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May 9, 2008
What's ahead for our centennial celebration.....
Town Clerk Amy Taylor is organizing the town's 100th birthday party for next year, and has a ton of cool ideas. Here's the scoop:
February 9, 2009 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Town of Friday Harbor’s incorporation. Plans are still underway for the year-long celebration that will commemorate Friday Harbor’s 100th year, and the Centennial Committee urges the community to participate in the celebration.
The Centennial Celebration will kick-off at the San Juan County Fair 2008 and conclude one year later at the 2009 County Fair. Events currently sanctioned include:
August 13th-16th, 2008
San Juan County Fair Centennial Booth
Sponsored by Kevin & Ann Peterson
Sept. 12 & 13, 2008
Beard Growing Contest Begins
Sponsored by Island Rec
Sept. 20, 2008
Community Photo
Sponsored by Debbie Emery & Kelley Balcomb-Bartok
February 2009
Friday Harbor History Book Available for Sale
Sponsored by San Juan Historical Society
February 9, 2009
Town of Friday Harbor Birthday Party
Sponsored by Town of Friday Harbor
May 2nd-24th, 2009
Painting Show of 2008 Friday Harbor
Sponsored by waterworks Gallery
June-August 2009
Children & Teen’s Summer Reading Challenge
Sponsored by San Juan Island Library
July 4th, 2009
4th of July Parade Theme: Centennial Celebration
Sponsored by San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce
The Centennial Committee wants to see this list of events grow and is urging involvement from local businesses, organizations, families and individuals to participate in the celebration. Creating special events, publications, projects and programs that honor Friday Harbor’s past, celebrate our present and imagine our future is the mission of the Centennial Committee. All ideas are welcome including already popular annual events that may have a Centennial focus this particular year. As well, any potential contest or game suggestions would be helpful. If you have an idea which you are unable to sanction yourself, but think it would be a worthwhile opportunity for someone else, please let us know.
The Centennial Committee meets once a month to review submitted sanctioned event forms. To submit your idea, please visit www.fridayharbor100.com to print out a sanctioned event form and turn it in to Amy Taylor, Town Clerk at Town Hall BEFORE JULY 1st, 2008. With Sanctioning, the Centennial Committee will list the business, project or event on its Master Calendar and website, and sanction the use of the official Centennial logo on related materials.
Help us pay tribute to the exciting people, places and events that helped shape the Town of Friday since nearly a century ago. For more information on the Centennial Committee’s Goals and Operating Guidelines, visit www.fridayharbor100.com or email Amy Taylor at amyt@fridayharbor.org.
Music Man is a blast.....
The Music Man (right) plays tonight at the Community Theatre, and is happening this weekend & next - got your tickets yet?
See ya there!
More Town news...
Sandy Strelou says this is something you'll want to think about:
Historic District Walking Tours: Every Saturday in May, 9:00am-10:00am, the Town of Friday Harbor’s Historic Preservation Review Board is giving free, guided walking tours of the downtown historic district. Rain or shine. Space is limited and reservations are required. To register and receive more information, go to www.historicfridayharbor.org or call 360.378.2810 during regular business hours.
Rural Architecture in Friday Harbor: On Wednesday, May 14, 7:00pm-9:00pm, the Town of Friday Harbor and the San Juan Historical Museum present a history talk by local historian and preservation architect, Boyd Pratt, entitled Paying Attention to the Ordinary: Friday Harbor’s Rural Architecture. This event takes place in the research center of the San Juan Historical Museum, 405 Price Street. For more information go to www.historicfridayharbor.org, call or email to 360.378.2810 or sstrehlou@fridayharbor.org.
Flare shoot - NEXT weekend!
Mike Griffin writes in: It's Saturday May 17, 12:30 PM, at Jackson’s Beach. Learn how to Shoot a Flare……IT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE! Bring your expired flares to shoot or come for demonstrations of various flares, proper use of a fire extinguisher and more. For more information call Marc Forlenza 472-1644.
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Good judgment comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgment.
Rita Mae Brown
May 8, 2008
Gas prices are going up all over...
In Nantucket, the gas prices are rising, like here - they even interviewed Charlie Meyer from Island Petrolem Services here - here's the story from the Nantucket paper.
