On Feb 26, Irene Skyriver and Gregg Blomberg will be celebrated at the Spirit Award community pot luck. 

The event will be held at the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts at 5:30 p.m, it is free and open to the public. 

Ron Hall, who has been on the Spirit Award selection committee, said that the award recognizes “individuals who do things for the community just because they live here, not for  a job or money.”

 Skyriver and Blomberg deserve the award, said Hall, because their contribution to the Lopez Island community has been fabulous and substantial.  The couple is modest about their contribution to those on the island. They said that the island welcomed them when they first made their homes here, and they try to do the same. “We try to do the same for others that was done for us,” Skyriver said. “We love lopez and we care about the community and what we have tried to do is only due the fact people help, that’s what special, we all contribute.”

 Hall said that the two are known for their kind acts, as well as being instrumental in many community events and traditions.  From contributing to the Fourth of July Parade, to the Earth Day Parade, to coordinating solstice celebrations and contributing to The Cloud House, an organization responsible for scholarships for students, the two have put years into fostering good spirits on Lopez. 

“We don’t feel we are extraordinary,” said Skyriver, recounting how many community members also coordinate important events, “people in this community work so hard for it, we feel so humble.”