Your January Newsletter is Here!
A Year to Celebrate, A Future to Build
Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Ahead to 2026
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Dear Friends,
As we step into 2026, we do so with deep gratitude, pride, and excitement. This past year marked a truly milestone moment as we celebrated our 25th Anniversary—a powerful reminder of what is possible when a community commits to belonging, creativity, and discovery for young people.
Highlights from an Extraordinary Year
2025 was a year of growth, innovation, and celebration. Among the many accomplishments, we are especially proud of:
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A year-long celebration of our 25th Anniversary, honoring the legacy, impact, and community that have shaped our first quarter-century.
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A wondrous and successful 25th Anniversary Gala at Family Tides Farm, bringing together supporters and partners for an evening of generosity, reflection, and vision for the future.
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A joyful 25th Anniversary Party at the Funhouse, honoring past Funhouse founders, donors, staff, and participants whose commitment and belief helped build the organization we are today.
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The completion of the Richie Moore Song Shop, expanding our creative footprint and launching new music classes in guitar, ukulele, violin, singing, songwriting, and recording.
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The creation of a new staff lounge and dedicated Coalition for Orcas Youth office spaces, supporting collaboration, care, and sustainability for those who serve our youth.
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The expansion of our TechnoMages classes, blending creativity, technology, and imagination.
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Our 2nd Annual FunFest!, bringing the community together for a joyful day of creativity, connection, and celebration.
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The launch of a brand-new pizza oven, which quickly became a hub of learning and joy. Over the course of the year, students prepared and served hundreds of handmade pizzas, learning practical cooking skills, teamwork, and creativity by designing their own toppings.
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The debut of the Music Superheroes Program, featuring weekly summer performances by local artists that inspired creativity and connection.
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Expanded Summer Camp inclusion, with disability support specialists and one-on-one aides ensuring every child could fully participate.
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The 2nd Annual Teen Film Fest and Microcinema Project, celebrating youth storytelling, media literacy, and creative voice.
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The introduction of Camp Create and Fishing Fridays for Middle Schoolers, offering new hands-on, relationship-centered learning experiences.
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Bringing the Center for Online Safety into schools and the wider community through forums focused on student wellbeing and navigating technology with care and awareness.
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A successful 2nd year of the Outdoor Discovery Squad, deepening experiential and place-based learning.
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Our 2nd Summer Camp Sailing program aboard the Nawalak, connecting youth with maritime skills, teamwork, and adventure.
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Another inspiring Science Fair, showcasing curiosity, experimentation, and perseverance.
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Mentor Showcases, highlighting dozens of student projects across disciplines, where young people presented their work, shared their learning journeys, and celebrated creativity alongside mentors and families.
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Celebrations of culture and belonging through Día de los Niños, a Día de los Muertos community altar, and our Bilingual Mentorship Program, which meets monthly and supports first-generation students with college tours and guidance.
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A joyful celebration of student success, awarding eight new scholarships to outstanding young people in our community.
Each of these milestones and more represents countless hours of dedication from staff, volunteers, mentors, partners, families, and—most importantly—our young people.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Thanks to a successful capital campaign, we are excited to move confidently into the future. In the year ahead, we look forward to:
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Building a new parking lot to improve safety and accessibility
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Completing remodeled bathrooms to better serve our growing community
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Repainting and refreshing the exterior building and grounds
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Creating a new Rec & Tech Space, designed to support recreation, innovation, and youth-driven exploration
As we begin our next chapter, we are filled with momentum and hope. The past 25 years have shown what’s possible when a community believes in young people. The work ahead invites us to keep building—together.
It takes a Village, and the Funhouse!
Ryan Carpenter, Executive Director
PS: While we accomplished a great deal this past year, the real evidence of the Funhouse’s impact on our community comes to life in the stories below.
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The Orcas Kids’ Chorus found a new home at the Funhouse in Fall 2024 after the Orcas Choral Society and Music Advocacy Group partnered with Executive Director Ryan Carpenter to relaunch the program post-pandemic. Once a thriving school-based chorus, it was ready for a fresh start as part of the Funhouse’s growing Music Program.
When Mary Wachter was invited to lead the group—coinciding with her new role as Music Program Director—it felt like a perfect fit. A longtime music educator at the Funhouse and familiar face to many kids as “Miss Mary,” she quickly gathered an enthusiastic group of 16 young singers for the first session.
Now in its second school year, the Kids’ Chorus continues to thrive. Open for free to all Funhouse after-school participants, the group ended 2025 with three exciting December performances, including the Tree Lighting, a collaboration with the Orcas Christian School Choir, and a show-stopping finale on the Orcas Center main stage with Taylor Swift tribute band 13 Til Midnight. “Being on stage under the lights with a live band was unforgettable for the kids,” Mary shared.
The momentum continues into 2026, with singers already asking, “When is our next performance?” We’re always welcoming new voices ages 5–13 so spread the word! For more information, contact Director Mary Wachter at Mary@thefunhouse.org.
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Youth Voices in Action!
Next Generation, the youth prevention Club, joined by prevention youth groups from Lopez Island and San Juan Island, brought youth voices front and center at a recent San Juan County Board of Health meeting in Friday Harbor on Dec10th. They shared powerful insights on prevention science, the science of the positive, their community work, and unique challenges and strengths of rural island life.
Next Generation highlighted some of their accomplishments, including becoming peer-certified educators, leading peer-to-peer trainings in their school, building school connectedness to increase protective factors, and creating community norms around mental health promotion and making healthy choices.
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When the presentation concluded, the Board of Health erupted into cheers, a truly unforgettable moment of recognition for youth leadership. Board members reflected on the importance of investing in prevention, noting how clearly impactful this work is when youth are empowered to lead. It was a meaningful opportunity for teens to speak directly to decision-makers about what matters most to them.
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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.
| | JANUARY IS NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH! | | |
Mentors play a powerful role in young people’s lives by offering encouragement, guidance, and a trusted connection. Positive mentor relationships help youth build confidence, develop life skills, and feel a sense of belonging which is especially important for those impacted by adverse childhood experiences.
The Funhouse offers multiple ways to engage in mentorship, including our Seasonal Skills-Based Mentor Program (spring cohort coming soon), the Latinx Mentor Program, Peer Mentors for middle and high schoolers, and the Outdoor Discovery Squad launching as days get longer.
There are always opportunities to get involved as a mentor or mentee. Funded by the Washington State Health Care Authority, these programs are part of a proven prevention strategy -- strong mentor relationships help reduce risky behaviors and build healthier, more connected communities.
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Skills Based Mentor Program
Thank you all for coming to our final showcase of the Fall 2025 Skills Based Mentor Program!
It is incredible to see the breadth of creativity and inspiration on this island, and to witness the mentoring relationships that have formed over the season. We hope that the mentees and mentors are able to go into the next season with new interests, confidence, memories and connections.
It's truly inspiring to see what we are capable of when we commit to showing up for one another.
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Free Driver Education is happening, and it’s all thanks to you!
Thank you to everyone who supported Peach Pit’s fundraising efforts to bring Free Driver Education to Orcas Island High School. We are excited to launch this pilot program in the second semester and are currently registering students.
Students will earn school credit, complete Driver Education during the semester, and have the opportunity to take their written and driving tests to become licensed drivers. Haley Cruz Winchell will serve as the Peach Pit Coordinator for the program.
Thank you for supporting youth empowerment and community safety.
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