Celebrating You!

Explore the unique lives of OPALCO members

Meet the Co-op Family

OPALCO salutes its 75 longest-standing members. These founding Co-op Family members have maintained an active membership since the earliest days for their families or organizations and have played an important role in the development of the cooperative. On behalf of the entire membership, OPALCO honors these founding members for their foresight and fortitude, and for their long-term capital investment in our local electric system. Do you have a story to share? Please contact us!

The Bruns-Madan Legacy Story

The Bruns-Madan Legacy Story

Most Recent OPALCO Stories

The Bruns-Madan Legacy Story

The Bruns-Madan Legacy Story

Carolyn Harrison Sisley – Founding Member Family

Early OPALCO – From a Child’s Memory I was three years old when we moved to Orcas. My Dad, John E. Harrison, was born and raised in Eastsound, … Read More

Katie Jensen – Member Family Since 1953

Katie Jensen wrote (April 2012): “The Jensen connection to OPALCO began in November, 1953, when we rented a house on North Beach Road with Tina (age 6), Judy … Read More

Mildred Sandwith, Member Family Since 1943

Mildred was born and raised in Friday Harbor, where her grandfather was a doctor and owned the local pharmacy. As the youngest of four, Mildred did not have … Read More

Jane Barfoot Hodde, Member Family Since 1937

Jane is a long-standing member of OPALCO herself, having joined the Co-op with her late husband Jack in 1947. She is also a member of the Willis family, … Read More

“To Date” Poem by Zoa H.Cowden, 1940

From the collection of Buyral and Ellen Madan TO DATE When it’s candle lighting time in Crow Valley Everything is up in whirl. But most of the time … Read More

Coffelt Family – First Recorded Membership

  Vern Coffelt comes from a long line of OPALCO founders and supporters. His grandfather, John Gus “JG” Smedberg, a pioneer Orcas farmer known for his prize-winning apples … Read More

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