There’s a new face in town! Well, maybe not a “new” face — but an old familiar one that has gotten a major facelift this summer thanks to the Homer Foundation and the Cottonwood and Jenson Funds. After a rainy fall prohibited us from being able to paint, the great beginning to summer provided the perfect opportunity for the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies (CACS) to transform the outside of our headquarters building into a cleaner, brighter and more inviting façade. We were also able to do some much needed repairs to the original siding on the building.
Having a headquarters building in town provides greater public access and visibility, a venue for free community functions and programs, houses our program and administrative staff, provides housing for seasonal staff and KPC/KBC Semester by the Bay students in the upstairs apartment and enhances interactions with other local and national organizations.
The building has been used heavily over the past 16 years was in need of upgrades to ensure that it is a safe, fully functional and preserved space. As part of our long-range sustainability plan, we are targeting our headquarters building as a place where we can provide a greater year-round presence and service to the community.
We hope to increase our community programs, invite more locals and visitors to come in and learn about our organization and see important displays such as our marine debris art sculptures and the amazing marine mammal skeletons put together by campers and interns under the leadership of volunteer Lee Post, aka “The Bone Man.” In addition, many local community groups use our building as a meeting space. Our ocean blue and crisp white trim have brightened our look, helped to preserve our siding and provide long term maintenance care and will provide the perfect backdrop for some creative and amazing signage being done by local artists.
Thank you Cottonwood Fund and the Jenson Fund, managed by the Homer Foundation, for helping us with this important upgrade and improvement to our main facility.
Elizabeth Trowbridge, executive director
Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies
