Register or join an event or class by going to the Calendar of Events, finding the class or event, and following the instructions listed.
New to Zoom? Go to our Zoom Like a Pro page to find out how to use Zoom.
To our Friends and Supporters:
Last year was a busy year at Orcas Senior Center, as we reintroduced in-person lunches, programs and activities. Today, our Nutrition Program (home-delivered Meals on Wheels and community lunches) is serving more seniors than ever before, while the range of new activities and the return of well-loved traditional activities is increasing month-by-month. The two Companion Services programs, Hearts and Hands and Buddy Check-In, continued to grow in 2022; as did a new program piloted last year: Home Maintenance and Repair. These programs will continue in 2023.
In the background, we prepared for the transition to a new nonprofit, Friends of Orcas Senior Center, which took over operations this month. The Senior Services Council of San Juan County (a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization), which until now has overseen operations of the senior centers on Orcas, Lopez, and San Juan islands, will be dissolving. Last year, all parties worked closely with attorneys to ensure a seamless transition, with no interruption in services. Now, with the transition complete, we anticipate that services will improve, since having a single nonprofit entity focused just on Orcas will allow us to streamline administration, give us more flexibility in programming, and provide much needed stability.
Of course, we couldn’t do any of this without your support, and the scores of volunteers who help make the center such a vibrant and active place. The Friends of Orcas Senior Center will depend on your support and your volunteer efforts just as much as did the Orcas District of the Senior Council. We thank you for being our friends, supporters, and volunteers, and look forward to continuing to serve you and bringing many exciting new programs your way in 2023. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at the center please contact Programs and Activities Manager, Steven Ziegler, at 206-413-6156 or Steven@orcasseniors.org.
COVID-19: Be in the Know
To see the latest information about San Juan County’s COVID vaccination effort, including eligibility and announcements of vaccination dates, and to schedule a vaccine appointment, go here.
Could you use a QR code to quickly scan or a link for a digital copy of your COVID verification record? Go to WAverify here.
Do you know a community member who needs extra assistance with signing up for the COVID-19 vaccine? If so, help is available through a collaboration between San Juan County Health and Community Services, Orcas Senior Center, and Orcas Community Resource Center.
Please contact San Juan County Senior Services Specialist Jami Mitchell at (360) 376-7926 or Jana Webb from Orcas Community Resource Center at (360) 376-3184 for details regarding this assistance.
Keep up to date with the latest information about COVID-19 locally, statewide, and globally:
San Juan County
Washington State Department of Health
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
World Health Organization
Real Time Air Quality Measurements @ OSC
As part of its Air Quality Monitoring Project, San Juan County has installed a PM2.5 monitor on the Orcas Senior Center building.
What are PM2.5? PM2.5, which stands for “Particulate Matter 2.5, are microscopic particles that are only a tiny percentage of the diameter of a human hair in size (2.5 micrometers or smaller, to be exact). Their microscopic size allows them to bypass the protective areas of the nose and throat and penetrate deep into the lungs, potentially causing health problems. On Orcas Island, the most common sources of PM2.5 are motor vehicles, residential wood burning, and seasonal forest fires.
The box below shows up-to-date readings from the PM2.5 air quality monitor installed at the Orcas Senior Center. Any number less than 50 is considered to be generally safe. Click on the “Purple Air Map” text at the bottom to get even more information from the sensor and to see readings in other locations.
For public health guidance from San Juan County Health & Human Services for PM2.5 concentrations, go here.