This & that around town…

Around this town, and others….

• The Bellingham Herald has some nice photos from the Wolverine soccer team‘s playoff loss to Nooksack last week – check ’em out! Our guys play hard – I’m proud of them!

• Monika Wieland reports she & Hobbes (on the Western Prince) spotted & photographed a gray whale here yesterday – check out her pictures & story.

• Speaking of major sporting news, here’s the article in the Seattle P-I by the island’s Clark Gilbert, explaining how serious runners do the Doughnut Run.

• Hey – did you hear that after 118 years, St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham is changing its name: the new moniker is PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center.

• Farmers’ Market! This Saturday 10am-1pm at the Courthouse parking lot! Wahoo!

• My buddy Mary Kalbert tells me there’s going to be a film festival next year, but it’ll kick off on May 23rd – here’s more:

The  San Juan Island International Documentary Film Festival  will host its inaugural Kick-off Reception with Emmy award winning film maker Laszlo Pal on Sunday, May 23rd, at 3:00 p.m. at the San Juan Island Yacht Club.

The first film....

“This festival will draw visitors from all over the world to our islands,” Pal states. Pal’s award winning Three Flags over Everest, the record breaking expedition of the 1990 Mt. Everest International Peace Climb, will be shown.  An overview of the festival and future events, as well as opportunities to volunteer will be offered by event organizers.

Created by the San Juan Island Rotary Club, the Festival will be held April 1-3, 2011 and present noteworthy documentary films that entertain, provoke thought, and promote respect for the vast array of different opinions and perspectives.

• Diane from the Land Bank has a happening this weekend:

Frazer Homestead Preserve Dedication Ceremony

The San Juan County Land Bank, National Park Service and the San Juan Island Trails Committee invite you to attend the official dedication of the Frazer Homestead Preserve on San Juan Island.

A brief ceremony will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 15, 2010. Parking will be at the preserve’s north entrance off of Rosler Road.

Thanks to the efforts of San Juan Island Trails Committee volunteers, the National Parks Service and Land Bank volunteers, over 1.3 miles of trail were constructed in 2009. Residents and visitors enjoy scenic views across historic farmland to distant islands and mountain before meandering through diverse woodlands and fields in American Camp. This segment is a portion of an effort by the Trails Committee to construct a trail linking Friday Harbor with American Camp. We are grateful for the help in completing an important part of this new trail on the south part of San Juan Island.

When: Saturday, May 15, 2010  ~ 2:00 pm
Parking: In will be at the preserve’s north entrance off of Rosler Road.
Ceremony Location: A short walk is required on the Frazer trail to the ceremony. Please contact the Land Bank for further info. 378-4402. www.sjclandbank.org

• Got a chance to congratulate Marilyn as Islanders Bank‘s new VP yesterday, but there were a number of other promotions as well – here’s more:

Bob Coleman, President and CEO of Islanders Bank is pleased to announce the following Officer promotions approved by the Islanders Bank Board of Directors at the April 29, 2010 Board Meeting:

ADMINISTRATION:
MARILYN CORRIE – VICE PRESIDENT AND CONTROLLER
JUDY CORNELL – LENDING SUPPORT OFFICER
ANGELICA HADEEN – ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT OFFICER
FRIDAY HARBOR OFFICE:
CARRIE BROOKS – ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT AND LOAN OFFICER
SHANAR FOX – ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT AND OPERATIONS MANAGER
DAWN ADKINS OPERATIONS OFFICER

• Proud mom Yvonne sent me this writeup of Arielle getting sworn in for her duty in the Peace Corps in Rwanda, with the photo above (she”s the one in the second row with her eyes closed, unfortunately):

A group of 34 American Peace Corps volunteers were yesterday sworn-in to serve in various sectors in a bid to help in the achievement of the country’s major development goals.

The swearing in ceremony was held at the residence of the US Ambassador, Stuart Symington.

According to the Country Director of Peace Corps in Rwanda, John Reddy, the group has undergone a 10-week training programme in Nyanza that mainly focused on learning Kinyarwanda as well as technical and cross-cultural studies.

“The volunteers will stay in Rwanda for two years and during that time, they will be assigned to work with various organisations in the areas of health, capacity building and economic growth issues,” Reddy explained.

Ambassador Symington challenged the volunteers to strive to change the world, adding that they should use these networks to advance the vision that was initiated by President John F. Kennedy.

“In 1960, when John F. Kennedy called upon the youth to serve in other nations of the world, we were a nation of immigrants. Today, America is not only connected to the world by the things we buy, but there are direct links, even for our President.”

“Let us hold onto the vision to reach out and do something that no one else has done. It has followed generations and it is now in your hands,” Symington said.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Agnes Binagwaho, also noted that Rwanda is a country that has a miraculous recovery story.

She acknowledged the role of the partners, adding that the new group will join in the country’s journey to achieve major development goals.

On behalf of the volunteers, Portia Washington, said that Rwanda is a very beautiful country adding that the group is determined to play their part in the respective sites that they have been assigned to.

This is the third group of Peace Corps volunteers to serve in the country since the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. So far, 94 Peace Corps volunteers have worked in the Education and Health sectors.

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Categories: Around Here