Here’s this month’s history column from the San Juan Historical Society and Museum.

We don’t know very much about this photograph. Can you help? Its image file indicates it was taken in 1983. This photograph was labeled simply “Farmers Market next to the American Legion.”

Who knows the year when the market moved up to the Courthouse parking lot? We know its last summer there was in 2011 because it moved to its permanent year-round home at the San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild’s Brickworks that September.

From humble beginnings with a few farmers, The San Juan Island Farmers Market was established in 1987 and has grown to include about 35 local vendors representing local farmers, crafters, musicians, and community organizations.

In a short time (historically speaking), a simple snapshot can become an important recollection of the past and a community’s history.

What are your memories of the “old farmers market” ? If you can fill in any of the details about this early photograph, won’t you please comment here or contact the San Juan Historical Society and Museum?

The young “campers” at SJCT’s Musical Theatre Camp this year get to bring a beloved story to the stage. The three-week day camp for experienced young actors culminates in four performances of Fiddler on the Roof JR.

This special adaptation of the nine-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof JR. follows Tevye the milkman as he tries to protect his daughters and his way of life from a changing world. Created by Broadway legends Jerome Robbins, Harold Prince, Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick and Joseph Stein, Fiddler on the Roof JR. tackles the universal theme of tradition in ways that reach across barriers of race, class, nationality and religion.

Set in the little village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor dairyman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to marry off his daughters and instill in them a sense of tradition in the face of growing anti-Semitism in Czarist Russia.

Directed by Penelope Haskew
Thursday*, Friday, and Saturday August 8-10 7:00 pm
Sunday, August 11th at 2:00 pm

Tickets:
Adults $9
Students $6
*Thursday is “Pay What You Can” at door

Buy Tickets Now

The San Juan County Fair is just around the corner, and once again you’ll have a chance to support your favorite local nonprofits at the San Juan Community Foundation fair booth.

Every year, SJICF offers a special matching grant opportunity during the 4 days of the fair. 50 cents on every dollar raised at the booth between August 14^th and 17^th will be matched by SJICF until each of the 9 featured projects meet their $5,000 fundraising goals.

This year’s featured San Juan Island nonprofits include:

• Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor: Water Catchment Tank
• FHHS Band Families and Friends: Instrument Replacement and Repair
• Islands Oil Spill Association: Oiled Wildlife Assistance Trailer
• San Juan Island Family Resource Center: Building Expansion
• ‘Round Towner: Expanded Island-wide Service
• San Juan Community Home Trust: 11 Permanently Affordable Homes
• San Juan Head Start: Facility Upgrades
• San Juan Island School District: Baseball Field Outfield Safety Padding
• San Juan Island Women’s Fund: Membership Drive

Don’t forget to stop by to visit the SJICF booth in the main exhibit hall at the fair to hear more about these projects and to donate to the causes you care about most. Online donations toward featured projects also qualify for the matching grants during the fair days. As a special bonus, each donor will have a chance to enter a drawing for an additional $1,000 to be awarded to a featured nonprofit of their choice. The drawing will be held on the final night of the fair.

The annual fair matching grant is one of many ways SJICF seeks to connect donors with important nonprofit projects in our community. Nonprofits are among our community’s greatest assets, contributing every day to enriching the lives of all San Juan Islanders.

For more information, or to donate online, visit sjicf.org.

Girls Thrive Network is a not for profit program committed to advocate for, empower and connect girls 7 – 18 years old by creating peer leadership circles and delivering activities that promote health, well-being and a sense of purpose. We ask strong, empowered women to share their individual strengths and talents with girls who are exploring their own gifts.

This Friday, August 9 Girls Thrive Network will have a table at the Arts Festival at Brickworks starting at 4P.M. Our girls will be making flower crowns to sell and we will have a photo booth so you can get a professional photo with your new flower crown. Proceeds will go toward our tuition assistance program. Come see what beautiful things these beautiful girls can do.

