In November 2023, GICCA welcomed its very first Junior Associate Board Members: Klein Szerlong and Caden Stephens. Both are rising seniors at Anacortes High School, gearing up for their senior year. The addition of these junior members aims to bring an infusion of fresh and youthful energy to our community and get more young folks on Guemes excited about joining in on island events.
For those unfamiliar with GICCA, it stands for Guemes Island Community Center Association. Their goal is “is to promote the educational, recreational, and social welfare of Guemes Islanders.” In addition to many other things, they bring us popular local events like the annual Pie Sale, the Christmas Potluck Dinner, and the 4th of July Hot Dog Extravaganza. GICCA is also behind managing the Community Hall and the Schoolhouse Park Stage.
As the new leaders of Youth Programming, Caden and Klein kicked things off with Game Night at the hall, where Twister and Mexican Trains turned out to be the crowd favorites. After two successful game nights, there will be more in store this fall—everyone of all ages is welcome to join in.
Next up on their agenda was Sports Day at Schoolhouse Park, featuring badminton, cornhole, kickball, and of course, pickleball. Kickball stole the show, but pickleball was close behind in popularity.
Looking ahead, Klein is working on movie night at the hall, while Caden hopes to remodel the hall’s attic to make room for much needed extra storage.
In addition to fun and games, Klein and Caden also attend monthly GICCA board meetings, where they brainstorm new ideas, discuss budgets, and tackle the monthly agenda. They’re also hands-on with volunteering at the hall, from yard work to clean-ups.
Outside of their GICCA duties, the two have ambitious schedules. Caden is a tennis player, juggles several yard work jobs, and helps his dad build their house. He’s also quite the woodworker—he’s even crafted his own guitar. This summer, Caden has an internship with Dynamics System Engineering, which makes custom airplane parts in Oregon.
Klein’s schedule is just as packed. She’s a cheerleading powerhouse, having led the Anacortes High School varsity basketball cheer team and cheered for the state champion Anacortes Seahawks football team. She also volunteers with the Guemes Fire Department and is helping her father get the Platt building, the oldest brick building in Anacortes, onto the historic registry.
Earlier this year, Caden and Klein were each honored with a Guemes Gold Betty Crookes “Silver Award” Scholarship. As they plan their next steps towards college, they’re also excited about finding new junior board members to carry on their legacy.