Opening the Hall during the December 2025 power outage
On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, with power out for most of Whidbey Island, we opened up the Clinton Community Hall to anyone in South Whidbey who needed power, internet connectivity, and a warm space. Our wi-fi was available to anyone who wanted to just park in the parking lot and connect, and we made coffee & tea for anyone who stopped by.
Our new solar system & battery backup allowed us to provide this service to our community. With the sunshine that first day, we were actually producing more power than we were using for the Hall. We once again want to thank local organizations Whidbey Climate Action and Kicking Gas for helping to fund upgrades to the Hall that made this possible.
A look back
The extended outage gave us an opportunity to use the Hall as a community gathering place. This was hugely successful and popular, and we are encouraged by the response we saw.
Dozens of community members stopped by to charge up devices, to connect to the internet, enjoy hot drinks, and stay (somewhat) warm.
The Hall board is using this event as a learning experience, and are working to review what worked well and what needs improvement so that we can be better prepared for expanded support during future outages or other disruptions.
What worked well:
- Our new solar and battery system worked flawlessly, helping to keep the facility powered during the first day of the outage.
- Our board and volunteers came together quickly to “staff” the Hall during the outage.
- Our community helped to spread the word effectively, ensuring folks knew we were open.
What didn’t work, or needs improvement:
- Our backup battery performed well within expectations, but we hope in the future to add additional capacity. This initial battery system was intended to get us going by bridging shorter-duration outages.
- Our older propane generator (the backup to the backup) didn’t work correctly, limiting our ability to stay open as long as we would have liked. We are working on troubleshooting this.
- There aren’t enough power outlets in the kitchen area, and we struggled with getting available power to everyone who needed it. (Update: seven new outlets were added in spring 2026 — see Electrical upgrades in the kitchen.)
Aside from just providing basic services during the outage, it was a real pleasure to have an ad-hoc community gathering at the Hall for several days. Meeting new people and getting to visit with friends & neighbors puts the most positive spin on a power outage event.
Also — one additional shout-out to Sno-Isle Libraries and all the folks at library branches on the south end for helping to send folks in need to the Hall. And for getting a bookmobile on to the island (parked for a time outside the Hall).
