ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

• FOF was established as a Washington State 501(c)3 non-profit corporation in 2001. The goal was to serve the greater needs of Freeland and the South Whidbey community.
• FOF established a 40+ acre wetland sanctuary through fundraising and generous community gifts.
• FOF serves approximately 100 current and 500 past members.
• FOF has an established office in Freeland, located in the heart of our community adjacent to the Chamber of Commerce Office. We have a place to meet, greet and get things done.
• FOF has established an 11 member Board of Directors.
• FOF has formed committees in service of community approved initiatives: Main Street Pedestrian Safety, Freeland Beautification, Pathways, Wetlands Stewardship, and the Freeland Vision 2025 Committee with the Freeland Chamber of Commerce.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Ongoing initiatives that continue to serve the quality of life for greater Freeland include:

• Main Street Project: FOF was successful in obtaining a grant to fund the creation of pedestrian walkways and safety barriers beginning in the Spring of 2006.
• Freeland Vision 2025: FOF in partnership with the Freeland Chamber of Commerce established the Vision 2025 Committee to plan and conduct a series of Town Hall meetings for the Freeland community to focus attention on the future of Freeland and to establish an ongoing dialogue through the Freeland Community Forum website.
• Pathways: This committee is working to establish a pedestrian walking trail around the core of Freeland, helping move people safely (we have no sidewalks) between key destinations. Nearly 3 miles of trails from Freeland Park to downtown services and businesses have been identified and the Capes Loop is in the process of being paved. Key partners include local property owners supportive of such access, Island County and the Port of South Whidbey. Easements, liability issues and funding for creation and maintenance are the work of this committee.
• Freeland Beautification: A current focus of this committee are the visual and safety issues around entering/exiting the many non-conforming parking lots in our business core, which could be resolved and improved visually with simple landscape planters/barriers. FOF established the first of these projects in front of the Knitty Pearl Yarn Shop at the intersection of Main and Harbor. FOF will continue to pursue the scope of this project with property owners, the county and the community to make changes, and prepare to qualify Freeland for state and federal grants to make it happen.
  • The pocket garden behind FOF offices on Main Street, cared for by FOF volunteers, is a small oasis of natural beauty for our community to enjoy.
  
  
• Freeland Benches: The planter/bench/arbors in front of the Freeland Chamber of Commerce, Knitty Pearl, and the Harbor Inn Motel are some of many envisioned to rest and serve our community while walking through the Freeland business core. Businesses or individuals may purchase them, and FOF volunteers build and install them on location.
• Wetlands Stewardship: FOF continues to work to secure the future of the Wetlands with the support of the Whidbey Camano Land Trust
  • FOF is increasing the Wetlands through the purchase of 5 additional acres adjacent to the existing Wetland property
  • FOF partnered with the Audubon Society to complete a 12 month census of the birds that reside in the Wetlands through the various times of year
  
  
• Adopt a Highway: Several years in place, a team of FOF volunteers gathers along the street corridor connecting Freeland to Highway 525 to clean up the litter and garbage that accumulates.

Communications with our greater community include:

• Information booths at local markets and county fair
• Updating website and publishing newsletters for communication
• Cultivating relationships with other community organizations, including
  • Island County Sub Area Planning Committee
  • Smart Growth Coalition
  • Island County Port Commission
  • Audubon Society, Whidbey Chapter
  • Freeland Chamber of Commerce
  • South Whidbey Parks and Recreation
  • South Whidbey Commons
  • Whidbey Camano Land Trust