She ran the half marathon....
Lauren over at Outdoor Odysseys has been keeping the blog for them...she ran the half marathon a week ago here, and wrote it up very nicely - check it out!
Singin' at the Ale House....
Oren at the Ale House says this has been fun, and hopes you'll come along:
An Isle be Jammin' presentation: Do you like to sing? Harmony your specialty? You are invited to bring your voices to a major gathering of folks who love to sing old favorites, pop standards, rock oldies, and campfire songs. Ya gotta be 21 yrs old or older. Lyric books provided! Musical support on guitar, bass, mandolin and/or ukulele supplied by "THE OTHER BROTHERS" (Kirk and Cecil and Jerry). Every Thursday night 7-9 pm @ the Front Street Ale House.
Moments after the ceremony ends, FHHS graduate Jens Townsdin celebrates with proud mom Cathy Cavanaugh Saturday night.
There is a 56-picture gallery of graduation photos here - check 'em out!
Reading at the Library on Friday.....
Susan Wingate says this is gonna be fun:
John Sangster, poet, Lopezian, written word judge, and most impressively, Human Earthkin will be reading at the San Juan Island Library on one of the luckiest days of the year, Friday, June 13th 2008. John is no stranger to Library readings but it's been a few years so we're honored that he should be coming with a new book in hand, Island Year from Pudding House Publications. It's a calendric work with 12 prose-poems, curiously one for each month, on various island attractions such as flora, fauna, situations, and characters. John's work dips into the under-rime of earthbound futures with a droll sense of humor that brings to mind the compassion of the late Kurt Vonnegut.
Tom Odegard, host, poet, gadfly, and San Juanderite, will be reading new and older work with John. Tom's work includes political, sensual, and philosophical work that often turns out to be amusing.
Speaking of music....
There's a nice writeup on the Fullerton Union High blog about proud alum Tom Starr (right, with cornet)...check it out!
Argyle Historic Home Suites...
Lynn Danaher's project on Argyle Ave - Churchill House and Carter House - are finished. All of the units have propane fireplaces, full baths and have been finished in the vintage style of the homes. Only one first class commercial space is left, the 2nd floor unit in the Carter House! The newest tenant is Cotton Insurance Agency, located in the Churchill House.
Lynn is thrilled to have the San Juan Preservation Trust appropriately in the Churchill House as well. The two Tenants in the Carter House are Gentry Aesthetics and Allied Counseling Services. The landscaping was completed by Homeminders, owned by local boys Ben Bailey and Justin Carlton. The Town of Friday Harbor is giving storm water credit for the "grasscrete" parking area. Each parking space is divided by bricks from the original chimney of the Churchill House! Lynn would like to invite anyone that is interested to come for a tour. Just give her a call, she would be delighted to show through the finished project.
Speaking of Gentry Aesthetics....
Since I was by there anyway, I dropped in to Teri Gentry's place (right) on Argyle Street to see how she was doing...she offers organic skin care and facials. She trained in traditional European and Naturopathic technigues, and graduated from the Euro Institute of Skin Care. Drop by & see her!
It's happening at the Whale Museum this weekend....
The second annual Greeting Ceremony is this Saturday - here are the details, on their poster, and more from the San Juan Island Community Calendar.
See ya there at this cool fundraiser for the Museum!
Picture takers (right)....
They do that here.
The way we tell our stories...
I checked the Google news this morning - they have stories from all over the world, with coverage from different news outfits for the same story....the Chinese news agency's headline was "China's main quake lake shrinks as drainage speeds up" while the CNN headline is much more dramatic: "Quake lake water surges towards cities."
Sometimes it's the story, sometimes it's how ya tell it...
Quote
It is not enough to understand, or to see clearly. The future will be shaped in the arena of human activity, by those willing to commit their minds and their bodies to the task.
Robert Kennedy
June 9, 2008
Moments after the ceremony ends, FHHS graduate Sunny Pascoe celebrates with proud mom Christine Saturday night.
There is a 56-picture gallery of graduation photos here - check 'em out!
Graduation weekend rocks the island.....
On Saturday evening, Turnbull Gym was the place for a big chunk of the island as families, friends, teachers, and the community came to wish the Class of 2008 on their way.
The tightly-knit class of 56 graduates showed their affection for each other with clever speeches, admiring remarks, and an abiding sense of being able to do great things in the future.
Watch out for these young adults - they're going to make a difference!
I took a bunch of photos, which I collected into a gallery for you (click here), and there are a ton of great ones on the San Juan Islander this morning as well, which Sharon took.
After the ceremony ended & the reception for the class was over, the grads took off for Grad Night, with activities all over the island, all night. All the kids I checked with told me it was awesome, including this group at the Rocky Bay Cafe at 8am the next morning, who looked ready to go for the day in spite of no sleep the night before. (Clockwise from the front, that's Josh Combs in white, Avery Adams, Russell Asher, Kevin O'Cooner, Ben White, Justin Browne, Kara Dunn, Katie Hall, Wynn Barnard, and Stephen Garfield. You can click on the picture to see a larger version.)
Spring Street International School's graduation exercises were held yesterday at the Community Theatre (sorry to miss it - had to go off-island for the day), and Skagit Valley College-San Juan holds theirs on Thursday this week.
Riding to end the scourge of fistula...
When Amber (right) & Kelsea Peterman were going to school here at FHHS, you could tell they had the energy & smarts to do great things.
Now they're on a bike ride from Seattle to San Francisco to raise money to fight the disease of fistula, a disease that aflicts many women in Africa.
