2008 Canoe Island French Camp Staff

PROGRAM DIRECTOR & PHOTOGRAPHY, Justine Robinett
Favorite place in France: “J’adore, j’adore, j’adore la Bretagne!”

CHEF DU CUISINE, Una Kim
Hometown: Tacoma, WA

Photos shown. Left: Le Colombier (The Watertower). 

Below: The mosaic tile map of the San Juan Islands, on the floor of Le Colombier.

Canoe Island is located on a 47-acre island in the center of the San Juan Islands in Upright Channel between Shaw and Lopez islands. The ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor goes by the southern corner of the island.  Photos: Kim Jones  
 

Canoe Island French Camp was founded in 1969 by the late Dr. and Mrs. Warren Austin when they could not find a French camp on the west coast for their daughter.  First established for just a few weeks each summer on Orcas Island, the French Camp moved to the Austin's beautiful new facility on the 47-acre Canoe Island located just off the southern shore of Shaw Island.  The Austins continued to play a vital role in the camp's mission, program, finances and publicity until their deaths in 1990s.

A message from Canoe Island French Camp's founder, the late Dr. Warren Austin

When I was young, as World War I was ending, I used to read every book in the little lumber-town library at Cosmopolis, Washington. One of my golden discoveries was a series of "Twin" books: in each of these the author would reveal a new country to me through the eyes and adventures of a set of twins, always a boy and a girl. My favorite book was "The French Twins," (although "The Belgian Twins" was a close second). Right then and there, I decided that, outside my own country, the French, especially the children, were the most wonderful people in the world. I marveled at their courage, their fierce loyalty to their country, their charming manners, customs and traditions. And best of all, they could speak that beautiful, musical language, French! Thus began my love affair with the French.

Please consider helping us extend the camp experience to children who need financial assistance. Your tax-deductible contribution of any amount, made payable to C.I.F.C. Donations marked "Scholarship donation", helps make partial scholarships available each summer to financially and academically deserving campers.  Donations are also sought for general operations and facility maintenance.