Garage becomes a part of newspaper’s history, future

The Garage of Blessings outgrew its space seven times in the last six years.

But founder Kristiina Miller said she’s found a new home with a proud history for the nonprofit organization.

Garage of Blessings is moving into and refurbishing the former Whidbey News-Times building on Barrington Drive, next to the police station. The building has served mainly as storage for the company after staff members were relocated about eight years ago when the building fell into dire shape.

In two years, the newspaper staff will be returning to inhabit a portion of the building after the lease for its current location expires.

“We’re counting the days until the News-Times returns to Oak Harbor,” said Publisher Keven R. Graves. “For me, having worked in the Barrington building in the 1980s and early 1990s, it’s home, and it’s where the newspaper belongs.”

Miller said the 10,000-square-foot building is perfect for the organization, which offers free clothes, toiletries, books, housewares, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and more to those in need.

“I don’t think I could imagine a better spot,” she said, pointing out that other groups that help those in need are nearby.

TV personality Mike Rowe, formerly of “Dirty Jobs” and current host of the web series “Returning the Favor,” surprised Miller last November with newly renovated space next to the Garage of Blessings on Goldie Road.

Miller said the garage was bursting at the seams and the extra space was more than welcome, but it didn’t take long to outgrow it.

After her landlord raised her rent, Miller contacted Josh O’Connor, president of Sound Publishing, parent company of the News-Times, to ask about the possibility of moving into the former newspaper building.

O’Connor said he saw an opportunity to put the building to better use until the current lease for the newspaper expires.

“It will be nice to see a community asset used by an organization that’s doing wonderful work on the island,” O’Connor said.

The 70-year-old building needs a lot of work to get it ready, Miller said, but the community stepped in to help.

Many different organizations, church groups, businesses and individuals have taken part in the effort.

Francisco Robles of CGK Pro Painting contacted Miller after seeing on Facebook that she was moving into the building and needed help.

“When we first came here to Oak Harbor, the Garage of Blessings was the first place we went when we didn’t have anything,” Robles said of him and his family. His company is painting the entire outside for free.

Keller Williams employees spent hours working on the landscaping and doing work inside the building. A total of 35 volunteers — agents and their families — came out to help as part of their RED day, which stands for “renew, energize, donate.”

“It’s a very worthy cause, they do great things for the community and we want to give back where we can,” said Debbie Carrothres, production manager at Keller Williams.

The Sea Cadets and Whidbey Moving and Storage will help move everything from the old site and into the new one.

“This building belongs to the community,” Miller said. “It’s my job to bring it back to life.”

Miller said much of the work on the building is already done.

One of the things left to do, she said, is replacing the windows; Miller said she is going to ask businesses to “adopt” a window to cover the costs for new ones. She expects the windows will cost about $10,000 to replace.

There’s a GoFundMe page set up for those who want to donate for the new windows, she said.

People can also go to the Garage of Blessings website to give or send a donation to P.O. Box 115, Oak Harbor, WA 98277.

Miller said she plans to have the building ready for a July 1 grand opening.

She expects to see more people come to Garage of Blessings at its new location. She said some people think it only serves the homeless, but only about 1 percent of the 3,500 people a month who come through the doors are homeless.

They serve everyone from Navy families to elderly people.

“We have incredible plans that will change the community,” she said.

Keller Williams employee Amy Snyder trims a rose bush outside the new location of Garage of Blessings. Photo by Laura Guido/Whidbey News-Times

Keller Williams employee Amy Snyder trims a rose bush outside the new location of Garage of Blessings. Photo by Laura Guido/Whidbey News-Times