Vashon Allied Arts’ $600,000 purchase of an adjacent lot — the current home of McFeed’s — is a bold move for the 40-plus-year-old organization. It shows courage on the part of the board and administration. It reflects foresight — VAA raised $1 million before making the deal and announcing it to the public. And it’s a measure of Islanders’ remarkable generosity.

In the world of fundraising, a move of this magnitude is possible only if a few major donors step forward and lead the way. Kay White, an Islander active in several Vashon organizations, played such a role. Her act of generosity is not simply a gift; it’s a statement of her confidence in VAA and her desire to help shape the future of one of Vashon’s most vibrant organizations.

In so doing, she’s also helping to shape the future of Vashon. VAA nurtures young people. It provides a venue for our remarkable artists, actors, dancers and musicians. It gives Islanders what many of us want: rich, creative performances just down the road a piece. Thanks to White and other private donors, VAA will likely be able to expand its classes and programs while stewarding its signature but aging building, the Blue Heron.

VAA now needs to move thoughtfully as it takes the next big step in making its vision a reality. Just what will go on this new site? How will it complement some of the other wonderful efforts underway, particularly the new venue UMO founders David Godsey and Janet McAlpin are creating behind the K2 building? How will the organization ensure that what it does create on the site is truly sustainable over time?

It’s also important that VAA take a light touch with McFeed’s current tenants, a couple whose feed store — now focused almost exclusively on wild birds — is one of the oldest businesses on the Island.

Under the organization’s strong leadership, we feel confident VAA will move forward not cautiously but thoughtfully. We’ve heard from Executive Director Molly Reed and Board Chair Scarlett Foster-Moss that they plan to begin a series of discussions with “stakeholders,” those people so close to the situation that they have a stake in VAA’s future success. We urge them to listen hard and well.

We also urge them to make sure at least some of those stakeholders are dispassionate and hard-headed enough to understand the Island’s carrying capacity for arts facilities. Reed and her board need to think hard about just what a population of 10,000 can truly support over time.

This is an auspicious moment for a venerable organization. Much lies ahead as it brings its vision to fruition. With courage, conviction and a smart business plan, VAA will, we believe, only grow and thrive — nurturing more young people, supporting more artists and giving Islanders the gift of live performances and meaningful art for years to come.