The FICRA Flash Online for October 20, 2011

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Home    FICRA    Events Calendar    Nichols Community Center    Nature Center Visit us at FICRA.org   In This Issue Pumpkin Decorating Contest Mom & Me at the NCC Puppet Show Game Night Coffee Wednesdays Board Meeting Fish & Wildlife Forum Astronomy Night Children’s Holiday Art Class Children’s Handprint Flag Caspar Babypants Success Your Ad on FICRA.org Crime Watch  FICRA Calendar and Events Greetings!   FICRA is fortunate to have many new volunteers this year! There has been a lot of activity at the old schoolhouse lately.    You may have noticed the extensive drainage work going on around the exterior of the building. An overgrown Rhododendron was removed and thanks to the garden clubs, plans in the works for new landscaping. New downspouts have been added along with the several loads of gravel that were donated to FICRA this summer to increase the parking area. We now have more handicapped parking and easier access to the ramp for those who need it. New silverware and cups have been donated to the community center kitchen and there are new clocks on the walls. New slate has been purchased to replace the missing blackboard slate in one of the classrooms. We can’t wait to have it cut and put in place.  We are very excited to watch the old schoolhouse continue to shine.  Thank you to everyone who has helped with this project for the Island Community.   FICRA always welcomes more volunteers! If you would like to volunteer to help “spruce up” the Nichols Community Center or you have an idea for an event, please email FICRA today at info@FICRA.org! Donations for the old schoolhouse “Spruce Up Project” can be made to the FICRA Building Trust.   Each week there are many events that happen at the Community Center, please check our calendar to find out more. ________________________________ Pumpkin Decorating Contest & Halloween Fun! Saturday, October 29th at 4:00 Calling kids of all ages (ages: 0-Immortal)! Bring your decorated pumpkin to the Nichols Center on Saturday, October 29th for FICRA’s Pumpkin Decorating Contest!  Prizes will be awarded for all age groups and one lucky decorator will go home with the “Best in Show” pumpkin!  Decorate your pumpkin however you want: carve it, paint it, decoupage it, use it as a vase for your Fall mums – just bring it in at 4:00 for judging! We’ll have treats, some tricks, and lots of fun things for goblins of all ages to do. And everyone gets a Goody Bag! Come in costume if you want and kick off Halloween at the NCC.   More information on our blog: Decorated Pumpkin Contest & Halloween Party! ________________________________ Mom and Me at the NCC Tuesday Mornings through NOVEMBER! Mom and Me at the NCC will continue through Tuesday Mornings in November! FICRA is so excited that Karrie Avak will be hosting the wonderfully fun Mom & Me classes each Tuesday am. Come at 10 am with kiddo (under age 4), bring a snack for your child, and have a great time meeting your neighbors as your little one gets a little learning and play-time in! Mom & Me Flyer: Click for Details! ________________________________ Puppet Show! The Chapel on Echo Bay THIS Sunday, October 23rd at 4:00 – Free! Just looking at the picture is amazing – we can’t wait to see this show! Take a moment to see a video from YouTube about Hobey Ford and his Golden Rod Puppets.  This looks like a show that ALL ages will love! Hobey Ford’s Golden Rod Puppets Perfoms “Animalia” – 2004 You’re invited to the Chapel for this special free presentation sponsored by the Taylor-Thomason Insurance Brokers. The Chapel on Echo Bay   ________________________________ Game Night is back at the Nichols Center *Now with TRIVIA!*  Friday, October 28th 7-10 Come join the fun!  This event just keeps getting better each month! Join other Islanders for a fun night of trivia and games at the Nichols Center.  This Friday, the place will be festive and ready for Halloween. Grab some friends or come alone and the Game Night volunteers will make sure you have a team to join and that you have a great time. Coffee is provided, but please feel free to bring other beverages and snacks.  A $1.00 donation towards prizes is appreciated (and makes things even more fun!) Questions?  Email us at info@ficra.org ________________________________ Wednesday Coffee Hour is back – Just in time for those cold Fall Mornings! Guys, this one’s for you! The Men’s Wednesday Morning Coffee is back at the Nichols Center. Come and chat with your neighbors, enjoy some coffee and pastries and catch up with what everybody did all summer.  This is a FICRA sponsored event with the sole purpose of bringing neighbors together over a hot cup of coffee, just like the good old days!  A “pass-the-hat” donation for help with the cost of snacks is appreciated.  ALL guys are welcome, come on over! ________________________________ FICRA Board Meeting: Thursday, November 3rd at 7:30 –  Coffee Social starts at 7:00 The November Board meeting will be Thursday, November 3rd at the Nichols Community Center (690 9th Avenue).  The meeting starts at 7:30, with a coffee social beginning at 7:00.  Come early and meet with your neighbors!  A free-will donation for coffee and cookies is appreciated. ________________________________ Forum with the WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife Tuesday, November 15 at 7:00 FICRA is pleased to have set a forum date with WA State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Biologist Tammy Schmidt for Tuesday, November 15th at 7:00 at the Nichols Community Center.  She will be giving a 45 minute presentation on “Living with Wildlife” to our community.  We are also very happy to have Matt Stevens from the USDA coming as well. Mr. Stevens has over 20 years of experience with coyotes. Thank you to Sue Supplee for getting in contact with Mr. Stevens!   FICRA has been in contact with Fish and Wildlife for many months regarding our Island coyote population.  We hope this forum will be a benefit for everyone with concerns about coyotes.  There will be time for questions at the end of the presentation. We will continue to keep Islanders posted as we learn more.  Fish and Wildlife has asked us to continue to direct people to their website regarding coyotes.    We also continue to blog about this on our website: Coyote Tips

