Your August Newsletter is Here!

Dear Friends,

There is so much good news to share as we find ourselves already halfway through 2025!

Our 25th Anniversary Gala was a smashing success! Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of this incredible community, we not only met — we exceeded — our fundraising goals. Your support sends a powerful message: the work of the Funhouse is deeply valued, and it will continue to thrive because of you.

This past month, we’ve welcomed over 20 new monthly donors who have pledged to be Superheroes for young people by committing to ongoing support. With 87% of our program participation made possible through scholarships, this kind of sustained giving helps ensure that every child, regardless of income, has access to the opportunities they deserve.

If you’d like to join this growing team of Superheroes, [click HERE to sign up].

This year, we continued to expand our enrichment offerings, providing hands-on learning in Music, Art, Science, and Technology — nurturing curiosity, confidence, and creativity in every young person who walks through our doors.

A highlight of this summer has been Camp Create, led by the amazing Miss Mary Wachter. Designed for upper elementary and middle school students, Camp Create offers dynamic, project-based learning and empowers kids to build, imagine, and explore. In partnership with FEAST, our campers are rebuilding the beloved cob bench — a beautiful fusion of creativity, sustainability, and community effort.

And the summer fun isn’t over yet! This Friday and Saturday, we’re thrilled to bring back the Orcas Micro Cinema and Teen Film Festival for its second year. This is a free event for teens, with a filmmaking workshop on Saturday — be sure to sign up to participate — and a screening of the films that evening. Plus, at 8 PM on Saturday, I’ll be making free pizzas in our brand-new wood-fired pizza oven for everyone who comes out to enjoy the show!

Also, brand new this summer is our Musical Heroes. Every Tuesday, we invite local musicians to inspire the kids with their stories and songs as we partake in yummy sno-cones. If you’d like to be a guest musician, please email mary@thefunhouse.org for more information.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to kick off the new school year in partnership with the Orcas Island School District. On the first day of school, we’ll be hosting a Back-to-School Party & Resource Fair — complete with food, games, and fun — to welcome students and families into a new season of learning and belonging.

There’s so much to be thankful for — but at the very top of the list is the privilege of creating positive childhood experiences for the young people of Orcas Island. As we watch them grow into confident, compassionate, and creative leaders of the future, we are reminded that the seeds of joy, learning, and possibility we plant today will shape our community well into the second half of the 21st century.

It takes a Village, and the Funhouse!

Ryan Carpenter

Executive Director

Join Us in Making a Lasting Impact – Become a Monthly Donor Today!

Your support can transform lives. By becoming a monthly donor, you provide the Funhouse with a reliable foundation to continue our important youth work. Whether it’s helping a child attend our Afterschool program, Summer Camp, or Music classes, to helping sponsor community events like our Science Fair, Halloween Party, Dia de Los Muertos & Summer FunFest, your ongoing commitment makes all the difference.

Even a small, consistent gift can create lasting change.

Sign up today and be a part of something bigger!

Set up your recurring monthly donation here.

Upcoming FUN EVENTS........

Direct Animation on 16mm Film Workshop (August 8th)

Build your own 16mm film loop and watch it come to life moments later!

With a sumptuous buffet of materials and tools at their disposal – Sharpies, stamps, pins, steel wool, ink, decorative washing tape, hole punches, and more – students can explore what a variety of techniques and material applications look like when they’re enlarged and set in motion by a projector.

Multimedia artists Paul Siple and Neely Goniodsky of the Northwest Film Forum will lead this workshop, opening with a brief overview of experimental animation, video examples of popular and accessible animating techniques, and then several hours of hands-on experimentation. We will watch what we created the next night at the Teen Film Fest. No previous experience is necessary, and makers of all mediums (ages 13+) are welcome! Register Here!

Teen Film Fest (August 8-9)

Come to the Funhouse on August 8th and 9th for the second annual Teen Film Fest! Our outdoor screening will start at dusk (9pm ish) and will be on the sport court at the Funhouse. We have been working with Orcas Microcinema and the Northwest Film Forum to curate two teen-made films from around the world.

