by LIFRC board member, Kip Greenthal

Many people turned out on Wednesday, March 29, to celebrate the groundbreaking for the 6950 square foot building that will house a new two-story space for the Lopez Island Family Resource Center and the Lopez Fit Gym.

Champagne, cookies and cake were shared by all in the light rain on this blustery day. The building has been given as a gift to the community by visionary Pamela McCabe, longtime board member of the LIFRC and one of the founders and board member of Lopez Fit. In her eloquent and welcoming address, McCabe explained it will be a rent-free building so the organizations will incur no cost being there.

Greene Partners are the architects and Chris Thomas and Paul Fragnoli are the builders, and they estimate twelve to sixteen months to complete the project. Exercisers, don’t worry – the gym will remain open during the expansion!

McCabe, modest about how this creative and philanthropic idea came to her, says, “This community resource building has been designed collaboratively over many meetings with the architects, the staff and board of the LIFRC and the Gym. Our new space is about helping the community through the LIFRC, and with the Lopez Fit, enhancing the health and wellness of the community.”

With everyone cheering, Pamela’s husband, Bob McCabe, gave Pamela a hard hat, gloves, protective eyeglasses and various tools in support of her magnanimous contribution.