Submitted by the Lopez Island Education Foundation.
LIEF, the Lopez Island Education Foundation, has reached its $300,000 goal for the 2025-2026 school year — a milestone made possible by hundreds of acts of generosity from the Lopez community and everyone who cares about our beloved Lopez Island School. Donations came in all kinds of ways: bake sale purchases to tens of thousands of dollars poured in from island families and their relatives, friends and neighbors, part-time and full-time residents, and many other supporters who all came together to support our school.
The LIEF Board would like to recognize some special participants and supporters:
We are deeply grateful to the Blue Heron Bistro for running the Dine Out and Round Up campaign from September to December. Jen Buckallew, Ted Warner and their staff stepped up in a truly meaningful way, raising over $1,200 while also spreading the word and expanding awareness about the Lopez Island School District’s funding challenges.
Huge thanks to Lopez artist Kristi Carpine-Taber for donating the beautiful notecards and artwork currently sold at Chimera Gallery, with proceeds directly benefiting Lopez Island School students.
Much gratitude to the generous Lopez Island couple who offered to match up to $5,000 during the Giving Tuesday campaign, which ultimately brought in more than $15,000 in total donations that day alone.
Kudos to everyone who purchased baked goodies or holiday notecards from the LIEF table at the annual Lopez Children’s Center Holiday Bazaar. It was our best year ever, and we also appreciate the cooperation of LCC!
Most of all, LIEF extends thanks to every single donor in our community for showing up for island kids and our beloved school. We’re grateful to everyone who baked, shopped, gave or talked to a friend, neighbor or relative about the needs of our community school. Our longtime donors answered the call, and record numbers of first-time donors also stepped up in this urgent effort to keep the doors of our school open and programs thriving.
The LIEF Board is proud to share that, in addition to meeting the $300,000 goal to cover the district’s shortfall, we have preserved funds to continue supporting teacher grants. LIEF has historically funded about $20,000 annually in teacher grants for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) activities, field trips, curriculum and weeklong intensives that make the Lopez Island School experience distinctive and memorable for our island kids.
While the Lopez Island School District’s budgetary challenges are not over, this year showed what’s possible when our island community comes together. Until long-term funding solutions are in place, LIEF anticipates that community fundraising on this scale will be required in the coming years to support our school. LIEF will continue working closely with school leadership and will keep the community informed as needs and plans become clearer on what lies ahead for the most important public institution in our community.
Community schools need community support — and Lopez delivered big time. Thank you, Lopez.
To learn more about LIEF’s work, please visit https://www.lopezeducation.org. If you’d like to make a gift or get involved, you can find our “Ways to Give” page at www.lopezeducation.org/donate.
