Utsalady Ladies Aid

Nestled near the shores of Utsalady Bay sits the Utsalady Ladies Aid Building. We celebrate 100 years of the beautiful little "white house" on Camano Island.

Established in 1908 for the women of the community, it was a place to teach Christian education to the children, to meet and discuss the events of the day, and to help wherever needed. They held celebrations, anniversaries, community gatherings, voting polls, 4-H meetings, Camp Fire Girls meetings, church services, and water meetings there.

In 1908, there was no bridge to Camano Island from the mainland. People from Stanwood or Seattle came by boat to old Utsalady (now known as Utsalady Point). The Ladies Aid building, located in the area known on plat maps as New Utsalady, is owned by the Utsalady Ladies Aid Organization and is listed on the State of Washington historical record.

We are a proud group that carries the pioneer spirit of those who came before us: our grandmothers, aunts, and friends who lived in the Utsalady area and loved Camano Island.

Today, our 135+ members love the history of the building, love Utsalady, and love our neighbors. We are excellent cooks with a variety of talents. Our goal is to "Preserve the Past for the Future." What does that mean? Kindness, caring, friendliness, helping your neighbors, telling our story, maintaining our building, baking pies, and contributing to scholarships.

I am a third-generation Camano Island resident. I was named after my grandmother, Jennie Mellum. My precious grandmother was a part of the Utsalady Ladies Aid. Jennie passed from this earth several years before I was born. She donated the oval table that was originally in the Utsalady Hotel that she ran. When I go to Ladies Aid, I think, "My grandmother was in this building." I sense her heart and spirit there. In the minutes of the Ladies Aid, they often refer to her as our beloved Jennie.