New Scholarships Available for Island Rec Programs
Posted March 25, 2014 at 3:59 pm by Tim Dustrude
Thanks to a new “FANS Fund,” more San Juan Island families may now be able to receive financial help when signing up for programs at Island Rec.
The new scholarship fund has been established by the nonprofit group, Families and Neighbors Support Island Rec (FANS), which was formed in 2012 to fill the gap between the community’s park and recreation needs and what Island Rec’s budget can afford to address.
Island Rec’s own scholarship program is limited to income eligibility set by US Poverty Guidelines, but the need has grown greater and more complex. “Every year we get requests from families seeking scholarships that make just a little too much money but have a genuine need,” said Island Rec director Sally Thomsen. “The FANS Fund will be helpful to many island families who have previously fallen through the cracks.” Families interested in the FANS Fund, should stop by Island Rec’s office at 580 Guard Street.
“The FANS Fund is exactly the type of support we hoped to provide when FANS was formed,” said FANS president Cathy Kromer. “We want to make sure recreational opportunities are accessible to all islanders.”
Establishing the FANS Fund is just one of the outcomes of FANS’ successful fundraising efforts in the past two years. FANS also helped to establish Island Rec’s new summer “Movies in the Park” program, has funded more than 100 swim lessons for island youngsters and has presented a FANS Carnival each fall. Essential to that fundraising has been its community of donors, including its FANS Club annual campaign memberships (the 2014 FANS Club brochure was mailed to all island households earlier this month; for more information or to join the Club, visit www.islandrecfans.org).
The FANS Board of Directors includes Cathy Kromer, president; Marc Islam, vice president; Shannon Rishel, treasurer; Jan Bollwinkel-Smith, secretary; Deanna Eltinge, Todd Kromer, Kyle Loring, Susan Mazzarella and David Waldron, directors.
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