Three young children were living with their parents last summer in a cabin on Lopez. Their mother was having serious health issues and was in and out of the home all summer, and their father was working during the day. The children were often home alone. The Family Resource Center became aware of this and took the initiative to enroll them in numerous summer workshops, including swimming, soccer, and Legos. New friendships were formed, and one of the children fell in love with Legos and joined the Robotics team at the school. He continues to gain confidence from his newfound skills.
The Lopez Island Family Resource Center works hard to provide a program that is exciting and accessible to all Lopez residents and visitors alike! Whether you are a full or part time resident, a summer vacationer, or just here for a few days, there are many different opportunities to take advantage of. This year, the Resource Center is offering over 60 types of exciting, fun workshops. There are 90 individual class sessions and over 50 different instructors. Already, 15 classes have filled, so sign up soon!
This summer, the LIFRC Summer Workshop program is offering a variety of the usual summer class favorites, including sailing, swimming, kayaking, and the British soccer camp. Youth sailing will have a new instructor, Cameron Schuh of Orcas Island, who has instructed through Sail Orcas and competed in the 2013 Olympic class Finn regatta. Russ Levine will continue to teach our adult sailing classes, which have been expanded to include an intermediate level.
The Seafaring and Voyaging class is back, with separate voyages for high schoolers and middle schoolers, and Dr. Drum’s popular Seaweed and Edible Plants Ramble will be happening once more. Lego Robotics will also return, led by Willem Scholten who coaches one of Seattle’s top performing Lego Robotics teams. Kathleen Foley from the San Juan Preservation Trust is heading up Birds and Habitat: Making the Connection, and be sure to not miss out on Silk Scarves and Banners with Janet Lehwalder of Moonlight Silks. There’s something for everyone!
There will also be a variety of new classes for kids and adults to try out. Amy Popelka will be coming from Bellingham to offer a Henna class, and Jake Sausman will be offering Paddle Boarding. Tom Cowan will be offering a Beginning Fly Fishing class for 12-16 year olds, a group from Seattle will be offering two skateboard classes, and a Seattle author/artist team will teach a Text, Tone, Tempo class especially for 8-12 year olds that will expand kids writing and visual arts horizons. Kids ages 10-14 can join the new exciting North Cascades River Rafting Trip.
The Resource Center works hard to provide a variety of class options for all ages and interests. Since no Parks and Recreation Department exists on Lopez, the Resource Center provides opportunities for visitors and residents to partake in plenty of activities for the summertime. For the past 15 years, the LIFRC has aimed to keep fees affordable and will never turn a child away for lack of ability to pay for a class. Generous donations from local businesses, organizations, and individuals help maintain a scholarship fund available for those who need it. Donations and grants are also used to help cover program costs. In addition, the Resource Center is fortunate in that numerous islanders volunteer their time to provide classes. “We are offering more classes this year than ever before. We continue to work to ensure that every child on our island has the ability to participate by keeping class fees low and by providing scholarships and payment plan options for local families in need,” said Celia Marquis, LIFRC executive director. Last year, the LIFRC provided over $6,000 in confidential scholarships.
Brochures and registration forms are available at the LIFRC office or online at www.lifrc.org. To register online for classes, you will need a debit/credit card. If you would like to pay with cash or check, or you need a payment plan or scholarship, visit the office or call us at 468-4117. Workshops are filling up quickly this year, so turn your registration in soon!
