The community of Shaw Island stretches beyond its 240 full-time residents to include part-timers, relatives and friends living around the globe. Our small island is almost entirely residential. There are no restaurants, B&Bs, motels or hotels. We do not have a public dock, gas station, boutique, hardware store, movie theater, fast-food outlet, bank or an airport. There are no sidewalks or street lights, bike trails or a doctor. The ferry doesn’t stop here very often.

We do have a volunteer fire department and volunteer certified EMTs. We have a newly remodeled general store that supports many of our activities, county park with rustic campsites but no hook-ups, K-8 public school, post office, island-funded library and a log cabin museum.

Our community organization is Shaw Islanders, Inc. Residents’ initiative, involvement and fund-raising have created landmarks (a beautiful playfield, Community Center), entertainment (concerts, plays, talent shows), educational opportunities (guest speakers, scholarships, literature classes), plus Sunday Church Fellowship, public meetings, yoga and exercise classes, 4-H, senior dinners, Holiday Boutique and an old-fashion 4th of July celebration with a parade, a picnic, all-ages softball games, ice cream and a huge auction to raise funds for community activities.