by Lisa DiGiorgio | Oct 5, 2018 | News
Friends of Lopez Island Pool is postponing the Appreciation Celebration event that was planned for October. This is due to the reality that the site may not be safe because of its current condition and technical uses with the permits. But, how about that mountain of dirt! Go take a look at the property, if you haven’t already.
We are incredibly grateful to the entire community for its interest and financial contributions! We especially want to recognize and honor Senator Kevin Ranker and County Council member Jamie Stephens for being champion supporters! They have been instrumental in securing substantial government funds for the Lopez Swim Center which has made a huge difference. FLIP is looking forward to continuing this work with them toward our goal.
YOU can count on a big FLIP appreciation event next Spring! Thank you for all YOUR support!
Swimmingly yours,
The FLIP Board
by Lisa DiGiorgio | Sep 22, 2018 | News
FLIP recently held two Town Hall Meetings which brought out over sixty people, all eager to learn about what’s happening with The Swim Center. We want everyone to have up-to-date information on the project so we invite you to enjoy this summary of the meetings!
The meetings began with introductions of eight hard working Board members and acknowledgments of our wonderful advisors and volunteers. Jamie Stephens, San Juan County Council Member, was not able to attend and provided the following statement, read by Asha Lela, Government Liaison:
Good afternoon and thank you for coming to this meeting about the pool. FLIP has worked for years to make a public pool on Lopez a reality. A pool where you can learn to swim, exercise, and rehabilitate after surgery. FLIP has worked tirelessly to raise funds from private donors. They also have received San Juan County’s and the State legislature’s pledge of financial support for this valuable public project. After asking your questions and hearing comments today, I hope that each of you will support building the pool.
Best regards, Jamie Stephens
Next, a video produced by FLIP in 2016 was viewed by attendees. Please watch it to see our local leaders share their passion for the project and to hear some of the many ways a swim center will enrich and nourish our community. Click on the link to our About page and scroll down to view the video.
Bob and Lois Wardell of Wardell Architects then presented the design of The Swim Center. The permits are in process at the County now! Click on the link to our Building Plans page and scroll down to Architects to view the architectural drawings.
A PowerPoint presentation by Bill LeDrew, Finance Chair, and Jane Fuller, Fundraising Chair, provided a project update and current financial overview. Fundraising has increased dramatically over the past year and has included private donations, public funding, foundations and trusts. You can view the FLIP Presentation – Sept. 9 2018 Town Hall Meeting by clicking on this link.
There were many questions. Here are a few with their answers…
- Is the project going to be phased? When the swim center opens, it will be an indoor facility (no outdoor-only phase as previously discussed). The project will be done in stages. The pre-construction stage is completed. We are launching the next stage which is the site preparation. Check out the property on Pool Lane. You will see some equipment out there while the weather still allows!
- How will the pool be maintained? Maintenance is a topic everyone is interested in. FLIP is planning for the future! We have secured a generous donation of $510,000 which is specifically dedicated for a Maintenance Reserve Fund. This fund will be invested. In addition, the swim center will be a high-efficiency, low maintenance facility. FLIP chose the Myrtha Pool brand for their fantastic record of low-maintenance. In fact, Myrtha is a state-of-the-art stainless steel pool with a 25 year warranty against structural and leakage issues. Click on this link to read about Myrtha Pool brand and its advantages.Myrtha Comparison and Advantages
- What are the revenues that will support the pool? Will low-income families afford to use the pool? The answer to the first question is outlined in the PowerPoint presentation link above. The pool will be accessible to everyone. Grants will be written to assist low-income families so they can afford to use the pool.
- Will the pool be open early/late hours for those that work full-time? Yes, the staffing will allow the pool to offer hours to accommodate working community members.
There are further frequently asked questions on the web site.
FLIP feels this community outreach was a success and we plan to do it again at the next stage of the project! If you were able to attend, thanks for coming! If you weren’t, thanks for taking the time to read this far!
Hold the Date! An Appreciation Celebration will be held on Saturday, Oct. 13th at 2pm to honor Senator Kevin Ranker for securing significant State funds this year. Come out and show your support! It’s all happening on pool property (Pool Lane off Center Road).
edited by Carolyn McGown
by Lisa DiGiorgio | Sep 7, 2018 | News
If you did not attend our first Town Hall Meeting, your second chance is coming up! Town Hall Meeting #2 will be this Sunday, Sept. 9th at 4pm at the Lopez Community Center. Come get your burning questions quenched with up to date and exciting news, straight from FLIP’s board of directors. The architects will be there too, discussing designs and showing off the plans. Lots has happened…what are you waiting for? FLIP values YOUR enthusiasm and interest. So whether you have questions or not, come out and show your support for the pool at this important community meeting. If your schedule simply won’t allow you to attend, please DO take a look at our web site at www.lopezislandpool.org. It has valuable information about the project and a “Contact Us” page so we can coolly answer those burning questions.
editing by Carolyn McGown
by Lisa DiGiorgio | Aug 23, 2018 | News
THE POOL PROJECT IS SHOVEL READY! Would you like to see the design of the new swim center? Are the pools going to be saltwater? What about sustainability and maintenance? How is fundraising going?