Girls Thrive is looking for women who would like to lead a 30 minute activity that reflects their area of knowledge and expertise. For more information or to register for our Fall Circle, go to www.girlsthrive.net

Island Rec is pleased to welcome John Fyrqvist as their new Recreation Specialist. John will primarily be organizing youth, teen, and family programs and events.

After growing up on San Juan Island, John spent a decade in the Midwest where he graduated from the University of Notre Dame. He is thrilled to be returning to the island after teaching middle school in South Bend, IN for the past three years. John has always loved the natural beauty of the islands and spent much of his childhood exploring as many of them, big and small, as he could get to by ferry, motorboat, or kayak.

When he turned 18, this passion became a summer job guiding sea kayak expeditions with Crystal Seas Kayaking, which he did all throughout college.

In his free time, John enjoys inventing new beach games with his kids, climbing Mt. Young, playing music with his wife, and tidepooling. He is excited to work for Island Rec after taking part in many of its programs growing up and is looking forward to serving the island community.

Check out all of Island Rec’s events at www.islandrec.org, stop by Island Rec at 580 Guard Street Monday through Friday 11am-5pm, or call (360) 378-4953.

San Juan Island National Historical Park Presents Special Programs Commemorating 160^th Anniversary of Boundary Crisis

San Juan Island National Historical Park will be presenting a series of special programs from August 22 – 25, 2019 to commemorate the 160^th anniversary of the 1859 Boundary Crisis known as the “Pig War.” The peaceful actions in response to the crisis ensured that no national battlefield need to exist and that diplomacy is always the best action forward. The special programming is as scheduled:

Thursday, August 22^nd: Former park historian, Mike Vouri, presents an evening talk at the Pickett House about famed leader, George Pickett, and his role in the building crisis that brought the country to the brink of war. Program begins at 6pm.

Friday, August 23^rd: Park staff and volunteers lead tours of the Pickett House. This will be the first weekend for the house to be open following restoration efforts of the interior of the building re-establishing the historic look of the structure. Program runs from 10am – 3pm.

Saturday, August 24^th: Join us at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art for an artist’s reception for Artist-in-Residence, Linda Hyatt Cancel who created a full exhibition of work to commemorate the park and the 160^th anniversary of the crisis. The reception runs from 2-4pm and the admission fee is waived during this time.

Saturday, August 24^th: English Camp hosts a Music by the Bay concert featuring Vocal Few. Throughout the join occupation of the island during Pig War, many concerts and community performances were frequent at English Camp. In that legacy, we continue to invite music and the arts in the park. Vocal Few is a Seattle area based singer/songwriter, folk pop duo singing songs about travel, change, dreams, and heartache. Concert runs 6:30 – 8:00 at the English Camp Parade Grounds.

Sunday, August 25^th: Park staff and volunteers will be leading tours of the Pickett House. This will be the first weekend for the house to be open following restoration efforts of the interior of the building re-establishing the historic look of the structure. Program runs from 10am – 3pm.

Make Sure Your Child Is Allowed To Attend School Starting Day 1

WA state laws around immunization records have changed!  Returning students no longer have a thirty-day period to prove compliance with immunization laws before they may be excluded from public school.  Additionally personal/philosophical/religious exemptions are no longer allowed for the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination (only religious membership exemptions will be allowed for this immunization requirement).  

This means:  

According to the law, without current approved vaccination records submitted by your child’s doctor to the state or approved exemption records, your child will not be allowed to attend class.  

What to do:

1. Make sure that your child is up to date on all vaccinations and that your doctor has submitted these records to the state.  If you are unable to see your doctor, the County Health Department is also offering vaccinations.
2. If you currently have a personal exemption form for the MMR vaccine, you must determine your eligibility for a religious membership exemption and submit new forms or have your child vaccinated.

Missy Arata is the July Firefighter of the month – Contributed photo

The San Juan Island Fire and Rescue Department is proud to announce the July and August 2019 Firefighters of the Month.