The fundraiser, the trip, and the disease are explained better than I can on the women's blog at http://www.biketoendfistula.blogspot.com
Check it out, and if you get a chance & have the means, make a donation.
Immigration issues discussed.....
The difficulties raised by our confusing immigration laws are underscored in this article about us (click here to read it) in the San Francisco Chronicle, which shows how our island serves as a border with difficulties. Read it. It's time to change the way we do this stuff.
Laura's visiting...
I saw Laura Concord (right) on the ferry yesterday - she's visiting the island for a bit. Her time working at the Community Theatre here served her well - she tells me she's the executive director of a small community theater in Bozeman, Montana now. Way to go!
Marching Band comes together...
Janet Olsen is pulling the band together - here's more:
If you play an instrument and would like to do something really fun this summer, please consider joining the Community Marching Band. We rehearse on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings 7:00 - 8:00 in the High School Band Room. Rehearsals begin Monday, June 23. Your total commitment to this wonderful community event is only 5 rehearsals culminating with the parade on the 4th of July! Questions? Call Janet Olsen at 378-5531. Your contribution, big or small, will be greatly appreciated!
Local boy graduates.....
Another great kid heads out into the world - Elliot has graduated (his folks are Tim Thomsen & Marty Robinson) - here's the details from proud mom Marty:
Elliot Robinson Thomsen was awarded the Bachelor of Science degree at University of San Diego's May 25 commencement ceremony. Elliot's major was Biology with minors in Chemistry and Spanish. Ten and a half family members from Connecticut, Washington, Nevada and California were in attendance to cheer the 2004 Friday Harbor High School graduate. After hiking in the Auvergne region of France with his ecstatic mom Marty Robinson in July, Elliot will be employed at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.
Quote
Farewell to you and the youth I have spent with you.
It was but yesterday we met in a dream.
You have sung to me in my aloneness, and I of your longings have built a tower in the sky.
But now our sleep has fled and our dream is over, and it is no longer dawn.
The noontide is upon us and our half waking has turned to fuller day, and we must part.
If in the twilight of memory we should meet once more, we shall speak again together and you shall sing to me a deeper song.
And if our hands should meet in another dream, we shall build another tower in the sky.
Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
June 6, 2008
This was the sunset last weekend, shot by Cathy Paul when she came up to visit
her sister Carolyn Adler. Cathy used to live here till around '93...it's always good
to have former islanders come home for a spell.
This is the tail fluke of the baby humpback that Jim Maya saw & photographed back in February...he saw a juvenile humpback off Lime Kiln last Saturday
who he thinks may be the same one.
June 5, 2008
New baby in Kpod, more....
The Orca Network site has photos of the new baby by Sharon Grace, and more, including pictures by John Boyd up near Point Roberts last week...check 'em out!
That's grandma Christine with Max (right) on the ferry a couple of weekends ago...he has a really nice smile, and really likes playing with her on the ride over.
Progress report: Where we're at with school fundraising.....
See the yellow & black button to the left with the SOS deal on it? That's where you can go to donate money to help bail our schools out of the present budget crisis. That's the first step. Second, I asked Michael Soltman to offer an update where fundraising efforts are, presently. Here's his report:
The Public Schools Foundation and the Community Foundation have raised over $350,000 to preserve academic and athletic programs for the 2008-09 school year. However, an additional $125,000 in matching funds must be raised to fully restore athletic programs, instructional programs, and basic services.
Superintendent Michael Soltman has called a special meeting of the School Board on Wednesday, June 11th, at 6:00 p.m. to discuss options for raising dollars necessary to fully fund the athletic program. Coaches, students, parents and interested community members are urged to attend this session to raise funds to restore the Boys Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling, Golf, Boys Soccer, and Track programs.
Superintendent Michael Soltman said, “With the “challenge gift of $300,000” and matching funds raised so far we are able to restore classroom teaching positions, the Primary Intervention Program, part of the athletic program, and some essential secretarial, custodial and student support services. However, another $125,000 must be raised to fully restore our programs and services for the 2008-09 school year.”
On Friday, June 6th, the School Board will hold a special meeting to hear presentations from the legislative liaisons of the Washington Association of School Administrators and the Washington State School Directors Association. Presentations will include information about current and proposed legislative efforts to address basic education funding, as well as information about the status of lawsuits challenging the adequacy of basic education funding in our state.
The Schools Foundation has set a goal to raise the remaining $125,000 by August 31st to ensure a full academic and co-curricular program next year. Paul LeBaron, President of the Schools Foundation, noted that every dollar raised now is matched by the “Challenge Gift.” He urges community members wishing to make a contribution to call the Schools Foundation “SOS Hotline” at 370-7925, or to use the “donate now” secure link on the Foundation website, www.sjpsf.org.
The Studio Tour - it's this weekend!
This self-guided tour of 11 working studios with over 26 participants holds it's 18th annual event on Saturday & Sunday from 10am-5pm. Check their website to see who's in the show this year, and here's more:
We are a group of mutually supportive San Juan Island artists who open up our personal studio spaces, often including artistic gardens, to the public for an entire weekend at the end of spring each year. This free community event celebrates the way we work and live. In addition to displaying our work, including sculpture, jewelry, pottery, printmaking, glass, fiber and fine art, we share insights into how our art is created and what inspires and motivates us in our chosen media.
In appreciation of continued support each year, the studio artists are donating work to be given as door prizes. Attendees of the tour may put their name in the drawing at each studio they visit. Winners will be notified by phone on Monday the 9th of June.
He flies! That's ace skateboarder Gage Rainey in the air, in photos shot by
FHHS graphic design students Brandie Stump and Jake Taylor.
