CHAMBER CHAT

Scott Sluis, Islanders Bank Senior Loan Officer and Chamber Board President of SJI Chamber of Commerce checks in with Chamber Chat for May 2019…

Scott Sluis – Contributed photo

We hope you all had a great Memorial Weekend and got to enjoy a little bit of it for yourselves! Thank you to the American Legion for your participation in the parade, what a great turnout we had for it. I was very honored as a Son of the American Legion to be able to carry the colors for the parade, what an amazing experience.

The Fourth of July is just around the corner and I look forward to volunteering again this year and hope you all consider participating in some way in the parade, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. It is time to start building a float, or sign up to be a volunteer or whatever suits you. The theme of this year’s parade is “Parade of Stars…past and present.” Parade applications are available at the Chamber Office, 165 First Street S. or download one, https://www.sanjuanisland.org/4th-of-july-parade–fireworks.html. The Pig War Picnic follows the parade, the Rock the Dock starts at 6 at the Port upper parking lot and the grand finale is at 10:00pm, with the best fireworks show put on by Nick Gislason and his crew of volunteers from all of the islands.

The season is getting started and the town is getting full of our visitors and I would like to remind you all, not that you need it, but they (our visitors) are a very important part of our economy so when you feel a little crowded or it takes you a bit longer to get somewhere or the parking situation gets a little frustrating remember without them we would not thrive as a tourist destination.

Please be kind to all and I will see you all out there in the community.

From Becki Day, Executive Director:

May Member Social
Thank you to Lori Ann David, Aurora Farms, along with Brien and Bella, for hosting a great sunny social for all of us last week. It is an amazing 31-acre farm with a farm stand, where produce & flowers are grown, livestock is raised, farm tours are given and more. Check the farm out at 652 No.2 Schoolhouse Road.

Featured Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month
Cheesecake Café, owners Margie and Emily Aipopo, is our Featured Member of the month. Margie and Emily are into their 3^rd season down on the waterfront and having a great time while feeding locals and visitors alike. It is a great place to meet for coffee, breakfast and lunch and if it’s nice grab a bite at the Fish and Brew next to the ferry.

New Members
We would like to welcome our new Chamber of Commerce members:

• Lucky Fido Dog Training, Suzanne Bryner
  www.luckyfidodogtraining.com
• Friends of the Lime Kiln Society, FOLKS
  Lime Kiln State Park
  [email protected]
• San Juan Title Company, Sara Cole
  www.sanjuantitlecompany.com
• Saltwater Farm, Merriss and Andrew Fleming
  www.saltwaterfarmsji.com
• Tina’s Tacos, Tina Keane
  Blair Street
  [email protected]
• Harbor Digitizing, Steven K. Roberts
  [email protected]
• Healthy Wealth Partners, Diane Giesy
  [email protected]
• Bill Giesy, Windermere Real Estate Managing Broker
  [email protected]
• Maxine Christison Interior Design
  www.maxinechristison.com
• Seattle Yachts, Diane Giesy Broker
  [email protected]

Also, I will be out and about fundraising this next month for the 4^th of July fireworks fund. It will be a fabulous show and we couldn’t do it without our partnership with the Kings Market/San Juan Brewing Co. and the Town of Friday Harbor.

Tax deductible donations can be made at the San Juan Community Foundation, https://sjicf.org/donors/donate/ or send to the Chamber of Commerce at PO Box 98, Friday Harbor.

If you have any questions please feel free to get a hold of me at [email protected].

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