Mike Vouri (with Mike Cohen, left)

Next week on the 23rd will be the second-to-last chance to see Mike Vouri’s show about Gen. Pickett – I hope you get a chance to catch it! Here’s more from the Theatre’s Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

A Farewell to General Pickett …
San Juan Community Theatre’s longest running play takes its last curtain calls in 2009. After 14 years, Michael Vouri is closing his one-man show: The Life and Times of General George E. Pickett.

“I’m literally growing out of the part,” said Vouri. “I’m 61 and Pickett died when he was 50.”

Since 1995, Vouri-with musical accompaniment by Michael Cohen-has brought the Victorian-era Army veteran back to life, relating his moving story that included a stint on San Juan Island at the time of the Pig War and ended with the grueling battle at Gettysburg. Chief of Interpretation at San Juan Island National Historical Park, Vouri believes the play’s longevity came from both people’s interest in seeing a one-person show and his own commitment to ongoing research, making every season different.

Vouri says wrapping up Pickett this year will give him time to write another book and to move on to another history project. (His latest book, Friday Harbor-written with his wife, Julia, and the San Juan Historical Society-is for sale at the San Juan Historical Museum and several bookstores in town.)

Mike Vouri (with Mike Cohen, left)

Next week on the 23rd will be the second-to-last chance to see Mike Vouri’s show about Gen. Pickett – I hope you get a chance to catch it! Here’s more from the Theatre’s Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

A Farewell to General Pickett …
San Juan Community Theatre’s longest running play takes its last curtain calls in 2009. After 14 years, Michael Vouri is closing his one-man show: The Life and Times of General George E. Pickett.

“I’m literally growing out of the part,” said Vouri. “I’m 61 and Pickett died when he was 50.”

Since 1995, Vouri-with musical accompaniment by Michael Cohen-has brought the Victorian-era Army veteran back to life, relating his moving story that included a stint on San Juan Island at the time of the Pig War and ended with the grueling battle at Gettysburg. Chief of Interpretation at San Juan Island National Historical Park, Vouri believes the play’s longevity came from both people’s interest in seeing a one-person show and his own commitment to ongoing research, making every season different.

Vouri says wrapping up Pickett this year will give him time to write another book and to move on to another history project. (His latest book, Friday Harbor-written with his wife, Julia, and the San Juan Historical Society-is for sale at the San Juan Historical Museum and several bookstores in town.)

The sun sets over Canada....that's Tuesday night, in a photo by Shay Byington

That was what Tuesday evening’s sunset looked like, from the west side of the island…. photo by Shay Byington

The new fence, at dusk...

You know the Land Bank property along West Side Road, a mile or so south of Lime Kiln… looks like they put a fence in, to kinda keep folks from tromplin’ the greenery – here’s what it looked like Monday night… photo by Shay Byington.

Bob Reilly

I ran into Bob from Friday Harbor Taxi last night, and he asked if I would tell you about this – it’s a neighborly thing:

Special for Island Neighbors – Lately, we’ve been getting more and more calls needing a ride to work. Normally a taxi is pretty expensive and you might think about missing work or losing hours.  We want to help, so we’ll take you for 1/2 our normal fare, which is usually 25% to 35% less than other taxis.

Downtown from anywhere in Friday Harbor, WSU Labs, and the Eureka Road area is $2.50, The Oaks would be $4.00, from Wold Road $5.00, from Mitchell Bay/Snug Harbor or the Rouleau road area $7.50 and from Roche Harbor area $10.00.

Other fares 1/2 price, please call for a quote – Island Residents only.  With this bad economy and gasoline near $3.00, it’s going to be a rough year but together, we’ll get through it.

Please call me if you have any questions
Bob Reilly
360-298-4434
Friday Harbor Taxi

Bob Reilly

I ran into Bob from Friday Harbor Taxi last night, and he asked if I would tell you about this – it’s a neighborly thing:

Special for Island Neighbors – Lately, we’ve been getting more and more calls needing a ride to work. Normally a taxi is pretty expensive and you might think about missing work or losing hours.  We want to help, so we’ll take you for 1/2 our normal fare, which is usually 25% to 35% less than other taxis.

Downtown from anywhere in Friday Harbor, WSU Labs, and the Eureka Road area is $2.50, The Oaks would be $4.00, from Wold Road $5.00, from Mitchell Bay/Snug Harbor or the Rouleau road area $7.50 and from Roche Harbor area $10.00.

Other fares 1/2 price, please call for a quote – Island Residents only.  With this bad economy and gasoline near $3.00, it’s going to be a rough year but together, we’ll get through it.