Local Donors Support School District with a $275,000 “Challenge Gift” to Mitigate Anticipated Program Reductions – Designated Gift Preserves K-12 UW Marine Program
Usually I don't run big long things this way, but I believe this is a critical piece to us holding our schools together for the next year. Here's the press release I got from Michael at the district office:
Local donors have coordinated together to make a $275,000 “Challenge Gift” to the School District to mitigate anticipated program reductions due to a $600,000 operating fund shortfall projected for 2008-09. Under the leadership of the San Juan Island Community Foundation (San Juan Island's publicly supported philanthropic organization), five local donors are working together to provide a community incentive to raise the additional funds necessary to address the budget shortfall. Charles Anderson, Chair of the San Juan Island Community Foundation Board, said, "These donors are committed to ensuring that our schools will continue to provide an outstanding education on San Juan Island." He is optimistic that other donors will also step forward to preserve our school programs and recognize the importance of education to a healthy community.
Donations include an anonymous gift through the “Fairway Fund”, as well as donations from David McCauley, Cloud Oakes, Scott Boden, and Charles Anderson & Pamela Gross. This collective “challenge gift” anticipates other successful fundraising efforts planned by the community including the “Save Our Schools” phone appeal through the San Juan Public Schools Foundation scheduled for this Thursday evening, 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Paul LeBaron, President of the Schools Foundation, urged community members wishing to make a contribution that is responsive to the challenge gift to call the Schools Foundation “SOS Hotline” at 370-7925, or to use the “donate now” secure link on the Foundation website, www.sjpsf.org.
Michael Soltman, School Superintendent, expressed gratitude for the generous gift of $10,500 from Carolyn Haugen to preserve the UW Marine Laboratory K-12 Outreach Program. Carolyn helped launch this program while principal at the elementary school. She stated, “I just wanted to do my part to preserve what I believe to be an essential part of our science program. I urge others to step forward as they are able to ensure the continued excellence of all of our school programs.”
Michael Soltman and Boyd Pratt, School Board Chair, expressed thanks to the well coordinated efforts of the San Juan Island Community Foundation, San Juan Public Schools Foundation, and other school support organizations to raise funds to address the shortfall. Boyd said, “We are so encouraged by the response of our community to sustain the quality of our schools. This “Challenge Gift” provides a real opportunity to preserve our academic and co-curricular programs for the next year, however the challenge is huge and requires the full commitment of our community to raise the matching funds to meet it.”
Last Sunday in Spokane, Vic Woodward (left) "ran into" Allison Pemberton (right) and her husband Chris when he and daughter Erin ran Bloomsday.
May 7, 2008
Time to step up for the schools....
Anna Lisa from Duck Soup wrote, with ways to help. The Duck Soup Inn has Friday set as their day to help - you can eat AND help the schools:
Hi Ian-
I wanted to remind you of the fundraiser at Duck Soup Inn on Friday. Fine Dining for the Kids! We are donating 10% of what we take in that evening to the San Juan Island Schools foundation.
Laurie Paul also has a spot set up where you can donate at the counter at Market Chef.
I've also heard a rumour that someone has offered $250K in a donation for the schools if we as a community can match the donation. That would almost take care of things. Have you heard anything about this?There is also this great article from the Bellingham Herald which explains the current situation quite well and why so many other school districts are facing the same situation.
Thanks! Anna Lisa
The Phonathon is on!
The rumor that Anna Lisa mentions is true, and the public schools' folks are acting.
Tomorrow night from 4-8pm they'll be calling - or you can go to the Public Schools Foundation's website to donate online right now. Just hit the Donate Now! button....now's the time to get this going!
Seasons end, while others keep going....
I got the story when I picked up the boys from the ferry last night - the soccer guys dropped from the playoffs with a 2-0 loss to Vashon, and the lacrosse guys ended their season with a playoff loss as well.
Today the baseball guys continue their championship quest at Sammamish HS vs Bellevue Christian at 4, while the laegue champ softball girls get sub-district play underway on Friday here, against Coupeville.
Running & running....
I saw library director Laura Tretter on the ferry last weekend, coming back from the Vancouver Marathon, where she ran the half on Sunday.
It's happening - the Music Man opens tomorrow!
The long-awaited production of the Music Man opens tomorrow night at the Community Theatre...I checked, and this two-week run's tickets are already selling fast...get yours now (I'm calling today, myself.)
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The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
Mohandas Gandhi
May 6, 2008
Yep, that's us!
On the Today Show the other day, you mighta been surprised to see the sign at right. Nope, it wasn't the Vistors' Bureau at work. That's Camille Lannan, who moved to New York several months ago. Her grandfather, Andrew V. McLaglen, talked her into making the sign which spotlights the island where he's lived for over thirty years.
