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South Whidbey Commons

Apr 042010

April 4, 2010 Posted by Kathy McLaughlin 1 Response »

The South Whidbey Commons grew out of a 1998 Family/Youth Summit. A shared vision and plan for an increasingly healthy and connected South Whidbey community was put forth. It is a vision that has taken roots in our community.

Caitlin Golbaum, an Americorp volunteer, comments on the community, the Island Coffeehouse and Books and the South Whidbey Commons were really on target.

“In my short six months here as an AmeriCorps member, I have been consistently impressed by the way this community cares for its own. There are several incredible non-profit organizations in the community that work tirelessly to ensure that basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter are available to everyone. However, there is a fourth fundamental need that often gets overlooked: the need to build relationships with other people. The South Whidbey Commons is a non-profit that is dedicated to providing a safe, comfortable place where members of the community of all ages can build connections.”

The HELP Network, which South Whidbey Commons is a member, is truly unique. There is something special about our community and I do think that it is that small town atmosphere that makes it easier to know each other. Having programs that accentuate that belief in sharing and building connections is a way to ensure that we all feel like we are a part of the community.

South Whidbey Commons offers a wide variety of programs that serve as opportunities for interaction with the community. Their free PlayScape program allows children age birth through kindergarten to play together, while caregivers can visit and share experiences.

The Island Coffeehouse and Books is a welcoming communal space and also serves as a training facility for volunteer youth baristas who go out in the community with outstanding customer service and business skills. Every Friday night at 7pm, the coffeehouse offers free music performances where local and national musicians can connect with an audience in an intimate setting.

The Board knew that their facility had structural problems when it was initially purchased. A sinking foundation was the main issue. Work began on February 1st to correct the problem and to begin the remodeling of the facility. It is expected to be completed during the month of April. While it doesn’t appear that much is going on outside; most of the interior of the facility will be new!

Having a free space where people of all ages can engage in conversation and build relationships is vital to a healthy community.

If you want to learn more about the construction progress you can click on the above photo. The Island Coffeehouse and Books blog was started in September of last year and it is full of information. Blogs are all about having a conversation with the community and they have done a great job!

We have our homes and schools or work; the Third Place is the Island Coffeehouse and Books. You can click on the above photo to view a video on South Whidbey Commons.

This from Rosie’s post on The Third Place:

“I’ve heard it said that we all have three places. Our home, our work and a third place we gather for community, friendly discourse and nourishment of all kinds. It’s tricky for me, since this is where I work, but it is often where I find myself, even when I am not working. I am comfortable here. I am nourished here, literally and figuratively. In a world fraught with so many unhappy, isolating things, it is a comfort to find a place where one feels safe. Where there is a sense of belonging.”

Sound like family? You bet it is!!

If you want to make a donation to South Whidbey Commons here is the link.

The HELP Network – South Whidbey Island

Feb 102010

February 10, 2010 Posted by Kathy McLaughlin No Responses »

We have a HELP Network on South Whidbey Island that is truly amazing. Perhaps it’s time that we do our part in getting the word out! I plan on writing a post about each of these organizations over the next few months. People helping people and in so many ways.

Gary Zukov wrote in his book, The Seat of the Soul, that “millions of individuals are awakening sometimes to their surprise to a hunger for harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life. Their challenge is to create those things in a world of discord, competition, hoarding, and exploitation, a world in which life is a cheap commodity.”

I’m currently reading a book called “Blessed Unrest” which is a story about how the largest movement in the World came into being and why no one saw it coming. The author is Paul Hawken and the book was released in 2007.

In Hawken’s book he identifies one to two million organizations working toward ecological sustainability and social justice. This social movement is decentralized and has no specific leaders; hence no media following. “This is the largest social movement in all of human history. No one knows it’s scope, and how it functions is more mysterious than what meets the eye.”

“What does meet the eye is compelling: coherent, organic, self-organized congregations involving tens of millions of people dedicated to change. What I see are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in an attempt to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty in this world.”

“Collectively, it expresses the need of the majority of people on earth to sustain the environment, wage peace, democratize decision making and policy, reinvent public governance piece by piece from the bottom up, and improve the lives of women, children and the poor. Throughout history, armies, corporations, religious rulers, and political zealots have overpowered the majority world, which in our upside down world we consider to be minorities.”