News around here….

Early next week, FHHS grad/McGill University grad Arielle Mancuso takes for a couple of years of Peace Corps duty in Rwanda - she's a champ! That's her with her dad Bob last night at Pazzo Vivo... more about her work below the jump, below.

Here’s today’s update of the Update, to get you up to date:

Randy arrives in Friday Harbor...

• It’s great to have a replacement for the departed Dan Fleming – Randy Bennett is our new postmaster, and he’s off to a good start in our community. He’s here from Coupeville – drop by the p.o. & say hey!

(Let’s tell him about the pig kissing stuff later…he just got here…)

• Let’s see if we can get all this coffeehouse, restaurant stuff straight…

The Naked Bean will close this Sunday for remodeling & re-open in a week & a half as simply the Bean.

Meanwhile, the former Warehouse Coffee is now Solid Grounds, while the former Mi Piace is now Churchill Coffeehouse. (Roy’s is still Roy’s, and the Sweet Retreat is still Sweet, and the Skinniest Coffee Shop still is.) Griffin Bay Books’ coffee spot is still happening, with wi-fi & literary ambiance, and the Doctor’s Office is the place to be Saturday nights for open mike. And of course, San Juan Coffee down on Cannery Row!

Opening in Steps' old spot....

Now…Pablito’s Taqueria is set to open in Steps’ old spot in mid-March (and they’re hiring!) – you may have had their chow at Farmer’s Market & been persuaded they’re great. If not, you will be.

And…the Backdoor Kitchen re-opens next week!

• I asked Arielle Mancuso’s mom Yvonne to fill me in on the journey her daughter has ahead – here’s more:

At this point, there is a group of about 24 volunteers that Arielle has connected with online, three of them from Washington State, all assigned and going to serve in Rwanda, Africa.  All these volunteers have been thoroughly scrutinized and passed the rigorous steps to qualify and be accepted as volunteer members of the Peace Corps.

These recruits will be meeting in Philadelphia for several days for orientation and bonding, and then flying into Kigali, the Capital of Rwanda to begin an in-country orientation. From there, she travels to southern Rwanda to live in a group housing situation for ten weeks while she learns the local language and African customs indigenous to the region.

Arielle...

Once this immersion period is completed, she will be sworn in officially as a Peace Corp volunteer and assigned  to a location somewhere in the country where she will be working as a Organizational Capacity Building and Community Health Volunteer directly under the tutelage of the Ministry of Health of Rwanda. Her job will focus on HIV education and prevention, especially as it relates to young children and women.

As you can see, this assignment is a huge commitment and we are very proud of her dedication and desire to help those less fortunate than herself on an assignment so far away from home.  We will miss her. For those of us that wish to follow the trials and tribulations of her work in Africa, Arielle has set up a blog at www.confessionsofatraveloholic.blogspot.com .
Yvonne Buijs-Mancuso & Bob Mancuso

Help out...

• Helping Wolf Hollow….Val Curtis just sent me this, to see if you want to help out:

Volunteer Coordinator wanted
Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is looking for someone who is organized, can work well independently and can support our volunteers.  Computer skills are needed (email, Word and Excel) as well as good phone skills.  The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for recruitment, facilitating orientations, scheduling, data management and support for the volunteers. Average of 8-10 hours a week with some hours occurring on-site. If interested, please contact Val.

• Sally Thomsen from Island Rec says it’s time to get drawing:

Poster Contest for 20th Annual Children’s Festival

It’s time for San Juan island kids to let their imaginations take off and fly with this year’s Children’s Festival’s Theme: 2010 SPACE ODYSSEY.

The 2010 Children’s Festival’s poster contest lets San Juan Island children show off their imaginative and creative skills.

Official entry forms are available starting February 12th, 2010 for artists of all ages ready to share their talents in the San Juan Island 20th Annual Children’s Festival. Winning entries will be used to promote the Saturday, May 1st festival and its 2010 theme: 2010 SPACE ODYSSEY.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries. The first prize is a Whale and Wildlife Tour for four aboard San Juan Excursion’s boat The Odyssey.  The second prize will be a gift certificate to the Toy box and a Family Movie Pass to the Palace Theater, and the third place poster will receive a gift certificate to Osito’s.

Poster entry sheets are available at Island Rec (580 Guard Street). Entries must be submitted to this location by Friday, March 26th, 2010.

All artwork will become the property of Island Rec and will not be returned.

This year’s committee is underway with preparations for the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 1st event.  Please, mark your calendars.  For more information call Sally at 378-4953 or Keri at 472-0884..

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