Please call me if you have any questions
Bob Reilly
360-298-4434
Friday Harbor Taxi

Annette tells me you don’t want to miss this – here’s more:

Country Critters Club: 4-H Bake Sale
May 16th Sat. 10-2pm @ Market Place
All proceeds go directly to our club!
Fresh homemade treats, breads, cakes, pies, brownies, cheesecakes, cookies, and more…….
-oo-

Only when the last tree has been cut down,
Only when the last river has been poisoned,
Only when the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.
Cree Indian Prophecy

Everybody needs something cheerful to wake up to….click here & check out this little slideshow & see what you think. (Click here.) -oo-

Jeff Tkac wrote in with a request for information – this is fascinating:

I just visited the island and brought my 83-year-old mother, who had last been there in 1933.

We loved the place, again. I am wondering if anyone has  any photos, records, etc. about the Edgar and Jerusha Hill family, the Ensign and Elsie Hill family, the Robert and Nettie (Hill) Scurr family, Richard Scurr, Willam Taylor (John McMillan’s trusted manager), or Glen, Sidney, Cathleen and Annette Hill.

You see, these are all family members who lived in Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor. In fact, Annette Hill wrote a great book entitled “A Child Of  The San Juans,” which made it out in very limited quantities but is a fascinating look at fairly early Roche and Friday Harbors.

I send this asking if anyone has any information or photos of said families. I am the geneologist in the family, trying glue as much back together as possible. Let me know your thoughts when you have a moment.

Thank you very much!
Jeff Tkac, Bakersfield, CA

You can contact Jeff at [email protected].

Ron Garner

There’s a potluck for Ron Garner’s 65th birthday tomorrow (Friday) at the Mullis Street fire station at 6:30 – for info & rsvp, call 378-8869! -oo-

A selection from Anand Khokha's album, "Faces & Places in Chiapas, Mexico"

His pictures are among the island’s best known…anyone who has been to the Thai Kitchen has been moved by the faces of the folks he photographed in Southeast Asia.

Anand Khokha splits his time between the island and Los Angeles (and the rest of world, besides that), and has just updated his website at khokhaphoto.com with new pictures from India, Guatemala, and Mexico.

That’s not all…the money he makes from selling his photos goes to St. Joseph’s Orphanage in India, so you’re not only getting great pictures if you buy, you’re helping kids – there’s more about that on his website.

Take a look at what he’s done – you’ll like what you see!

Shooting pictures in India....

A selection from Anand Khokha's album, "Faces & Places in Chiapas, Mexico"

His pictures are among the island’s best known…anyone who has been to the Thai Kitchen has been moved by the faces of the folks he photographed in Southeast Asia.

Anand Khokha splits his time between the island and Los Angeles (and the rest of world, besides that), and has just updated his website at khokhaphoto.com with new pictures from India, Guatemala, and Mexico.

That’s not all…the money he makes from selling his photos goes to St. Joseph’s Orphanage in India, so you’re not only getting great pictures if you buy, you’re helping kids – there’s more about that on his website.

Take a look at what he’s done – you’ll like what you see!

Shooting pictures in India....

It’s nearly graduation time here, and we all have graduating on our minds.

As someone who took something like seven years to get out of college, I have a place in my heart for people who don’t earn degrees quickly, or at all. Today, the President gives the commencement address at Arizona State (Alice Cooper is the warmup act) and he is not going to receive an honorary degree. The Daily Show has more:

Kelly Williams

The fundraiser this past weekend went well – here’s more from Marie DiCristina:

Soroptimists are happy to report Saturday’s Paradise Party Bowl-a-Thon fundraiser was very successful.  The grand total is $12,754.54. What is really wonderful is the job Kelly Williams did (pictured at Islander’s Bank)  – she raised $3238 by herself!

This event funds the Ferry Tickets for local Cancer Patients commonly known as the Soroptimist Cancer Mission.  A big thank you to all who donated raffle prizes, bought raffle and dinner tickets and sponsored the bowlers with donations. For more information on services, projects or the club please visit www.sifri.org (Soroptimist International Friday Harbor).

Hoorah for a Community that takes care of one another!

Marie DiCristina
Soroptimist

Think of the places that define what our island is about: Lime Kiln, Roche Harbor, Memorial Park, the ferry, and…the Whale Museum. Well, this weekend is your chance to support this island treasure & have fun while you’re at it. The Museum’s Amy Traxler has more:

The Whale Museum’s upcoming 3rd Annual ‘Celebration of the Orca Greeting Ceremony’ fundraising dinner and auction will be held on the evening of Saturday, May 16th at the Mullis Center in Friday Harbor.

Just as the Orca whales come together in what are called ‘greeting ceremonies,’ so, too, The Whale Museum wants supporters of these wonderful beings to come together for this fun evening.

The evening will begin with happy hour & silent auction at 6:00 p.m.; the no-host bar is tended by Clark Gilbert. An audio-visual program will be shared by Val Veirs of an actual Orca Greeting Ceremony. Val will play acoustic recordings while showing photos and video of this amazing event. Continue Reading