by FLIP | Apr 25, 2014 | Events, News
Summer Saturdays at the Lopez Farmer’s Market FLIP booth are always busy! Local residents and tourists alike are very supportive of FLIP’s efforts to bring an aquatic center to the island. Many purchase FLIP t-shirts and donate money to help in the drive to pay for the center.
All of the varied groups that would use the pool visit the FLIP booth: seniors, children, local and visiting athletes, EMT personnel, kayakers looking to hone their safety skills, and everyone who loves to swim. The wonderful display answers many questions and encourages ideas from people who would benefit from an aquatic center.
The Lopez community’s support for the aquatic center is strong and positive.
by annp | Sep 18, 2013 | News
GOT POOL? NOT YET!
WHAT’S THE STORY ON A POOL FOR LOPEZ?
In 2013, the Friends of Lopez Island Pool hired Capital Campaign Planning Consultant Brent Hafele to prepare a funding feasibility study from interviews with islanders familiar with guiding large community projects. The results of this study were emphatic: everyone on Lopez would like a pool to swim in, but everyone also felt the funding climate on Lopez has stalled due to slow economic recovery and other local factors urging potential donors to be cautious.
Since 2008, FLIP has worked steadily on completing the background work for a year-round pool facility, depending on the generosity and enthusiasm of Lopez Islanders. Because of you we now have a substantial audience of supporters, donated Center Road property, architectural and technical plans, indoor and outdoor pool zoning, water, legacy gifts for a facility maintenance endowment, and a nearly completed checklist of behind-the scenes pre-construction tasks.
We are poised to launch into construction planning and action, phase 4 of our 5-phase plan, when the funding climate improves. What’s phase 5? SWIM!
FLIP has now entered a “quiet period” of project fundraising. Entering a quiet period means that rather than continuing to seek funds specifically for construction at this time, we will focus on pre-construction tasks and our all-important learn-to-swim programs for the island’s children.
We will continue to develop the building site by completing affordable pre-construction tasks while we remain watchful for solid economic recovery. We will definitely continue program activities by providing water safety and swimming experiences for island children. Every dollar your give all year long supports FLIP’s swim education programs toward our goal to see that every person on Lopez feels safe in the water.
Please visit our website, www.lopezislandpool.org for the latest information.
by FLIP | Apr 30, 2012 | Events, News
Beginning in May, 2012, FLIP started a tradition of taking the Lopez elementary school kids to Fidalgo Pool for a day of swimming. Kids who don’t normally get the chance to swim love the opportunity – but this event most importantly shows the need for our Lopez kids to be safe in the water. Most children are not able to pass the swim test and need to stay in life vests in the shallow water. It is so important to touch the lives of our kids with a fun day – but most important is the need to teach our kids to swim!
by FLIP | May 13, 2011 | News
May 13, 2011
It has been three years since FLIP incorporated as a non-profit organization, revitalizing community pool interest going back 15 years. With each step toward building an aquatic center for Lopez we have offered a swim-related fun program for the community.
This summer we are collaborating with the Lopez Family Resource Center to offer “Wetsuit 101” on Saturday, June 25, at the MacKaye Harbor Boat Launch, from 10 AM to 1 PM. The one-day “Get Acquainted with Wetsuits” workshop is open to those over 18, and is limited to six participants. A limited number of wetsuits are provided, and wetsuits may also be purchased from Anacortes Dive Shop and BARE™ Wetsuits at a one-time class discount. Registration is $40 through LFRC, 468-4117.
More fun is ahead each Sunday from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend as “Swim the Salish Sea” continues through FLIP’s 468 Club fundraisers. A combination of fun- and fund-raising, we invite open-water swimmers to collect sponsors on a flexible scale, depending on their swim level. Last year, swimmers of the Salish Sea raised $3000 toward pool construction by swimming the equivalent of twice around Lopez Island! Lori Taylor, founding FLIP Board member added, “We never want to lose sight of what we are doing for Lopez. It is important to have FUN in the water!” 468 Club sponsor and swimmer information is on FLIP’s website, www.lopezislandpool.org.
There will be a new emphasis over the next year to get others to swim with special projects, such as Wetsuit 101, a day at Fidalgo Pool for kids and parents, and Swim the Salish Sea. While grant funding will assist this year in getting Lopezeans in the water, FLIP will never lose sight of their final goal, an indoor pool accessible year round for all. Robin Bergstrom says it clearly: “We will continue to chip away at the funding iceberg, focusing in this third phase on funding the land survey, institutional septic design, and Class A water system design.”
Most recent of FLIP’s accomplishments is the establishment of a legacy gift campaign, which has so far provided $1 million for future maintenance and operation costs, relieving worries that this small community will not be able to afford the ongoing costs of pool operation. FLIP President Linda Barton explained the current funding situation in her own creative style: “We are like a sandwich. We have the bread on one side being the donated land, architectural design, zoning and county permits. The other slice of bread is the legacy fund set up for maintaining the pool in the future. Now we just need the middle. Which– depending on how you look at it is a veggie burger with lettuce or a tuna with tomato.” FLIP would be happy with either sandwich.
Linda continued, “FLIP is profoundly aware of the unusual position it is in during these economic times. It is stunning to meet with FLIP advocates and see they are still optimistic, good humored, creative and passionate about the project. It is clear FLIP will always have fun, and one day a pool!”
by FLIP | Aug 21, 2007 | News
Posted in the Islands Weekly
Aug 21, 2007
Aquatic exercise classes for seniors, a high school swim team, swimming lessons for infants and toddlers
— those are all activities that the newly formed Initiate Swimming committee has taken into consideration.
This newly formed group hopes to be breaking ground on a new community swimming pool by Spring
2008.
For now, the members of Initiate Swimming — Robin Bergstrom, Lynn Hall, Linda Burton and Linda Koenig — are looking to raise public awareness about the project as well as start a petition to form a Parks and Recreation District, under which the swimming pool could be managed. They also hope to write grants in hopes of securing money to build and maintain a public pool.
There is not yet a determined site for a pool, but the group hopes that an organization or private citizen will step forward with a donation.
According to Koenig, there has already been quite a bit of enthusiasm about the idea. Through an
informal petition she has already collected more than 400 signatures of support. The group hopes to build a community pool that can be used by all community members. “We want to hit every age group on this island,” said Berstrom.
The idea was born from the need for an exercise pool for seniors as well as a place for young children to take swimming lessons. The group, however, believes the pool will have many other uses such as scuba diving classes, aquatic rehabilitation and simply a fun place to go swimming.
The group will be holding a public meeting on Thursday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. in the Lopez Library meeting room. Everyone interested in the project is encouraged to attend. Suggestions, ideas, and volunteers are welcome.
