I have lived on Lopez Island for 13 years. I am a mother of two high school kids who attend Lopez Island School, a local business owner, and a homeowner. I would like to share my reasons for supporting a Parks & Recreation District on Lopez Island.

Our family is deeply invested in the Lopez Island school. I served the LIPTSA board for four years. We have known of the budget crisis for years now. One of my roles on the Parent Teacher Student Association was to raise funds for the school. With all our outstanding efforts and thousands of hours volunteering, fundraising, and asking the community for donations and help, we couldn’t come close to meeting the needs of the budget gap. Over those four years, I saw the same 10-20 people, including parents, kids, business owners, locals, and families, volunteer at every event. The same businesses consistently donate to every event, and the same community members generously donate their time and money. We also worked with the PACK on many of these fundraisers. But at the end of the day, we realized this is not sustainable.

There is significant volunteer burnout, and although it’s fantastic to receive support from our local businesses and community, we can’t keep relying on the same approach year after year, hoping for a different result. We need a solution; we need something sustainable and more effective to support the sports that serve a large population of our children, as well as after-school programs, summer camps, and more. All these programs help our community thrive! I believe this is a small ask for a BIG solution, for the future of our community. I will vote yes for “Lopez Rec,” and I hope you do, too.

Keri Sausman

Lopez Island