Island Senior: Catching Up With Callie McKay

Island Senior is a regular column on the San Juan Update, written by Peggy Sue McRae…

Callie McKay – Peggy Sue McRae photo

On our last “Field Trip Friday” excursion to the mainland, (see San Juan Update 3/31/2018), I caught up with Callie McKay. She’s a busy woman and not an easy one to catch up with but the ferry ride to Anacortes gave us plenty of time for a relaxed conversation. Callie is the head cook at the Mullis Center, that is her official title, but she is also on the board as head of the maintenance committee and volunteers as a driver. Once a month on third Fridays she heads up a senior field trip. Outside of the Mullis Center she is also head bartender at the American Legion, PE teacher at Paideia School, costume designer for the middle school play, and a Mom of two daughters Tyla 21 and Dannelle 12.

Originally from Oklahoma, Callie graduated from Pittsburgh State University in Kansas with a degree in Recreation Management. Having gone through an Army ROCT program she then served in the US Army. She got her Masters degree and her introduction to the Pacific Northwest at Camp Kirby on Samish Island. Callie has lived on San Juan Island now for 17 years. She met her husband Daniel McKay here on the softball field. They were married in January of 2005.

Callie has been working at the Mullis Center for 12 years now. I asked her how she first got involved. It was through getting to know her regular customers at the Legion. Through keeping an eye on her elder friends she ended up coming to senior lunch at the Mullis Center and was soon enlisted as the assistant cook. The rest, as they say, is history. Luckily for the Mullis Center she is now one of the people who keeps things rolling. With a big smile and a big heart Callie McKay knows how to have fun!

Callie McKay – Peggy Sue McRae photo

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