MARILYN AND RACHEL
Orcas is an extraordinarily philanthropic community. Per capita giving – quite an honor to be recognized amidst the hundreds of devoted volunteers and donors who make the island work. To receive this award is truly to be told that you are the best of the best.
Rachel says they are just two lucky herring scooped up in the Community Foundation’s net as examples, and perhaps that is so, but they are certainly mighty fine specimens, don’t we agree?
They truly are consummate examples, not only because of the depth of their giving, or the breadth of their giving, but also because of the variety of their giving.
They are a magical species of tree that puts off myriad fruits – time, energy, money, advocacy, brains; brawn, table scraps, love, couches, eggs, solace, milk, humor. You never know what will fall from these trees, nor the vast network of anonymous gifts spreading from beneath.
Marilyn and Rachel are two very different people with compatible yet distinct passions.
I know Rachel will like the tree analogy because she in fact hopes to reincarnate as a tree. Nature is Rachel’s passion. She is, literally, a tree hugger, advocating for close and constant contact with bark for both comfort and celebration. She has her own herd of rabbits who like to sniff her hand, and a pet eagle at the end of a well worn path. Whenever I spend time with Rachel I think of my favorite line by Rainier Maria Rilke – “the animals know already that we are not at home in our translated world.” Rachel wants communion with those parts of life that need no translation, not just the natural world, but the nature of humans, the nature of things. She’s a be-er, appreciate-er, an observer, living in the now. Her passion translates into a holistic approach to giving – she’s constantly plugging holes, filling gaps, making things whole. She serves for service’s sake, taking on all manner of thankless jobs with no need for recognition. Orcas Center search committee anyone?
Never straying too far from her core, she’s forever tending gardens, saving mountains, and noticing the moon.
If Rachel’s passion is what is, Marilyn’s is what might be. Marilyn is an architect, somewhat maniacal, wholly devoted to devising the infrastructure that makes dreams come true. Electric, hydraulic, electronic, financial, human. Systems, databases, spreadsheets, agendas, flow charts, diagrams. Is it any wonder her favorite adage, no doubt self-made, is Prior Planning Precludes Poor Performance?
She’s an engineer, a builder, a pioneer and adventurer who can chart a course like nobody’s business through the vast and invisible sea of politics. Artfully navigating the sensibilities, motivations, and sensitivities of others, she is sure to win the race, with policies, procedures, protocols, endowments, and lasting change dancing in her wake.
Their distinct passions drive their philanthropic deeds and inspire considerable self sacrifice – never afraid to get their hands dirty, nay filthy, in the muck of the moment, even willing to dress up when circumstances require.
As different as they are Marilyn and Rachel are united in depth of their dedication, their willingness to work, their tirelessness and patience, their focus on solutions and their unimpeachable integrity.
They are two golden threads in the fabric of life, and stunning examples of giving as its own reward.
Radiant, energetic, passionate, generous, peaceful, genuine, compassionate, they glow with the knowledge that their huge footprints have not diminished the world, but rather added to it.
No doubt, they have set the bar stratospherically high.
But let us all choose to believe that if we follow their lead we too can sustain our earth, our institutions, our values and our souls in the present and for generations to come.