Firefighter Missy Arata was selected as July Firefighter of the Month. Missy was selected for her outstanding contribution of time in preparing wildland fire equipment and ensuring readiness for the summer wildland season. Missy has always been eager to help and ready to work. Missy has plenty of firefighting experience which she humbly shares. Her contribution of time and experience has been a great asset to San Juan Island Fire and Rescue.

Brooke Sevier is the August Firefighter of the month – Contributed photo

Our August Firefighter of the Month is long time volunteer Brooke Sevier. Brooke is a very active member and performs multiple roles for the department including being a firefighter, driver, marine officer and fire boat operator. He is a very consistent, active and supportive firefighter serving our community. He doesn’t look for recognition and Brooke does things just because they need to be done and because, as he says, “It’s just the right thing to do.”

The Fire Commissioners and Chief Collins are grateful for all Missy Arata and Brooke Sevier do for our community and for San Juan Island Fire and Rescue. We congratulate Missy and Brooke for their dedication and for their volunteer service.

The San Juan Island Fire & Rescue was established on October 6, 1958. The fire department covers about 55 square miles, includes all of San Juan Island, as well as Brown and Pearl Islands. For more information, please visit http://www.sjifire.org/

The San Juan County Fair is happening very soon! Our data shows that there are two very important activities most fairgoers make a priority. Eating Fair food like corn dogs, barbeque and elephant ears rates high on everyone’s list. The other favorite is to visit all the barns and see the farm animals like horses, sheep and chickens. Please be forewarned the two do not mix!

Most Fair food is finger food. Imagine this scenario. You order some curly fries. You and your children/friends wander around happily stuffing deep fried potatoes in your mouths and go into an animal barn. Everyone poses with a cute (furry or feathered) animal and who can resist reaching out and petting that cute creature! You continue on your way, back to eating the fries. E Coli alert! Unhygienic gamble alert! Do not bring food into the barn areas, please for your sake.

Our partner and sponsor Peace Health Peace Island Medical Center is providing hand washing stations and supplies (soap, paper towels) located at every barn.  Please use them often, before and after going into a barn. A duck does not want to be petted by a hand that just touched a goat, or was in someone’s mouth.

Now here is a teaser for new food at the fair! There will be deep fried mac n cheese balls and a chicken and waffle sundaes by the folks from Vic’s Drive In (aka Uppities). There will be donuts from the folks at Rocky Bay Café (aka The Donut Shop). There will also be all the returning favorites that fairgoers have enjoyed for years.

See you at the Fair! Wash your Hands!

Brad Fincher is an avid fair food eater and member of the fair board since 2001. 

Wolf Hollow invites you to join them for a fun evening on Friday, August 9 to help save wild lives…

Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Event and Fundraiser
Helping injured and orphaned wildlife in San Juan and Skagit Counties

Most of the wildlife that Wolf Hollow receives needing care come because of a negative human impact in their wild lives. Hit by a car. Fly into a window. Attacked by a dog. Loss of habitat. We all have indirect impacts. We can all have a positive impact, too.

Friday, August 9 Wolf Hollow Wildlife will be hosting an educational event and fundraiser to benefit the inured or orphaned wildlife in our counties. 4pm-7pm at Pelindaba Lavender Farm with wine, special nonalcoholic beverages, hearty appetizers created by Coho, fun educational activities, a special guest, and music by Daniel Day.

Contact Chanda Stone at 503-410-6939 with any questions. Tickets available on the Wolf Hollow web site.

Dr. Anna Metaxas – Contributed photo

Friday Harbor Labs is excited to welcome, Dr. Anna Metaxas, our 2019 Illg Lecturer on August 7 at the Community Theater at 7 PM.

Dr. Metaxas is from Dalhousie University and her topic will be “Evidence-based conservation: designing well-connected Marine Protected Areas.”

Please join us for this amazing free public lecture followed by refreshments.

