Your November Newsletter is Here! | | |
Dear Friends,
As we wrap up our 25th Anniversary year, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude — and excitement for what’s next!
This November, we’re celebrating 25 Days of Gratitude by spotlighting the incredible people who have made the Funhouse Commons so special over the past quarter century and helped shape our mission of Belonging & Discovery for the youth and families of Orcas Island. Be sure to follow along on social media and join us in thanking the folks who make the Funhouse what it is today — a place where every young person is welcomed, supported, and inspired.
And that’s not all — we have some exciting news to share!
As our programs continue to grow, we’re preparing to make some long-awaited improvements to our facilities and infrastructure to better serve our community for the next 25 years. These upgrades will improve safety, accessibility, and the overall experience for everyone who walks through our doors.
Here’s what’s coming:
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Expanded Parking Lot – Thanks to the generosity and goodwill of our neighbors at Opal Commons and the Pea Patch Property, we’ll be adding more parking to make drop-off and pick-up safer and easier for families.
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A Fresh Exterior Repaint – After 25 years, the Funhouse is ready for a facelift! This project will restore the outside of our beloved building and ensure it stands strong and welcoming for years to come.
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An Additional Bathroom – This new, private, and inclusive restroom will make our space safer and more comfortable for everyone.
Stay tuned — in the days ahead, we’ll be sharing more details about these projects and how you can be part of this exciting next chapter in the Funhouse story.
It takes a Village, and the Funhouse!
Ryan Carpenter
Executive Director, The Funhouse Commons
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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.
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Last month, the Funhouse came alive with color, music, and tradition as we celebrated Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Many community members joined us to learn about this beautiful holiday, cherished especially in Mexico and Central America.
Together, we honored and remembered loved ones who have passed, welcoming the return of their spirits with warmth and joy. Guests explored traditional customs, from creating vibrant altars adorned with candles, marigolds, incense, and photos, to sharing stories and favorite foods that keep memories alive. It was a heartfelt celebration of life, love, and remembrance!
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On Halloween, more than 50 teens came through for the High School Laser Tag party!
An unforeseen atmospheric river did not get in the way of the fun, as Pedro held down the laser tag tournament upstairs, while DJ Teachers Pet kept the party going for folks in costume downstairs.
A few middle schoolers made it clear that the Funhouse should host more middle school focused events, so be on the lookout for MS Laser Tag and other MS-HS specific events this winter!
The Peer Mentor Club, at the middle school science room on Wednesdays after school, is planning upcoming parties and events for service credit! Interested? Come by!
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The Peer Mentor Program had our annual 3D holiday cookie bake off last week!
Each year, the middle and high schoolers choose a category for their 3D cookie creations, and work together to make their dreams come true. This year, we voted to make a 3D Thanksgiving Holiday Feast out of cookie dough.
The tiny turkey won the award for most realistic, the plate of individually frosted corn kernels won the award for finest detail, and the cranberry dish-turned mashed potatoes, won the award for most resilient.
The Peer Mentor Program is always a hoot, come by the middle school science room at 2:30 if you're interested!
| | FALL PROGRAMMING FOR MS & HS | | |
Our club for LGBTQIA+ teens and allies has changed times and days. We are now meeting every other Tuesday from 3:30-5pm upstairs at the Funhouse. We are hoping that the shift from late evenings to afterschool will be more amenable to kids and families. Rainbow club is a casual social space where middle and high schoolers can hang out, eat, and connect with each other.
Our upcoming dates are 11/25, 12/9, and 12/16.
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Come check out the Peer Mentor Program on Wednesdays after school. High schoolers and middle schoolers hang out, play games, plan events and eat snacks. This is a great (and easy) way to get HS community service hours, and get involved in putting on events that you'd want to attend! Drop in and check it out, no pressure to sign up right away or application needed.
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We are halfway through the Fall Skills-Based Mentor program, and celebrated everyone's progress in a mid-point charcuterie potluck! Mentors, Mentees and families got together to snack, chat and doodle. Our ten mentor pairs have been meeting weekly, working on projects to display at our Final Showcase on December 14th. Please email Maddie at maddie@thefunhouse.org if you're interested in being a mentee or a mentor for our Spring Cohort starting in mid-February!
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We just started our second 6-week session of music classes, including ukulele, violin, kids chorus, and music with Miss Mary. It’s not too late to enroll!
You can find detailed information and links to register for classes on our website on the music page- www.funhousecommons.org/music. Questions? Reach out to our Music Program Director, Mary Wachter, at mary@thefunhouse.org.
Our Kids’ Chorus has some performances coming up, too, so that’s exciting! We will be singing at the tree lighting on December 5th and as an opener for the Orcas Choral Society Concert.
We have also been asked to asked to perform at the upcoming show of Seattle-based Taylor Swift tribute band 13 Til Midnight! The performance will be at Orcas Center on Sat Dec 13. Event Link Here
13 Til Midnight loves involving the community in their shows, so they've invited Orcas Kids' Chorus to join them on stage to perform Shake It Off. There are two shows, and we will be singing in the 3pm show.
Stay posted to our Facebook page for details about these and other possible performances.
**The Funhouse provides scholarships as well as student instruments for all classes**
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REGISTER HERE FOR ALL MUSIC CLASSES
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Lots happening at the Peach Pit! Thank you to everyone who has been supporting us by donating,volunteering and generally rooting for us! We’ve got lots of events happening! We’ve also launched our “Opportunities Board” where young people can get connected to work and volunteer opportunities in the community. Looking to hire a young person? Need a youth volunteer at your organization? Complete this form and we will get the word out. More information can be found at our website: https://www.orcaspeachpit.org/opportunity-board
| | COALITION FOR ORCAS YOUTH | | |
Dec 9th at 5:30 is the next Coalition for Orcas Youth meeting at the Funhouse Commons. All are welcome to attend this public meeting.
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