The Friends of Lopez Island Pool (FLIP) invite ALL residents and visitors to come learn about the current status of the pool project and get answers to these questions, and more!
We know summer is a busy time. To ensure that everyone can come, we’re holding two meetings. Sunday August 26th and Sunday Sept. 9th. Both meetings will be held from 4-5:30 PM at the Lopez Community Center. Don’t miss it! Lopez Will Swim!
by Lisa DiGiorgio | Aug 8, 2018 | News
The FLIP Board and a team of dedicated volunteers have been making things happen this summer! A BIG Thank You to all who stopped by our Farmers Market booth.
Please hold one of these dates to attend an upcoming Town Hall Meeting for a complete update on the Pool: August 26th or Sept. 9th from 4 – 6PM at the Lopez Community Center.
Most exciting – Architects Bob and Lois Wardell submitted The Swim Center permits to San Juan County in early July. The Wardell’s timely push to get this critical step completed puts us in a good position to break ground this year!
The NEXT step? Ensuring that we have the necessary funds to continue construction on the planned timeline. We know many of you have given to the pool project multiple times. We are grateful for every single dollar that comes in and we love transforming all that gratitude into a growing determination. Will you join us and become more determined too? As we’ve always said, the pool is FOR everyone and it’s going to take ALL of us to make it happen. Please let that determination steep for a few hours and decide what you can give to ensure that the project stays on a timely course. Also, please spread the word by encouraging your friends and acquaintances to attend one of the Town Hall Meetings and join you in donating to this important project for the island for health, safety and recreation!
Please keep in mind, we’re looking for a few “Champion Donors” to push us over the finish line. Be a Champion! Contact Jane Fuller to make a lead donation (jane.fuller@lopezislandpool.org).
Other good news….
FLIP won the Spirit Award from the Chamber of Commerce for their float at the Lopez 4th of July Parade (Little Island, BIG heart). With 17 participating volunteers, we featured aspiring lifeguards carrying our banner, floating whale, dancing pools AND our signature synchronized swimming routine with “The LEGS”! It was so much fun to share our enthusiasm in a Thank You tribute to all who have donated.
This summer FLIP awarded a micro-grant to the Lopez Family Resource Center to provide scholarships for beginning swim lessons. We are grateful to the Islander Resort for heating their outdoor pool for the two weeks of lessons! All the kids loved learning to swim in the warm water! Classes included Parent & Me, Introduction to Water, Beginner and Advanced Beginner lessons. New instructors, Susie Frank AND Abby Webster, received great feedback from kids and parents. The telling results showed that this year only 14% of kids were able to do all the skills necessary to advance to the next level. It goes to show that island kids need regular access to a pool in order to be able to practice their new skills and to become truly safe in the water.
Please DONATE NOW towards ground breaking this fall. YOU are making the difference and we thank you. Let’s pool together and make this happen!
Editing by Carolyn McGown, FLIP Supporter
by Lisa DiGiorgio | May 23, 2018 | News
Talk about May flowers! Our community has stepped up and shown its commitment to the Swim Center with a whopping $63,000 donated so far during our May Spring Giving, including GiveBIG and GiveLocal. Every donation has felt like a colorful blossom, bringing its own measure of vitality, energy and growth to the pool project. Together we are all tending this incredible, life-changing project much like we would our own gardens – with care, vision, dedication and hard work.
And, just like a garden cannot be left to tend itself, we must continue fundraising! With $2.7 million raised so far, we are in the crux of the campaign. $1.5 million more is needed in order to begin construction this coming September… and to stay on track to be swimming in warm water during the winter of 2019! The permits for the project will be submitted this summer. The FLIP Board is busy seeking funds from foundations, potential major donors (public and private) and businesses. Individual donations really do add up! Please let your friends know that you gave and why. Sharing your enthusiasm encourages others to help bring water safety, health and recreation to Lopez with a community swim center. Your on-going support is making ALL the difference and we couldn’t be more grateful! Thank YOU!
P.S. Please join in the fun! We are looking for summer volunteers to help with FLIP’s booth at the Farmer’s Market as well as volunteers for the 4th of July parade. If you are interested, please contact Lori Taylor, our FLIP Volunteer Coordinator, at wavelady@gmail.com.
Edited by Carolyn McGown
by Lisa DiGiorgio | May 9, 2018 | News
Thank you for your past support! Your generosity can make the difference in reaching our Spring Giving goal of $35,000, matched by special Swim Center supporters! Whether you are a full-time or a part-time islander, join your community in supporting this important capital campaign which will transform San Juan County!
FLIP’s Spring Giving Campaign is in full swing with donations coming in daily. TODAY is GiveBIG day, May 9th and GiveLocal is through May 12th, so if you miss GiveBIG, there is still time!
We are asking for your gift today to support the Capital Campaign for starting construction of the Lopez Swim Center in the fall of 2018. $1.5 million is still needed to begin building. Please note: we must continue fundraising. The State awards we received this year are only for a fraction of the total construction cost.