In case you missed previous emails, please note that we have substituted “The Guilty” for another film originally scheduled for August 6^th.

The Guilty (Den Skyldige)
Danish (English subtitles), mystery, thriller
Rated R (for language),85 minutes

Set in an enclosed room with essentially one actor, and made up entirely of phone conversations, the film employs a full toolbox of cinematic techniques to fashion a complex character study. Lighting, camera angles, production design, editing, and sound effects all conspire to build a mood.

Asger Holm is an irritable narcotics cop who has been reassigned to an emergency phone bank as he awaits trial for an unnamed infraction that is revealed in bits and pieces — and finally with a full-throttled jolt — later in the film. Clearly, Asger is in a place, both physically and emotionally, where he never wanted to be. But the tone instantly changes when he fields a call from a terrified woman named Iben who appears to have been abducted by her ex-husband. All Asger knows is that she’s in a white van going north outside of Copenhagen and that her young children at home may be in danger. Breaking into full cop mode, he keeps her on the line as long as he can as he scrambles to figure out who these people are and where they’re headed. Continue Reading

OPALCO needs access to your equipment. Please make sure to keep your transformer clear of shrubs and brush. Right of Way clearing keeps service reliable and safe!

We trim and remove trees and other vegetation under or near our power lines to reduce the frequency of power interruptions caused by overhanging branches and trees.

This also helps create easier access for our line crews to make repairs, thus shortening the outage time and is essential to fire safety this time of year.

Click here to visit the Safety Center

Local Artists, Writers and Musicians Encouraged to Apply.

The Orcas Island Lit Fest today issued a call to all San Juan County artists, authors and musicians that the submissions window for the 2020 Lit Fest is open until September 15.

The third annual Orcas Island Lit Fest will take place April 17-19, 2020. Applicants are encouraged to apply online at oilf.org/call-for-submissions. All applications will receive a reply by mid-November. The Orcas Island Lit Fest gives special consideration to San Juan County residents.

About Orcas Island Lit Fest
The Orcas Island Lit Fest (OILF) is an annual celebration of literature and community. In April 2020, we’ll bring together renowned authors and avid readers, visitors and locals, for three days of panels, readings and events that highlight the vibrant literary culture of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. OILF is an opportunity to engage with world-class writers and their work in an intimate, inclusive setting that welcomes everyone who loves books. For more information, visit www.oilf.org or find us on Facebook.

The County Council is searching for San Juan County citizens to fill current and upcoming vacancies on various boards and commissions.

Additional information about each committee is available on the County’s website at: http://sanjuanco.com/641/Board-Committee-Vacancies.

Persons interested in serving on a board or advisory committee should fill out an Advisory Committee Application or Contact the Council Office at: (360) 378-2898 [email protected]

Whew! You almost missed your chance to run for office. Fortunately, you’ll get a second chance. During the candidate filing period in May, several of the offices open for filing had no candidates file. When no one files for an open office, it’s called a “void in candidacy.” When a void in candidacy occurs after a regular filing period, a special three-day filing period is opened for only those offices for whom no candidates filed.

The local races that will be open for filing are all local special purpose districts: fire, park & recreation, cemetery, and water districts. According to County Auditor Milene Henley, “These districts are vitally important to local communities, affecting all parts of local life. If you’re looking for a way to make a difference, run for a local elected office. The first step to running is filing.”

San Juan County Elections Office will hold a special three-day filing period starting next Wednesday, August 14, and ending on Friday, August 16. Persons interested in filing as a candidate for one of the offices below can do so online, by mail, by email, or in person. The Online Candidate Filing Wizard will be opened from 9 a.m. Wednesday through 4:00 p.m. Friday. Paper Declarations of Candidacy will be accepted from 8 a.m. Wednesday through 4:30 p.m. Friday. The Online Candidate Filing Wizard and paper Declaration of Candidacy can both be found at www.sanjuanco.com/elections.

The following offices will be open during the three-day filing period: