Help us caution the Western Washington University Board of Trustees against the possible selling of ViQueen Lodge!

Have you had the opportunity to visit the ViQueen Lodge on Sinclair Island? Whether it was through the Outdoor Center's Western Outdoor Orientation Trip (WOOT), a weekend excursion, or a club or class trip, you know the magic and beauty of this historic cabin of ours.

"In1928, the Women's Athletic Association of Bellingham Normal School, now Western Washington University (WWU), purchased the ViQueen Lodge on Sinclair Island for $2,000.00." -vu.wwu.edu

Today, ViQueen is managed by our Viking Outdoor Recreation team and just recently got electricity and lights. It is a place of memories, moments, and mementos. 

This lodge is not just a building; it's a part of our community history. It has been serving students for almost a century, offering them an escape from the everyday hustle of student life into nature’s embrace.

However, ViQueen’s future hangs in balance as the Board of Trustees looks at selling assets to make up for COVID losses. They have created a priority list, and we know that ViQueen Lodge is on that list, but we do not know where on this list. Help us to show the Board how much this place means to us as a community and what we would lose if they choose to sell! 

We believe that preserving this historical site will not only honor our past but also enrich future generations' experiences at WWU. We urge WWU to consider alternatives to any plans that might lead to losing this precious piece of history.

Let us stand together as proud members of Western community, as students, as alumni, as recreationists, as outdoor enthusiasts, in urging our university to preserve this historic lodge on Sinclair Island for future generations. Please sign this petition today!

https://vu.wwu.edu/viqueen

 

 

 

 

(Photos from Sea Kayak Western Outdoor Orientation Trip aka WOOT Fall 2019)