Caring for our loved ones when the need arises is a challenge in the best of times. During a pandemic the challenges only increase. Caregivers face increased isolation while also facing the increasing challenge of keep their charge safe. Starting on September 30, Gail Leschine-Seitz, Aging and Family Case Coordinator, and Debbie Haagensen, Senior Services  Continue Reading

First of all a big “THANK YOU!” to the San Juan County Fair, The San Juan Island Community Foundation, and to everyone who supported the Mullis Center and other local non-profits during the Community Foundation’s 2021 Virtual Fair Fundraiser. Thanks to our generous donors support we raised $5,520! All money raised will be used to  Continue Reading

San Juan Island’s Community Foundation will support local non-profits with matching funds and bonus grants during this year’s Virtual Fair. Funds raised for the Mullis Center will go to help fund our Green and Clean Project as highlighted in detail in the recent article in the San Juan Update, Island Senior: Mullis Center Upgrade For  Continue Reading

For nearly four years now the Mullis Center has been working hard to implement recommendations made by Sustainable Connection’s energy audit to improve our building’s efficiency, reduce energy costs, and create a healthier environment. In 2018 our project began by switching to LED lighting, installing low flow aerators throughout the building, installing Ultra-High Efficiency toilets, and  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae.  UPDATE – We are monitoring developments with Delta and other COVID variants that may affect our Mullis Center onsite community meal re-opening. Everyone’s health safety is our top priority. Please stay tuned for more information via our newsletter, website, Facebook page  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae.  There is no denying summer is here and it has arrived with a vengeance! A heat dome has been hovering over the Pacific Northwest giving us delicate Northwesterners temperatures up in the 100s. We are not used to this and need  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. WC Fields once said, “Never give a sucker an even break” and there are legions of scoundrels out there operating on that very premise. Just this morning in my email I had a puzzling notice regarding an $800 gift  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. When I refer to myself as a hippy, I am not bragging. It is aspirational. To this day I aspire to live up to the promise of my love beads and peace signs.  That is why it caught my  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. In times past the Mullis Center has celebrated the volunteers who keep the center running with festive occasions. This year, in pandemic mode, the Mullis Center’s appreciation was expressed in a quieter but equally appreciative gesture. Gift bags were  Continue Reading

Dental Vans will no Longer use Generators Thanks to Free Installation   “Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. The Mullis Center, the mobile dental clinics and their patients, plus the entire neighborhood around the Mullis Center can breathe a big sigh of relief. Thanks to  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. It’s been a little confusing lately. Just as some of us have had our vaccines and given them a few weeks to sink in, San Juan Island has experienced a surge in positive Covid cases. According to San Juan  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. We cannot say it enough. More than ever during this time of Covid, San Juan County’s Senior Nutrition Program, “Meals on Wheels” serves as a lifeline to many of our island seniors. With usual fundraising events still out of  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. In my last Island Senior article, The Year of Covid-19, I took stock of the past year, a challenging time for most of us, and took note of some of the good things that helped me through a whole  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. My birthday is in early March and last year’s girlfriend lunch, themed “Cheeseburger in Paradise” is remembered now as the last “normal” social event a few of us had before things started getting weird. I remember that month well  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. Islanders receiving delivered meals last Friday from our Meals on Wheels program received an extra message of Valentine’s Day love from the younger generation. Two groups of young people, students from Friday Harbor’s Spring Street International School and members of  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. By now you probably know a few islanders who have gotten their first COVID-19 vaccine. Once Tier 1b opened up to those over 65, there was a rush to get the shot. Because 5,000 or so county residents now  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. Neurosurgeon and well-known CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, MD. was recently featured in the Blue Zones online newsletter regarding his new book, Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age.  The Blue Zones is a concept based on  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. Happy New Year! As the old year comes to a close, whether you are in the habit of making resolutions or not, the Mullis Center offers several ways to gently improve your life. To bring joy and wellness into  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. Any way you look at it, 2020 has been one heck of a year. Times have been tough for many islanders. For some of us, staying at home without our usual social interactions has been the brunt of it.  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. Pretty sure Merle Haggard was not thinking about a spiking global pandemic when he penned the lyrics to his classic country song, If We Make It Through December, yet I can’t think of a more fitting song for wrapping  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. Islanders are creative resourceful people. For everyone’s health and to see our way through this pandemic, holidays will be a little different this year. That does not mean we cannot celebrate, enjoy good food, share with our loved ones  Continue Reading

Island Senior is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. How are we doing? Eight months into this pandemic and we are all tired of it; tired of staying home, tired of wearing masks, tired of washing our hands all the time. It is easy to get lulled into  Continue Reading