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.

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We are hiring! Join the Orcas Senior Center (OSC) team as our Home Maintenance and Repair (HM&R) Coordinator. This is a contracted position, not an employee position.

As OSC moves this important program from the “pilot” phase to becoming a core offering of the center, we are seeking someone who can continue to coordinate and grow the program.

The Orcas Senior Center HM&R Coordinator serves a “facilitator” function that provides timely access to competent and reliable contractors for seniors and persons with disabilities. The purpose of the HM&R Coordinator position is to allow seniors and adults with disabilities to age safely in place because their residences are safe and in good repair.

Specific tasks include the following:

• Receive requests for services from Orcas seniors and adults with disabilities, supervise prioritizing of requests, and answer service inquiries.
• Assess and scope HM&R job requests, including documenting and itemizing the work to be done.
• Provide statements of shared understandings to both client and to service provider (contractor).
• May help negotiate and/or facilitate agreement between contractor and client.
• Coordinate or combine small jobs to achieve economies of scale for contractors.
• Assess quality of contractor work and client satisfaction.
• Visit worksites when necessary.
• Maintain records of jobs requested and completed.
• Assist in securing funding to assure sustainability of the program.
• Coordinate with other similar services offered in the community, like weatherization assistance, and support offered by the Opportunity Council, San Juan County Home Program, and USDA-RD.
• Facilitate client referrals to those programs, when appropriate.

Pay and time requirement: The Coordinator will be paid a flat rate retainer fee of $250/week for 0 to 4 hours, regardless of the number of hours actually worked, but with the expectation that this will cover up to four hours per week of coordination, depending on the number of client requests. Additional hours will be paid at a rate of $55/hour with pre-approval from the OSC Programs and Community Services Manager. Successful candidates will be licensed, bonded, and insured. In addition, candidates must pass a background check and list Orcas Senior Center as additionally insured on their liability policy.

To apply for the position, please send an email to admin@orcasseniors.org expressing your interest.

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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.

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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