FICRA is happy to have Terry Mace and his friends back at the Nichols Community Center, hosting another Astronomy Night.

This event was a huge success last August. With the stars and planets now in different positions, the night sky will have a whole new look.  Guests at the first event said seeing the solar system like this was one of the most amazing things they had seen.  Terry and his associates bring the telescopes (HUGE telescopes) and FICRA supplies the coffee and hot cocoa. Dress warmly!  More info will be available soon on the FICRA blog.  This is a free event for all ages!

Fox Island Artist Karen Craven will be leading a wonderful art class for children this November. The Art class will be in two sessions, Friday Nov.18 from 4:30pm-6pm and Saturday Nov. 19 10am-12 noon.  It will be open to children 6 thru 12 yrs. 

Children will be experimenting with acrylics, making cards and gift tags for the holidays, wrapping paper and some tree decorations. A fee of $15 to cover supplies is asked.  There is a limit of the number of children for this class, so please register with Karen at cravenly@comcast.net  

Hey! check out the Children’s Flag in the background!

*Thank You!* to everyone who came and raved about FICRA’s SOLD OUTCaspar Babypants show.  Everyone had such a great time. We are so thankful to the amazing Chris Ballew for coming out to the Island and putting on such a rockin’ show.  We loved it and he said he had a fantastic time and would love to live here on Fox Island.  FICRA can’t wait to have him back and will work toward booking him again in 2012.

Advertise on FICRA.org!   Did you know you could advertise your local business on FICRA.org? Advertisements can be seen in the “Island Businesses” link for $25.00 a YEAR (yep, that’s it!) and if you would like your business to rotate through the main home page, it’s only $50.00 per YEAR! All proceeds from advertising sales go toward the website costs and advertising for our local events.  Click here to see our Local Businesses page: Local Businesses Email us at info@FICRA.org to get your ad online! And, don’t forget, FICRA has a blog, where all new events, updates and other news items are posted.  Check it out here: The FICRA Blog  and don’t forget to check the Events calendar to see what’s coming up to do on the Island! Fox Island Events