Letter: Island Leaders Say Stay Home For Holidays

As cas­es spike dra­mat­i­cal­ly in San Juan Coun­ty, Wash­ing­ton, and the Unit­ed States, we would like to urge islanders to scale back their hol­i­day plans.

Over recent months, we’ve been able to enjoy a slow reopen­ing of our islands. Restau­rants, gath­er­ings, shops, gyms, and most recent­ly schools have all made slow progress towards return­ing to a lim­it­ed ver­sion of normal.

Those gains are now at risk, and the prospect of upcom­ing hol­i­day trav­el is loom­ing as an even greater threat to the health and liveli­hood of our community.

We urge all islanders to stay local and keep your hol­i­day gath­er­ings small.

Now is not the time to host fam­i­ly from across the state or beyond. Now is not the time to gath­er indoors with those from out­side your house­hold. Now is not the time to leave the islands to vis­it oth­ers. And now is cer­tain­ly not the time to get on an airplane.

Now is the time to keep it sim­ple and local, mask up, and pro­tect our com­mu­ni­ty and those most at risk.

Stay healthy, stay home.

Regards,

Eric Webb Super­in­ten­dent, Orcas Island Schools

Fred Woods Super­in­ten­dent, San Juan Island Schools

Mark Tomp­kins Direc­tor, San Juan Coun­ty Health

Jen­nifer Swan­son Super­in­ten­dent, Shaw Island School

Dr. Dale Heisinger Chair, San Juan Coun­ty Board of Health

Travis Ayers Pres­i­dent, Lux­el Corporation

Sandy Bish­op Exec­u­tive Direc­tor, Lopez Comm. Land Trust

Bri­an Auck­land Super­in­ten­dent, Lopez Island Schools

Jamie Stephens San Juan Coun­ty Council

Adam Eltinge Own­er, Island Petro­le­um Services

Jack Estra­da Inter­im Chief Admin. Offi­cer, Peace Island Med. Ctr.

Kai San­burnm Lopez Island

Mike Thomas Man­ag­er, San Juan County

Dun­can Wil­son Admin­is­tra­tor, Town of Fri­day Harbor

Vic­to­ria Comp­ton Exec­u­tive Direct., SJC Eco­nom­ic Dev. Council

Christa Camp­bell, Lopez Island Recov­ery Network

Brent Snow Gen­er­al Man­ag­er, Roche Har­bor Resort

Lau­rie Orton Direc­tor, San Juan Island Library

Dr. Frank James Health Offi­cer, San Juan County

Todd Nichol­son Direc­tor, Port of Fri­day Harbor

Deb­o­rah Hop­kins Exec­u­tive Direc­tor, SJI Vis­i­tors’ Bureau

Rick Hugh­es Chair, San Juan Coun­ty Council

Bren­dan Cow­an San Juan Coun­ty Emer­gency Management

Jacob Linnes Man­ag­er, Orcas Island Market

Phil Heikki­nen Direc­tor, Orcas Island Library

Bill Wat­son San Juan Coun­ty Council

Iris Grav­ille Pres­i­dent, Lopez Island Hos­pi­tal District

Anne Pres­son Super­in­ten­dent, Orcas and Lopez Pub­lic Hosp. Districts

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Categories: Letters, Safety