Posts by Langley Chamber of Commerce
The Essential Needs Program Enters Its Fifth Year
Life on Whidbey Island is idyllic for many, but rising costs and unforeseen challenges can make it difficult for some families to meet their basic needs. Thankfully, the Essential Needs Program, now in its fifth year, is here to help. This powerful partnership between the Whidbey Community Foundation (WCF), Goosefoot Community Fund, and Island Thrift ensures that no one on Whidbey Island has to face life’s toughest moments alone.
A Lifeline for Local Families
The Essential Needs Program provides financial assistance to help residents with urgent needs such as utility bills, essential household items, or unexpected expenses like medical costs or funerals. By filling the gaps that other programs may not cover, this initiative has become a critical resource for families living at or below 30% of the county’s median income. This includes essential workers like teachers, shopkeepers, and service workers who keep our island thriving.
Melissa Frasch-Brown, Director of the Opportunity Council Island County Service Center, highlights the program’s impact: “This program has given us the freedom to help the most vulnerable members of our community in MORE ways than we have ever been able to. We are deeply grateful!”
A Partnership Rooted in Community
The Essential Needs Program is made possible by a collaborative effort:
Whidbey Community Foundation and Goosefoot Community Fund: Each organization has pledged $25,000 this year to support the program.
Island Thrift: Through its nonprofit thrift store, Island Thrift has generously contributed $20,000.
Together, these organizations have raised $70,000, but there is still a need for an additional $30,000 by August 31st to meet the program’s goal. Every dollar raised goes directly to the Opportunity Council to provide immediate assistance to local families.
How You Can Help:
This is where you come in! Whether you’re a Baby Boomer who loves giving back to the community, a Millennial looking for ways to make a difference, or a Gen Z-er passionate about social change, your contribution matters. Here are some ways to get involved:
Donate Online: Visit goosefoot.org/essential-needs or whidbeyfoundation.org/essential-needs-program to make a donation.
Send a Check: Mail your donation to:
Goosefoot Community Fund, P.O. Box 95, Langley, WA 98260
Whidbey Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1174, Freeland, WA 98249
Shop and Round Up: In April and August, shop at The Goose Community Grocer and round up your total to support the program.
Why It Matters:
Whidbey Island is a community that thrives on connection. By …
Read MoreLangley Chamber of Commerce launches new website
Congrats to all Langley Chamber staff and board on the launch of the new website! Merchants can sign up online for new membership, new businesses can learn about starting a business in Langley, and island-wide events are listed. In addition our new Business Directory provides a robust listing of Chamber members and island businesses. Join the Chamber today and learn about the benefits!…
Read MoreMystery Weekend 2024 – Another successful weekend!
Many thanks to all that came out for another successful Mystery Weekend! This beloved Langley event attracts thousands of visitors each year and this year was the best by far. Langley merchants were overall pleased with the amount of new visitors in the area for the weekend. Mystery Weekend 2025 will be on February 22-23. Merchant, sponsorship, and vendor opportunities are available. Contact us for more info. …
Read MoreMystery Weekend 2024 Solution
Greetings. As most of you know I am Texas Ranger, Ranger Chase Ketchum. Long ago I developed a relationship with the Langley Police Department as a consultant and I want to thank them for their assistance with this confusing mystery.
When I arrived Friday morning they gave me the car’s registration and informed me that the owner, Claire Voyant, was missing. We quickly discovered that the car had been sold to Del Orien and Ed Sill but where was Claire? My interviews with those who knew her were disturbing. She had, for some days, been feeling an approaching darkness, an impending doom. I wondered if her premonitions had brought her harm. Fortunately, I was able to locate her at her sister’s home in Roslyn. We spoke and she told me the darkness, dread and anxiety had overcome her Thursday night and she fled town. Her credit card receipts confirm her story.
I found myself faced with 24 possible suspects and so started by eliminating those with solid alibis.
Ray and Electra Lux. The victim’s parents. It didn’t take me long to understand why Cy had broken off contact with them and changed his name. Keeping an open mind is crucial to detective work but two minutes into my interview with Ray I wanted to punch that smug, greedy, self-aggrandizing little narcissist in the face and jail him just as a public service.
Unfortunately security cameras at SeaTac confirm that Ray and Electra were both there at 8 a.m. Their limo was blocking several of the departure lanes while the poor driver unloaded and checked four large pieces of luggage. Meanwhile Ray and Electra were carrying on some sort of argument. Security couldn’t get them to move. Traffic backed up. It was a mess. They seem to create bad feelings wherever they go but the bottom line is they weren’t in Langley when their son died.
Blackie Beardsley and Tap Hopper were brought into town by the Luxes very recently and had no history with Cy before arriving, so they seemed unlikely suspects.
At least they did until I found out that Tap suffers from Metamfiezomaiophobia (Met-zam-feez-o-my-o-fobia)- a fear of mimes. Irrational fears do sometimes cause people to kill, however when Cy was around Tap just turned into a pile of quivering jelly – completely unable to function.
Blackie was quite a help to me. His background in robotics helped me …
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