Tag Archives: Ester Strijbos

Seniors

Restart of Seniors Helping Seniors

Elinore Harwood posted a thank-you note in the Tideline last week. Writing on behalf of the Board and membership of the Cortes Island Seniors Society (CISS), she stated that Carina Verhoeve had been ‘a fine Coordinator.’ This was the first indication many Cortes residents had that the ‘Seniors Helping Seniors’ program was no longer being funded. When Cortes Currents contacted Verhoeve, she said the funding for her program had been terminated eight months ago. Now the Seniors Helping Seniors program has been restarted under the auspices of a new senior’s society.

“Seniors Helping Seniors is a wonderful initiative and program. I’m happy that it has started way back, I am happy that it has been going all these years and I am even more happy that it’s continuing. It offers essential services to seniors and if we are lucky,  we will all be seniors at some point,” explained Verhoeve.

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Arts, Gardening

The 2023 Creative Spaces Garden & Studio Tour

The ‘Creative Spaces Garden & Studio Tour’ returns on Saturday, July 8. 

“This is a self-guided tour, and once you get your ticket, you can choose what gardens or artist studios you want to visit, in what order, and you can stay as long as you want at each place,” explained Nancy Kendel, a museum board member whose garden will be among those exhibited. 

“We have 17 venues this year, 21 participating artists and gardeners,” added Managing Director/Curator Melanie Boyle.

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Arts

The Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery’s 2023 Exhibition Line-up

The Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery is looking forward to what may be their best season in years. 

“There’s a post COVID enthusiasm which was first evidenced by the submissions that we had that have resulted in  seven shows. There’s no hesitation about Covid rules, or what we should or shouldn’t do.  We’ve been a nonprofit for a year and a bit, and the new manager has had a year behind her.  Things feel more settled, and more focused on the magic of the shows than the behind the scenes business that the boards have to handle in any organization in a big time of change,” explained Oriane Lee Johnston (OLJ). 

“One thing that Islanders can look forward to is a full season, starting from the 9th of June.”  

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Community, History

About the Cortes Island Seniors Society

“The Cortes Island Senior Society, as it is now called, was registered in 1987, but previous to that there were seniors groups.  I think mainly they called themselves the old age pensioners. They eventually became a seniors group. At some point when they wanted to build,  someone told them that they weren’t even called a building society, so they decided to become the Cortes Island Seniors Building Society, which they were for a number of years,” explained Sue Ellingsen, Vice Chair of the Cortes Island Seniors Society. 

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Community

Cortes Foundation obtains $100,000 grant for Cortes charities and nonprofits 

The Cortes Foundation just signed an MOU, which opens the way for it to receive $100,000 in funding for Cortes Island charities and nonprofits.

In today’s interview Mark Spevakow, Chair of the Cortes Island CommunityFoundation, and Executive Director Manda Aufochs Gillespie explain how this will work.

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