Members of the Teen Funhouse Advisory Board are helping to select the films, stay tuned to find out what we'll screen! We will also show the animation clips that were created in the August 9th workshop (above). 

Don't miss out on all the FUN!

Join us for lots of laughs at the annual Back to School Fair on Tuesday, September 3rd

1pm - 4pm

Bounce House, Games, Food, Treats and more...all free to celebrate the new school year!

What We've Been Up To.....

Our 25th Annual Gala was a huge success! So much fun was had by all.

It's held every year on the last Sunday of July at Family Tides Farm in Deer Harbor.

Mark your calendars for next year! It's THE event you don't want to miss!

Just a few more Fishing Fridays left! Come join the fun!

It's been super fun going to the lake every Friday this summer to go fishing!

Ages 12-15 yrs come fishing with us! We meet at the Funhouse at 10am to take a bus either to Cascade or Mountain Lake with two Funhouse staff members. Students will be back to the Funhouse by 2pm.

This program is free, and we will have fishing supplies to borrow. Click HERE for registration/permission slip.

Thank you James & Betty Jensen and Orcas Rental and Saw for helping us install our new pizza oven!

Lot's of free pizza parties on the way for Funhouse families, friends & our beautiful Orcas community!

A Week of Creativity, Exploration, and Fun!

Camp Create was a great success! Our campers dove into a week filled with hands-on creativity, island adventures, and joyful community connections.

We kicked things off with a behind-the-scenes visit to KIXP Radio in Eastsound — a big thank you to Allen for showing us around and sharing the magic of broadcasting!

Campers were then treated to a special field trip to the home studio of master sculptor and metalworker, Pete Welty, where they watched in awe as Pete demonstrated how to bore holes in rock with a core drill, cut metal, and bend it using extreme heat. Thank you, Pete, for the unforgettable experience!

A scenic bus ride (with games and laughs led by our amazing bus driver, Maddie!) brought us to the beautiful North Shore Preserve, where we explored tide pools, soaked up the sun, and enjoyed the wonders of the shoreline.

Back at camp, creativity was in full swing! Campers made and decorated their own journals, crafted lavender pillows (with a big thank you to Penny Mills for her help!), and had fun making dream catchers, mobiles, keychains, and more. Painting, cooking projects, and collaborative art kept hands and imaginations busy.

We also got our hands dirty with Cob building, guided by Rosedanie and Parker from the FEAST program. A huge thank you to FEAST for helping us explore sustainable building in such a fun and interactive way!

The week wrapped up with a visit to Madrona Point, where we played on the beach, did bucket drumming, and ended the day with sweet ice cream treats — all in the wonderful company of Camp Leader Mary Wachter and Teen Helper Katie Spinogatti.

Thank you to all who made Camp Create possible — our community of artists, volunteers, and adventurers made this a week to remember!

We are excited to announce a new regular occurrence at the Funhouse called "Musical Heroes"! Every Tuesday at 2pm, the Funhouse Day Camp kids enjoy sno-cones made by Ryan Carpenter while listening to the performance of musicians from our community.

The kids also enjoy asking questions and even telling jokes for the performers! So far, we have been gracious hosts to Steve Alboucq and Turtleback Brass, Clint McCune, Tom Rawson, and Summer Barbone.

PEACH PIT UPDATE



Save the Date!

Peach Pit Community Opening: Thursday, August 21st from 5–7 PM.

You are invited to come check-out the Peach Pit! Come learn more about this incredible new space for island youth, meet the team, and enjoy some light refreshments. We will hold two brief presentations- one at 5:30 PM and another at 6:30 PM. We’d love to see you there! 274 A Street (above Cons).

We’re Open!

This summer, the Peach Pit is welcoming rising 6th graders through age 20 for a soft opening. Drop-in is Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12–6 PM for free food, games, and a place to chill. Islanders and visitors are all welcome—bring a friend, or meet a friend, and see what we’re all about!