Eastsound is the heart of Orcas Island. Standing at the corner of Main Street & North Beach Road, we took the time to get to know a few locals and printed those profiles in volume one of Ōde. Visit us here now and again to discover more townfolk and their stories.
Trevor A. welforD
Originally from Scotland, Trevor Welford has lived on island for 10 years. He walks 4 to 10 miles, usually in stylish attire, often in a kilt, every day and has never driven a car. He lives in relative solitude, so he visits town to relieve his hunger for humanity.
MONA & ISABELLA EVANS
Twins Mona (future politician) & performing artist Isabella Evans are both honor students and have lived on island their entire lives and in Opal housing for most of that time. They lobby on and off-island for affordable housing and often visit Eastsound to hang out with friends.
MELINDA MILLIGAN
Director and performing artist, Melinda Milligan, moved to Orcas Island in 1973. As a midwife, she assisted in the delivery of over 1400 babies on the San Juan Islands. She likes to visit the Lower Tavern in Eastsound for an occasional beer and to perform with the Olga Symphony.
CINDY MORGAN
Originally from Puyallup, Washington, Cindy Morgan moved to Orcas in 1980 when there were only 1,500 residents. Cindy opened the Nest floral boutique and gift shop in 2004 and visits the village most days to arrange flowers for the shop or special events. She is an enthusiastic hands-on supporter of the town’s many festivals.
ALANNA LAGO
Alanna Lago, 16, moved to Orcas Island from Renton, Washington, fifteen years ago. She plays volleyball, basketball, softball, and oboe. She likes to visit Eastsound to hang with friends, work at her family’s shop (Sequel), perform in Orcas Center productions, and admire the plants at the Nest.
MADDIE OLSEN
Maddie Olsen, an assistant teacher at the Montessori School and a weekend barista at Darvill’s Bookstore, lived in Colorado and Seattle before moving to Orcas in 2018.She makes the rounds in the village to attend the theatre and sing karaoke at the Lower Tavern.
FRANK & JAN LOUDIN
Frank, 89, an illustrator, and Jan, 85, a former escrow manager, have been happily married 61 years despite Frank’s pickup line: “Tell me, Jan, how many words a minute do you type?” They moved from Catalina Island in 1990 and visit Kathryn Taylor Chocolates 3 days a week to meet and laugh with friends.
JIM BREDOUW
Jim Bredouw, founder of The Funhouse, is a musician/composer known for writing the music to Nike’s most iconic ad campaigns. He first visited Orcas in 1966 from Bainbridge Island, where he roomed with islander and bandmate Martin Lund before marrying wife Anne. He visits Eastsound regularly to support Orcas Center.
JOANIE RORABAUGH
In 1983, Joanie Rorabaugh made the move to Orcas Island from the state of Maine, and opened Crescent Beach Kayak Rental in 1992.She generally comes into Eastsound every day on her daily walk.
HAZEL MCKENZIE
Hazel McKenzie, 10, was born and raised on Orcas Island. She is both a published writer and fashionista, who has read at the Orcas Island Lit Fest walk and can be seen hanging out with friends at the Orcas Island Public Library in town.
SAMUEL W. GAILEY
Samuel W. Gailey, a critically-acclaimed novelist, was raised in a small town in northeast Pennsylvania (population 379). Drawn to rural life and the sometimes deceiving atmosphere therein, Samuel’s books are suspenseful mysteries and intriguing studies of human nature. He lived in Los Angeles for 20 years before moving with his family to Orcas in 2016. He’s also the co-founder of the free teen writing workshop Novel Lab. He visits the village every morning to write dark things.
JENNY PEDERSON
Jenny Pederson started visiting Beach Haven as a kid in the ‘60s and made the permanent move to Orcas from Seattle in 1984. She has owned and operated charming Darvill's Bookstore for the last 35 years. In its previous incarnation, Darvill’s was her dad’s rare print shop. She visits Eastsound almost every day to sell books, organize author events, and chat with locals.
Stephen Fairweather
Stephen Fairweather is a music composer/performer/producer who moved to the island in 2017. He comes to the village to work at New Leaf and be with "his people," the cast and crew of Orcas Center performances. Glitter is his friend.
NONI (MAYOR OF EASTSOUND)
Noni, the 2019 Mayor of Eastsound, is a spry 15-year-old Daschund who was elected on the campaign platform of affordable treats. Noni received 51k votes, helping to raise $108,288 for the non-profit Orcas Island Children's House. Photographed here with campaign manager Dave Roberts.
JOE COHEN
Joe Cohen, a financial advisor and co-founder of Hoyle-Cohen, first visited Orcas Island in 1950 when he was two years old. It was also the first time he met the love of his life, Martha Farish (highlighted in the pages of Ōde). Reunited on Orcas decades later, Joe found himself so smitten with Martha that he had to leave the island to think. After, several serendipitous events that put them in each other’s path, they eventually married and made the move from San Diego in 2005. Joe walks to the village every day to meet people, attend board meetings, or do good deeds.
ANGELA DOUGLAS
Angela Douglas is the owner of Orcas Athletics & CrossFit and is a SAFE San Juans advocate. She moved to Orcas from New Orleans in the summer of 2006. She is mom to Isabella and Khalia and enjoys paddle-boarding at Cascade Lake with the family. She likes to visit the village for a sense of community, art, food, and, of course, the wine.
DIANE BERRETH
Diane Berreth moved from D.C. 13 years ago with a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Policy (Special Education). She visits Eastsound to volunteer at the public library, to meet with her Somber Sisters book club, and to serve on the boards of the Orcas Island Community Foundation and the Orcas Community Resource Center.
DAVID ELLERSTEN & LEE HORSWILL
David Ellertsen and Lee Horswill moved from Las Vegas in 2013. They survived their car plunging into the sea and resulting injuries to open Brown Bear Baking on schedule with the help of their new island employees and friends. They begin most days in Eastsound at their bakery at 5 a.m.