Our Community
How the island actually runs - the organizations, the calendar, the emergency basics, and the club that touches most of island life.
A small island runs on its volunteers.
There's no city hall here, no mayor, no police station. What Anderson Island has instead is a dense web of volunteer organizations - a fire district, a parks district, a historical society, an advisory board to the county, and a community club that touches a large share of island life.
This section is the map of all that: who does what, how to reach them, when things happen, and what to do in an emergency. If you're new here or thinking about it, this is how you find your footing.
Where to go from here.
The Riviera
The Riviera Community Club isn't gated, but it shapes a lot of island life - the lakes, the golf course, the restaurant, and most of the island's homes. What it is, what it isn't, and how access works.
About the RivieraOrganizations
The fire district, parks district, historical society, advisory board, arts, the community club, faith communities, and more - plus how to pitch in, since most of them run on volunteers.
See the RosterEvents Calendar
Farm Day, the Salmon & Rib Bake, the Apple Squeeze, the Children's Fishing Derby, potlucks and meetings - the rhythm of the island year, in one place.
View the CalendarEmergency Info
911, fire and rescue, medevac, and what to do when cell coverage drops - the practical basics of staying safe on a ferry-only island.
Be PreparedSchool starts on the island.
Anderson Island Elementary serves the island's youngest students, kindergarten through third grade, in a small schoolhouse setting. From fourth grade on, island kids ferry to the mainland each day, part of the Steilacoom Historical School District No. 1.
It's one of the realities families weigh before moving here. We cover the daily logistics in more detail on the Living Here page.
Anderson Island Elementary — grades K-3, on the island
Grades 4 and up — daily ferry to Steilacoom
District — Steilacoom Historical School District No. 1
The island needs you more than you'd think.
Almost everything here - the parks, the museum, the fire auxiliary, the events that make the island feel like a community - happens because someone volunteered. It's also the fastest way to meet people and feel like you belong.
Each organization lists how to help, from a few hours at a parks work party to a seat on a board.
Ways to Get InvolvedMore about the island.
Living Here
Utilities, internet, mail, schools, and healthcare - the honest practical picture of life on a ferry-only island.
Read MoreGetting Here
How the ferry works, the Steilacoom side, and what first-time visitors need to know before they sail.
Read MoreThings to Do
Parks, lakes and beaches, the golf course, and Johnson Farm - what there is to do once you're here.
Read More