Island Senior: Taking the Mullis Center Van

Boarding the Mullis Center Van – Photo Peggy Sue McRae

A day trip to the mainland was never so easy. This week I got on the Mullis Center van for the Mt Vernon trip. Every month the van makes two mainland trips to facilitate members of the Mullis Center with medical appointments or shopping needs, one trip to Mt Vernon and one to Bellingham. The cost for the entire trip, including the ferry, is only $10, subsidized by the Mullis Center’s annual membership dues of $20 per individual. The first thing I appreciated about this trip was being able to leave my car at the Mullis Center for the day.

It was a light passenger list this time with only three of us. The other two passengers were dropped off at Island Hospital in Anacortes. I’m the only one who went all the way to Mt Vernon. I met my sister Sally for our birthday lunch at the Skagit Valley Food Coop’s Third Street Café, followed by a little light shopping at the Coop. I was surprised to learn regular riders of the van often use it to make a Costco run. Our diver was very accommodating offering to take us to other shopping venues if we wished.

The Mullis Center van is equipped with a wheelchair lift and will if requested be parked on the ferry right next to the elevator. The ferry crew leaves space in front of the door of the van for safe and easy boarding. I very much enjoyed the conviviality of my fellow travelers. It was fun getting know my fellow islanders a little better. We accomplished our missions, the day went by quickly, and then we were home.

To check on the dates and times of monthly van trips look for the Mullis Center ad on the San Juan Island Update, click on it, and you will see a poster of the month’s trips and activities. Call the Mullis Center at 378-2677 to make a reservation.

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