule of leadership-building activities and fun social events. The rally, scheduled for July 8-13, is hosted by the Idaho Consumer Utilities Association, which also sponsors additional scholarship awards and leadership opportunities to participating students who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities during the Rally. All sophomores and juniors from OPALCO member households are eligible to apply. Visit www.opalco.com. Scholarship winners will be chosen based on a personal interview and will receive their awards at OPALCO’s 76th annual meeting on the ferry, scheduled for Saturday, May 4.
Orcas School administration has narrowed it down to two. After looking at three options designed by Mahlum Architects, it has settled on two potential construction plans for renovating the middle school, library, cafeteria and more. The improvements will be paid for by a voter-approved $11.9 million bond. “Option B” proposes a new music room in back of the old gym, utilizing the existing stage; renovating the cafeteria and kitchen and building a culinary arts room; the current middle school would become the library and the old library would be converted to the middle school. “Option C” calls for most of the same changes, but the middle school would be built onto the back of the elementary school and the library would be turned into
Granny’s Attic seeks News from the Exchange items Submitted by The Exchange Board of Directors and Executive Director Mark DeTray The Exchange is working diligently with the county on finalizing the contract for operating the Orcas Island Transfer Station. The expected date for the hand-off from the county to The Exchange is April 30. We anticipate posting two positions – scalehouse attendant and transfer station attendant – in the next week or so. The community is clearly missing the opportunity for reuse; we are with you and are doing everything we can to get this capacity back online. Offers of time, treasure and talent continue to pour in. We are cataloging these offers systematically; you can add your name to the
list by posting a comment or sending a private message to us via Facebook or by email: mark.detray@gmail.com or petemoe@gmail.com. If you are interested in making a financial donation to this effort, you can do so via the Orcas Island Community Foundation – oicf.us – by designating the Exchange Phoenix Fund. We are still waiting for a demolition permit from the county. Once we obtain this permit, we’ll get the site cleaned up and will be able to move forward. One possible scenario we are discussing is clearing the lower area (currently occupied by windows) for a temporary structure, while the upper area is reconfigured. We are also considering a “consensus” design process for the permanent structure for the upper area, much
like the process used to design the Stage On The Green. Please keep the ideas, positive energy and support headed our way.
Granny’s Attic Sale is just around the corner. Now is the perfect time to. This is a fundraiser for the Orcas Senior Center. It is on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Volunteers will be accepting items on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 19 until April 23. Clothing and electronics are not accepted. For small pieces of furniture, wait until April 16 and call 376-2677.
ORCAS ISLAND HARDWARE North Beach Rd. Eastsound Mon-Sat 8 - 5:30 Sundays 10 - 4
Residential & Interior Design
Bonnie Ward ASID, IIDA 376-5050 www.designwardinc.com
376-3833
admin and OASIS rooms. The new library would be in the old middle school classrooms. The designing process will take until this October. Permitting and bidding will happen in November and December. Construction will start in the beginning of 2014. The bond is for 20 years and the terms are 26 cents
per thousand. Voters also approved a two-year general technology capital projects levy. The levy, which is $.06 per $1,000 assessed value, will pay for modernizing the school’s technology facilities. The next meeting with Mahlum and the school district is scheduled for March 14 at 4:30 p.m. in the school library.
Upcoming WSU Extension Ag Events Saturday, March 16, 8am-7pm 2013 San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit
Join fellow county farmers! Hear renowned speaker Paul Stamets! Quiz county council candidates! Workshops, information sharing, roundtables, and more! Info and schedule at www.sjcarc.org.
Tuesday, March 19, 8:45am – 4:30pm Growing the Farm Biz
You’ve worked hard, now make it pay! We’ll cover cash flow (in the right direction), balancing your budget, marketing, finding financing, and more! Location: Skagit Valley College San Juan Center, Classroom B Registration: Contact Candace at 370 7664 or candace_jagel@wsu.edu Cost: $20/farm or free to micro dairy workshop participants Drinks and breakfast pastries provided. BYO lunch! WSU Extension programs are open to all without discrimination. The business workshop is made possible by a grant from the Western Center for Risk Management Education.
proudly supports the inaugural 2012 Shakspeare Festival
RAY’S PHARMACY Templin Center, Eastsound 9:30 am – 6 pm Mon – Sat 10:30 am – 4 pm Sunday (Saturday Pharmacy 10:00 am – 4 pm No Sunday Pharmacy Service)
376-2230
ISLAND MARKET Eastsound Open Mon-Sat 8 am-9pm Sun 10 am-8pm