Deb Langhans shares this invitation with you…  

Click to enlarge

‘Tis the Season… for holiday cheer, lightheartedness and joy, right? Not necessarily. These darker, unpredictable days and longer nights can resurrect and even intensify painful memories of loved ones lost. For at least half of the American electorate, a new, present sense of diminished control, safety and future well-being represent other significant forms of loss.  

There’s no easier time of year than the holiday season to indulge in some of the typical coping strategies for dealing with our suffering. Holiday shopping, cooking/baking, cleaning, decorating, party planning and attending, special seasonal activities… many of these common, inevitable choices get amped into addiction, denial, suppression, conformity and nonstop busyness and achievement–all ways of “anesthetizing” ourselves from the pain of loss.

Fortunately, there is local grief support for islanders choosing another way of coping with loss during this wonderful and challenging time of year: Lenore Bayuk recently facilitated her annual “Grief and Loss: Getting Through the Holiday Season” workshop at the Library; Gary Waters will be offering a Fireside Chat on December 8th at PIMC to discuss holiday emotions; Rosa Blair will be facilitating Hospice of San Juan’s Spring Grief Support Group.

Throughout the past year, I’ve had the privilege of partnering grieving islanders through the Grief Recovery Method®, a comprehensive grief recovery program whose 35-year old curriculum provides skills and support for completing unresolved grief over loss, whether that’s loss due to death, divorce, illness, unemployment, pet loss or many other significant life changes. I’ll be offering another 8-week Grief Recovery Support Group starting Tuesday, January 10th, 2017 & continuing through February 28th. (Please see the attached flyer for more details.) This program represents over 12 hours of instruction and includes The Grief Recovery Handbook (textbook), handouts and ongoing email support.

Robert Frost once wrote: The best way out is always through. My students and my own personal experience have taught me this is absolutely true. Recovering from grief requires the willingness to risk feeling deeply again as well as complete unfinished emotional business in relationships. The payoffs are huge. Acknowledging our vulnerability and summoning the courage to share our fear and pain with others can soften, open and heal our broken hearts.

Here’s how some islanders have experienced the Grief Recovery Support Group process: Continue Reading

Rio is this week’s Pet of the Week – Contributed photo

Hello There. I’m a good dog. At least that’s what I’m told. Actually, I’m told I’m a perfect dog, but I don’t like to brag.

My name is Rio. I’m an international man of mystery, so I can’t tell you my last name. That would be indiscreet. Johnson. My last name is Johnson. (I have such a hard time being discreet.) So, you can call me Rio or Mr. Johnson, or Rio Johnson – or really just about anything you like, just so long as you’re willing to throw the ball for me or join me in a friendly little game of rope tug.

My background is a bit mysterious, but I can tell you that I was rescued from the streets of Mexico and brought here to start my new life. I’m a mid-sized model, too! Perfect for car rides and hiking! Stop by the animal shelter soon to meet me!

Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor
111 Shelter Road
(360) 378-2158

Debbie Sandwith at Roche Harbor shares this heads up…

Passing along for our good neighbors in Friday Harbor another opportunity to Fish competitively for CASH prizes!

The FH Salmon Classic takes place in Friday Harbor the first weekend of December 2016.

Here is the link for information and signing up:
Friday Harbor Salmon Classic

Questions & contact person is Jim Lawson, Friday Harbor:
[email protected]

Have a great weekend and God Bless our Veterans!

Debbie Sandwith
Manager,  Roche Harbor Market

A quarterly review of County Finances by County Auditor F. Milene Henley

Milene Henley – Contributed photo

Third quarter 2016

My first year of college I shared a landline (we called it a “phone” then) with 4 other dorm rooms. The phone sat in the hallway with a lock on the rotary dial (remember rotary dials?). We rarely used it, because long-distance calls were costly. Instead, we hoped for letters (remember those?) from home, and occasionally even wrote letters back.

Things were very different for my children. They went off to college with cell phones and personal computers. They had more services, better communication, better tools. But life is more expensive for them, as they have to pay for cell phones, for Internet, and for television – all of which were either free or non-existent when I was their age.

For the same reasons, businesses incur expenses today that did not exist 40 years ago. Ledger pads were a lot less expensive – though also less accurate, less complete and less secure – than today’s multi-function financial suites. No business would consider operating without email and Internet. Customers today increasingly demand access to services online, and for the security of their online information to be protected.