Andrew, of course, knows something about getting things on the screen - check here.
SOS for the schools....
You know the Phone-A-Thon the San Juan Public Schools Foundation puts on each October? They're gonna put one on this week on Thursday - a special one - from 4-8pm, to try to raise money for the budget shortfall. Expect a call, and do what you can.
Here's why they're doing it. Read it...these cuts really hurt our ability to get our kids educated.
Also, you can go to the Foundation's website & give (hit the Donate Now button).
Classes at Skagit for all you businesspeople....
This is a great place to start as you tighten up the way you run (or start!) your business - check out what's going on here!
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A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet.
Orson Welles
May 5, 2008
Diving deep & coming up with the answer....
That's Ryan Burke with Island Commercial Divers - he's back on-island after a winter away & is geared up for the season with his business of diving to help you with (as his website says), "We specialize in underwater mechanical work and inspections at any location in the San Juan Islands. We can provide a solution to all your underwater maintenance or repair needs, from prop & zinc replacements to hull & mooring inspections to recovery & salvage sevices. We also provide skipper services."
Call him today!
Documentary filmed here....
My friend Jerry Rasmussen helped host a French crew who were here last week filming - here's more:
Dear Ian:
Here is a scoop for your newsletter. A French film crew is on San Juan Island making a documentary about global warming and sustainable life styles for public television.
Colleen Howe is the central figure in the documentary. They have been here since Tuesday and will leave this coming Wednesday. They were with Bruce Gregory on Lopez all day Thursday looking at some sort of innovative forestry practice (plus or minus, see Bruce). They are filming at Mitchell bay Farm today. They are staying with us at the Longhouse B&B.
Call Bruce or Colleen and get the real scoop if you are interested. I have attached a "non-Photoshop altered" photo of the crew taken Thursday. Their names are (LtoR): Charlotte Genevoix, Rebecca Boulanger, Vincet Fooy and Alexis Bouvet.
Soccer, baseball, softball move on.....
The softball girls played in the rain on Saturday at Coupeville, and cemented their hold on the league crown, winning there, assuring them home field advantage and good seeding for the upcoming playoffs - way to go girls!
Meanwhile, the baseball boys continued in the playoffs despite losing their first game of the season in district play over the weekend - they played two on Saturday, and continue on this week - keep it up, guys!
And the soccer team beat Lynden Christian 3-1 to take the #3 seed in their district on Saturday, so they'll play tomorrow somewhere in the state. (I'll let you know, soon as the WIAA figures it out.) Goals by Grant Schwinge, Cameron Byington, and Kevin O'Conner carried the Wolverines to victory. That's senior forward Erik Nash going for the ball in the second half, right. Here's the Bellingham Herald's version of the story.
Wynn marches on...
FHHS senior Wynn Barnard continues to be recognized for great things....here's more from Lori Stokes:
Our little island should be very proud of FHHS senior Wynn Barnard, who was honored on Saturday, April 26, at a regional conference of the Soroptimists held in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Back in February, Wynn received the local club’s Violet Richardson Award, which is presented annually to a young woman in our community between the ages of 14 and 17, who is committed to making the world a better place and has had significant and noteworthy accomplishments as a volunteer. Wynn’s application was then passed on to the regional organization of the club, and she was chosen from among 72 other girls for the regional-level award.
At last week’s conference awards luncheon, Wynn was presented with two checks for $1000 each – one for herself and one for the volunteer organization she helped to found at the high school, Village-to-Village. She spoke to a group of almost 400 Soroptimists about her project, which supports village schools in impoverished villages both in Peru and in Kenya.
This is the very first time that an award winner from the Friday Harbor club has ever been selected as the award recipient at the regional level of the Soroptimist organization. Congratulations, Wynn!
Darleen has the stuff - see it online!
Have you seen Darleen Nixon's new website yet? It does a good job of showing you how great her work has been coming out, lately - check out one more talented island artist!
Feel dizzy? This will make sure you do...
My friend Carol sent this amazing video of hiking in Spain....whoa! Check it out & tell me what you think.....
Hi Ian!
As always I enjoy your daily, newsy website! You always bring out the best of this island; and there are so many “bests”!
My friend, Cathy, sent me this clip with the comment, “Do you want to take a hike?” This particular hike is in Andalusia, Spain. I think I’ll pass!
Carol Capps
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Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.
George Burns
