Three cheers to the Lopez community, who attended two recent town halls about the Lopez Swim Center. Your questions were excellent, your enthusiasm wonderful! Questions from the first town hall enabled us to prepare a more detailed presentation at the second. The presentation, including Financial Outlook and Floor Plans, can now be seen on FLIP’s website, www.lopezislandpool.org. Our profound thanks go out to the more than 600 donors who have brought the pool project to the cusp of construction. We are now launching the final phase of fundraising which will bring home the funds to purchase, engineer and install the two Myrtha pools in 2019 — so we can open to the public! FLIP welcomes new volunteers and donors as we proceed into the construction phase. Just make contact through the website to volunteer your skills, or contact me or any board member listed on the website to make the champion donations that will have Lopez swimming. Watch for an announcement of our Swim Center Appreciation Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2 p.m., on the pool site: 177 Pool Lane, opposite the Center Road fire station. Help us to honor Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-Orcas Island, and Councilmember Jamie Stephens, who were instrumental in getting significant government support for the Lopez Swim Center. Music, food, friends and fun!

Robin Bergstrom, President Friends of Lopez Island Pool