Lopez elementary students love being in the warm water during FLIP-sponsored annual SWIM DAYS; this year on May 8th and 10th. Let’s make this our LAST year of pulling kids out of school for an entire day to go swimming in Anacortes. Help us Swim Local in 2019! With your support we can:
- Improve Water Safety with LOCAL SWIM LESSONS for your kids and grandchildren.
- Improve Health through LOCAL AQUA THERAPY with a LOCAL PHYSICAL THERAPIST
- Improve Fitness with a LOCAL YEAR-ROUND SWIM CENTER for Recreation
SWIM LOPEZ! SWIM LOCAL! Donate TODAY at www.givebigseattle.org OR www.lopezislandpool.org OR mail a check to: FLIP * P.O. Box 453 * Lopez Island WA 98261
We are grateful for your support! It is your generosity that has brought us this far!
The FLIP Board
Carolyn McGown,editor
by Lisa DiGiorgio | May 2, 2018 | News
Summer is coming and San Juan County is still one of only two counties in WA without a public pool. But, things are happening!
2018 has been a stellar year for fundraising, with awards of $675,000 from WA State as well as an AMAZING and BIG-HEARTED $300,000 anonymous gift that knocked our socks off! These massive windfalls, along with your continued support, have brought the total raised to an incredible $2,700,000!
Our Spring Giving Campaign has begun and this year it encompasses TWO giving events – GiveBIG on May 9 and Lopez’s GiveLocal from May 1-12. We ask for your gift during this critical time period. Our current goal is to raise $1,500,000 by September. With your support, construction of the swim center is planned to start this Fall. Remember, our community is doing this debt-free!
FLIP is very grateful to those who have provided a total of $35,000 in matching funds towards the Spring Giving Campaign, including Jim and Birte Falconer’s gift of $25,000 for GiveBIG and $10,000 for GiveLocal from donors including Jane Fuller and Bill LeDrew, Randy and Karen Wilburn, Christine Kerlin, Robin and Mike Bergstrom, Micki Ryan and Bill Clemens, Holly and Stephen Bienawski, Tom and Lisa DiGiorgio, Linda Barton and other special donors. Will you please consider digging deep with a donation for our Spring Giving Campaign?
We’re well beyond the tipping point on this project…let’s get it into the home stretch next! Together we have…together we can…together we will. Swim Local!
You can find more information at www.lopezislandpool.org and donations can be made at our website as well as www.lopezrocks.org and GiveBigSeattle.org. We also receive checks by mail at FLIP P.O. Box 453, Lopez Island, WA 98261.
We are incredibly grateful for your continued support of the Lopez Swim Center!
by Lisa DiGiorgio | Mar 11, 2018 | News
The State final capital budget, passed on March 8th, includes HALF A MILLION DOLLARS for the SJC Community Swim Center on Lopez Island. We are forever thankful for the steadfast support provided by Senator Kevin Ranker and House Representatives Kristine Lytton and Jeff Morris. This could not have moved forward and passed without them. Although Governor Inslee still needs to sign it, the final budget passed unanimously in the Senate and passed the House 96-2.
A BIG thank you also goes to County Councilmen Jamie Stephens, Rick Hughes and Bill Watson. Their willingness to pursue County investment was key to showing our State representatives that the County is fully behind the project.
We also owe appreciation to our partnership organizations, advisory group members and volunteers for calling and writing to our representatives. Our partnership organizations at this time include Lopez Island Family Resource Center, Lopez Island School District, Lopez Island Academy, Lopez Island Fire and EMS, Lopez Island Physical Therapy, Lopez Island Prevention Coalition and Lopez Community Trails network.
And finally, we thank our individual donors. Whether you have donated $5,000 or $5 to the project, your support has made an impact. Today, we celebrate this wonderful news with YOU because together, we are making sure that the San Juan Islands will swim!
Swimmingly Yours,
The FLIP Board
editing by Carolyn McGown
by Lisa DiGiorgio | Feb 28, 2018 | News
A HUGE thanks to all of our wonderful Supporters! We are thrilled to report that $93,000 was raised during FLIP’s 2017 year end annual appeal! Your commitment to bringing a public SWIM CENTER to San Juan County is making a real difference. FLIP is SO grateful to each of you who have given! This will be an important year for the pool with a lot of movement to seek State and County government support. Critical fundraising needs to happen this year in order for construction to happen next year. With your help we can build a local indoor swim center with two pools. Kids will learn to swim, adults will be able to rehab with aqua therapy and the warm water with bring us all together for fitness and fun. Donations can be made via the FLIP website by clicking on the Donate button below.
Thank you! Thank you!
(editing by Carolyn McGown, Communications Team)
Friends of Lopez Island Pool is postponing the Appreciation Celebration event that was planned for October. This is due to the reality that the site may not be safe because of its current condition and technical uses with the permits. But, how about that mountain of dirt! Go take a look at the property, if you haven’t already.
