December: A Windswept Winter Greeting
At the time of writing this, Whidbey Island is in a full blackout from the winds. In the midst of regional flooding and storms, our little island in the Puget Sound sustained 71mph squalls that wreaked havoc on the trees, power lines and homes. The Whidbey Institute has no damage to report other than debris and one tree down across the Storyhouse road which was promptly cleared. We are eternally grateful each time there is a large wind event and everyone has stayed safe and buildings are still standing. We send our deepest condolences to everyone in the Pacific Northwest currently navigating damage and disruption to their lives while navigating the extreme weather impacting the region.
Onsite, our dedicated caretaker has been fueling the generator overnight to ensure none of the kitchen food storage is soiled and also walked the land and trails to report damage to Place Team, the stewards of the land. It is no little effort when big winds visit and our whole staff collaborate in carrying on in multiple aspects of support and assistance as needed.
And yet, once the wind calms there is a certain quiet and solitude that comes after a storm like this as it dictates what we can and can't do. It sets the pace of how we move forward in the world. The hum and roar of generators in the distance are the only sounds, attempting to break through to what we consider normalcy.
Nature does not stop when the power goes out, nature does not need a generator to chug along. It is a 24/7 effort caring for the land and facilities at the Whidbey Institute, and it never ceases to amaze me how committed our entire staff is to this work. The Whidbey Institute operates in a mode of distributed leadership, where each staff member is given autonomy to prioritize and manage what is most important to their roles, and it is actually quite exquisite when moments of uncertainty show us how dedicated and responsible our staff
can be in their own initiative.
Before the year ends, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the staff that keep us going:
Operations Team: Handles all administrative tasks, including finances, legal compliance, permitting, technology, communications, executive leadership, and community/volunteer engagement, ensuring the organization runs smoothly.
Fundraising Team: Develops strategies and engages with donors to secure generous contributions, covering essential budget needs.
Program Team: Collaborates with program leaders on bookings and logistics, manages a full calendar of events, and ensures guest comfort with housekeeping services to maintain clean and beautiful facilities.
Place Team: Manages 106 acres of conservation wetland forest, gardens, 4 miles of public trails, and 32 facilities.
All in all we have less than 20 employees, with only 5 staff working full time. This is an incredible place to caretake, manage and run with such few hands and I ask you to remember us for year end giving. Each contribution is a blessing to our team to continue the hard work and dedication our team puts into the place we all know and love as the Whidbey Institute.
Our offices will be closed between Christmas Eve and New Year’s day, with much of our staff taking a much needed break, and others managing alternative vacations schedules in order to work though the holidays and ensure that land, facilities and administrative tasks are handled through the end of the year. During this week no-one will be in public facing roles and we appreciate your patience in response to inquiries until after the new year.
By the time you are reading this message, greeting your inbox with holiday cheer, may life be back at the full pace of movement through the world, may you be surrounded by the warmth of loved ones and cheerful lights, and may you search your heart for gratitude in the moments of joy, love, beauty, and peace that
make life meaningful.
Gratefully,
Madisun Elizabeth, Director of Operations