Winner of the LCCA Spirit Award Debbie Collins: Volunteering as an act of love

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Submitted by the Lopez Center for the Community and the Arts.

Debbie Collins’ mother used to say that Collins was born with a “box of crayons in her hand” because she always loved to draw and paint. She followed her passion as a young adult, receiving a degree in art from Central Washington University.

Upon graduating, she took a position as a designer in a floral shop in Seattle, often creating elaborate displays for weddings and parties. She continued in this area of expertise for the rest of her career — as a designer, wholesale buyer, consultant and specialist.

Feeling tired of city living, where the lack of connection with neighbors felt too anonymous, she and her husband, Tom, decided to move. Upon retiring in 1996, they came to Lopez Island.

Collins was excited to be a part of a smaller community. She thought that becoming a volunteer would be a great way to meet people — and she was right!

She joined in a series of fun and creative projects, including assisting the school art department, creating summer art workshops through the Lopez Island Family Resource Center, helping to design the High Tea fundraiser for the Lopez Center for the Community and the Arts and making costumes for Trashion Fashion.

In 2004, Celia Marquis from LIFRC asked Collins to be a mentor. This gave Collins pause. She had not been a mentor before and had only worked with children in workshop or classroom environments. Eventually, Collins agreed, and she began a friendship with a 5-year-old girl that has lasted until this day. Since then, Collins has mentored two other children.

Collins’ local fame grew when, in 2024, she teamed up with the Chamber of Commerce to make lanterns for the local businesses in celebration of the holiday season.

As a fan of reducing waste, Collins designed the lanterns from recycled plastic bottles, colored tissue paper and strands of lights. Her initial plan was to make 150 lanterns and hang them in front of a couple of shops. However, Andrea Huss, the executive director of the Chamber, loved them so much that she kept asking for more.

Collins knew this was not a one-person project, so she began to host workshops at the library. At first, only five people came. In the second workshop, approximately 14 people showed up to help. Soon, word spread, and Collins was turning people away because she simply could not seat them. She and fellow Lopezians made a whopping 679 lanterns.

All the local businesses saw the decorative lantern strands that winter, and, not surprisingly, demand increased.

In 2025, Collins asked for assistance, and she received help from several people. Kathleen Briley got every child at Lopez Island School to make a lantern. Another person varnished each lantern. By the next holiday season, the total number of lanterns had increased to 1,400, decorating the eaves of every storefront in town.

Collins says that making the lanterns was an “incredible experience.” She loved how the community pitched in and how good people felt about it.

Collins is now spending the quieter spring months volunteering at the Hamlet House and Garden Cottages, bringing joy to the elders in the community through simple but rewarding craft workshops.

Hundreds have felt Collins’ warmth, encouragement and care. Still, she feels she gains even more through giving.

“Living on Lopez has been life-changing for me. I feel a part of something. I have the best life that I could dream of having.”

Please join the community for ice cream and good cheer on June 13 at 2 p.m. at the Lopez Center to celebrate Debbie Collins as the 2025 Dolly and Andy Holland Spirit Award recipient.