Lee Sturdivant for the Levy Lid Lift

Dear Editor,

Unless you knew someone who stayed at the long closed convalescent center here, or even had to leave the island for care, you may think our choice to turn part of Village at the Harbor into a public facility is not a very big deal. Please think again. My mother, Helen Stegall, lived with Tal and me here on the island for 10 years; until her health failed completely.

She became a patient at our convalescent center and I learned first-hand what such a facility could mean to island residents. She had excellent care, I could actually walk over every day for visits and even take her little dog for a window visit.

In contrast, my late husband Tal recently needed 24 hour care and had to go to stay in a care facility in Anacortes. My daily visits there took 6 or 7 hours and then were only window visits – because of covid. The cost was $8,000 per month.

If voters pass the levy lid lift offered by the public hospital district we will have a much better choice – being able to stay in our own home longer and get the help we need through well-trained and well-paid caregivers who live right here on the island.

I urge islanders to take this issue and support the levy lid lift on the ballot that comes in mid-October.

Lee Sturdivant
Friday Harbor