Community Articles
General News · 30th October 2020
Sandra Wood
Island Alchemy
Often, here on Cortes, odds and ends are transmuted to create something greater (and more magical) than their sum. Maybe this alchemy is one definition of community: our ability to do exponentially more when we do it together. Cortes Community Housing and the Seniors Society are able to do our work because of the contributions of scores of individual community members and partner organizations. While there may be wizards among us, most of us are just human. Luckily, human ingenuity and generosity are very magical things!
For example, Larry Cohen found a way for his tremendous artistic talents to help build housing on Cortes Island. Back in August, he and Suzu Matsuda hosted a ceramic sale, with half the proceeds to benefit housing projects. Their sculpture and pottery sale was wildly successful, raising over $1300 for affordable housing. As an added benefit, many more folks are now proud owners of Larry’s work. Thanks to Larry and Suzu for their creativity and generosity.
In addition to donating the magic of their time and talents, the island has come together to provide raw materials for use in new housing. Cortes Forestry General Partnership gifted us with an amazing in-kind donation of local cedar and fir lumber, milled by Ron Wolda at Tiber Bay. The donation also includes some gorgeous finishing lumber, which George Gabara will integrate into construction of the new seniors cottages. Thanks to Ron and George for their time and dedication. We are so grateful to Mark Lombard, Forestry Manager, for his coordination on making this gift a reality.
Cortes Community Housing and the Seniors Society have been continually humbled and inspired by the creative ways folks have found to support the building of more affordable housing on the island. Norm Gibbons’ Fermented Love fundraiser, Lisa Day’s Love Yourself, Love Housing massage benefit, and Glass Moon’s Blackberry Bash all come to mind! Thanks to everyone who has contributed a bit of what’s best in them, so we can create something new together. Be you muggle or Merlin, it takes a community to raise a village!
In gratitude,
Sandra Wood,
Housing Co-ordinator
Often, here on Cortes, odds and ends are transmuted to create something greater (and more magical) than their sum. Maybe this alchemy is one definition of community: our ability to do exponentially more when we do it together. Cortes Community Housing and the Seniors Society are able to do our work because of the contributions of scores of individual community members and partner organizations. While there may be wizards among us, most of us are just human. Luckily, human ingenuity and generosity are very magical things!
For example, Larry Cohen found a way for his tremendous artistic talents to help build housing on Cortes Island. Back in August, he and Suzu Matsuda hosted a ceramic sale, with half the proceeds to benefit housing projects. Their sculpture and pottery sale was wildly successful, raising over $1300 for affordable housing. As an added benefit, many more folks are now proud owners of Larry’s work. Thanks to Larry and Suzu for their creativity and generosity.
In addition to donating the magic of their time and talents, the island has come together to provide raw materials for use in new housing. Cortes Forestry General Partnership gifted us with an amazing in-kind donation of local cedar and fir lumber, milled by Ron Wolda at Tiber Bay. The donation also includes some gorgeous finishing lumber, which George Gabara will integrate into construction of the new seniors cottages. Thanks to Ron and George for their time and dedication. We are so grateful to Mark Lombard, Forestry Manager, for his coordination on making this gift a reality.
Cortes Community Housing and the Seniors Society have been continually humbled and inspired by the creative ways folks have found to support the building of more affordable housing on the island. Norm Gibbons’ Fermented Love fundraiser, Lisa Day’s Love Yourself, Love Housing massage benefit, and Glass Moon’s Blackberry Bash all come to mind! Thanks to everyone who has contributed a bit of what’s best in them, so we can create something new together. Be you muggle or Merlin, it takes a community to raise a village!
In gratitude,
Sandra Wood,
Housing Co-ordinator