Support Orcas Senior Center via 2023 Holiday GiveOrcas!
Mon., Nov. 20 – Wed., Dec. 6
We are excited to announce that the Orcas Senior Center will participate in the GiveOrcas Holiday Catalog, Nov. 20 to Dec. 6. The Orcas Senior Center (OSC) is working to raise $15,000 to provide services essential to sustain and expand the social, intellectual, and creative well-being of seniors and adults with disabilities on Orcas Island. This campaign will help fund the Programs and Activities Coordinator position and a diverse range of programs and activitiesâsuch as the Meeting of the Minds lecture series and the Socrates Cafe discussion group; art, creativity and movement classes; field trips; and special music and dance events. For little or no cost to OSC members, these provide essential social connections and outlets for creative and intellectual stimulation. In addition to paying a portion of staff salary and supplies, part of the funds will go toward a âscholarshipâ to cover the annual OSC membership fee for those who cannot afford it, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent someone from benefiting from these services.
The reliance on community support through grants, fundraising events, and philanthropy underscores the importance of individuals coming together to support one another, especially when the center doesn’t receive any federal, state, or local tax dollars.
To help fund our request, go here to donate.
Also, mark your calendars for Ben Franklin Day (Mon., Nov. 27) to make a $100 or more donation. The organization with the most $100 plus donations will be awarded $1000 bonus toward their grant request. And on Unique Donor Day (Tues., Dec. 5), the organization with the most $10 plus donations will again be awarded a $1000 bonus toward their grant request.
Thank you!
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.