Since retiring to Whidbey Island two years ago, Barb and Ed Adams can’t seem to get enough of the state parks around them.
Living near Joseph Whidbey State Park in Oak Harbor, they’re never far from a walk on the beach. Last fall when the salmon were migrating through Puget Sound, they spent ample time fishing from the shores of Ebey’s Landing State Park.
This winter, they find the weather still mild enough to enjoy the trails of Fort Ebey State Park, sometimes up to five times a week.
“We lived in Spokane for 32 years,” Barb Adams said. “We got sick of the snow and the 100-degree temperatures in the summer.”
One thing the Adams want to ensure is that the opportunities they enjoy at the parks on the island they now call home remain for others to cherish in the future.
They want to see if other park-users like them would be interested in forming a nonprofit friends-style group that would help support the state parks mostly in the Central Whidbey area.
Specifically, the group would focus on supporting Fort Ebey, Fort Casey, Joseph Whidbey, Ebey’s Landing and Possession Point state parks. It wouldn’t include Deception Pass and South Whidbey state parks since they already have groups that support them.
A meeting is scheduled from 7-8:30 p.m. March 23 at the Oak Harbor Library for anyone who is interested in being part of the group or sharing ideas.
“It’s a real general, open meeting just basically to explore if there’s community interest in more formally putting together ideas on how to support local state parks,” Barb Adams said.
“One thing we found out is there are a lot of opportunities in all of those parks but no coordination of those activities. This would be having some sort of centralized support so those opportunities can be sent out to anyone who wants to volunteer or get people engaged in state parks.”
A small group met in January at the Coupeville Library to start up discussion and brainstorm. By forming a nonprofit, the group could help raise money for park improvements as well as help coordinate volunteer efforts.
Jon Crimmins, area manager for Central Whidbey state parks, is supportive of the idea. He said he was approached by Ed and Barb Adams a year ago about the idea but it didn’t gain any traction then. He said the efforts seems stronger this time around led by the couple.
Already, the Adams and others are involved in a trails project at Fort Ebey State Park to create new signs.
“If it were not for our state parks, our family would have very limited beach access and very limited trail access,” Barb Adams said. “It’s so important for us personally as a family to help volunteer.”
“They’re trying to figure out who they are,” Crimmins said. “They’re having another meeting. They’re trying to get more people in the north end of the island excited about it.”
