Preserving a tradition for generations to come

Published 9:20 am Thursday, March 27, 2014

Two Orcas students are devoting their senior projects to an island tradition.

The old barn on Orcas Road has been painted by graduating classes for decades. Now in serious danger of collapsing, senior Aidan Anderson is spearheading construction of a new structure.

“Tearing it down is the end of an era,” Anderson said. “Since the fate of the old barn is sealed, the only real way to keep this tradition is to build a new one.”

Eric Lum, in partnership with land owners Rick and Marlace Hughes, has designed and built a new and improved senior barn. Anderson and a crew of builders have assisted in the construction.  The structure will have feeding troughs inside for sheep and hay in the loft, but future senior classes will still be able to paint its walls.

“We want to provide a safe structure for kids to continue to use for years to come,” Hughes said.

Those driving past the property can see the project’s progress. The next step is to prime and put up slat sidings. The new barn is made almost entirely from wood grown and milled on Orcas.

Anderson is asking for donations to help pay for the construction. Go to https://www.booster.com/oi-senior-barn to donate. Those who give $25 or more will receive a T-shirt that says “I saved the barn” in Viking blue.

While one student is looking towards the future, another is hoping to preserve the past.

Lindsay Lancaster is collecting photos of the barn from years past and each image will be framed and permanently on display at the school.

To send her images of the barn through the years, email llancaster@orcas.k12.wa.us.

“I want to commemorate the old barn for all the past seniors who have painted it,” Lancaster said. “I think it will be great for all these photos to be in one place where everyone can look at them and remember back to when they painted it perhaps.”