So it’s not surprising that the fastest growing budget in the County is Information Technology (IT). Its budget has increased 166% in the last 10 years. A big part of that was the addition of GIS (Geographic Information Services) in 2014, which added 2 staff and about $250,000.

More recently, public records requests have driven some of the cost increases in IT. Both software to manage requests and software to manage records have been acquired in the past year. Also this year, the County updated its website, the second complete overall in the past eight years. The County’s 911 phone system was entirely replaced last year, both hardware and software. For the first time ever, the County also established a direct connection to a backup 911 system, in Island County, in case of a catastrophic communications failure such as occurred two years ago. Continue Reading

Orcas Boy Choir – Contributed photo

Saint David’s Episcopal Church welcomes Orcas Boy Choir under the direction of Mary WillAllen for their first appearance in Friday Harbor on Sunday, November 20, at 4 pm. This fall concert features a handful of boys, aged 10-15, singing music in the English tradition at the close of the day. The program is both restful and inspiring while including a variety of styles from contemporary music to 13th Century Dominican Chant with a modern touch. Pianist Richard Lind will accompany the choir for this performance.

Orcas Boy Choir was established in January of 2012, and five of the boys in the current performing choir have been singing together since the beginning. They meet once a week to learn music theory and sight reading and to experience singing exceptional music in many languages. OBC is always ready to welcome boys who would like to sing. There is a Training Choir for learning fundamentals, and a Performing Choir for boys with sufficient music experience.

Saint David’s Church is located on the corner of Park Street and Marguerite Place. This concert is presented free of charge.

A Makerbot 3D Printer – Photo by Bre Pettis

In a world where doctors are printing new organs and prosthetics, the impact that 3-D printers are already having in our day-to-day lives is far-reaching. In keeping with the San Juan Island Library’s Mission to “pursue innovation in services and resources to meet the evolving needs of the Library and our patrons,” the Library strives to offer community access to new and emerging technologies. Toward this end, and thanks to a generous donation, the Library is proud to announce that it will be bringing 3-D printing to its patrons.

3-D printing is the process of making a three-dimensional object from a digital file. You begin by creating a virtual design on a computer or using a 3-D scanner to replicate an existing object. Software is then used to slice the designed object into hundreds of horizontal layers. The design is sent to the 3-D printer where hot plastic is passed through a super-heated nozzle and laid down layer upon layer via a robotic arm. 

Originally used in highly specialized fields such as biotechnology, aerospace, medical technology and robotics, 3-D printing applications are now being used in a variety of fields and by a variety of people including students, hobbyists and educators. It’s empowering people to make functional prototypes, limiting both cost and manufacturing risks. Continue Reading

Town accepting applications for open position on Friday Harbor Arts Commission.

The Friday Harbor Arts Commission (FHAC) is seeking one new member to fill a three-year position commencing January 1, 2017. The person filling this unpaid, volunteer position is expected to represent the interests of the Town, community and local artists and advise the Town Council on the cultivation, selection, acquisition and placement of public art.

The FHAC was formed in February 2015 with Mayor Carrie Lacher’s appointment of eight commissioners, including one non-voting youth member. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month.

Those with experience, background or involvement with visual, performing or literary art should provide a Letter of Interest to Mayor Lacher. Applicants may choose to include examples of their art or experience.

Application review will continue until the position is filled. For specifics on the responsibilities of the commission, applicants are advised to review the FHAC Guidelines posted under “Arts Commission” in the Agenda tab at the Town of Friday Harbor web site: www.fridayharbor.org.

Questions and application letter should be directed to:

Town of Friday Harbor, ATTN: Julie Greene
60 Second Street / PO Box 219 / Friday Harbor, WA 98250
julie [@] fridayharbor.org
(360) 378-2810, ext. 229

Annie Adams’ Figure Drawing Studio at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art welcomes drop-ins during its 8 week run.

The sessions are held on Mondays from 5:30-8:30 p.m. through December 12.

Drop-in fee is $22 for each session.

Participants need to bring their preferred art supplies. Call 360 378-0951 for more information.

Downriggers is Open for Business – Tim Dustrude photo

Downriggers Restaurant is open again. 7 days a week (except for this coming Sunday*), from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm for lunch and then 5:00 pm to closing for dinner. Closing time may vary depending on how busy they are.

*On Sunday, November 13th, Downriggers will be closed to honor Mary Ann Ragsdale. There will be a Celebration of Mary Ann’s life, out at the Roche Harbor Pavillion from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. 

Ruth at WaterWorks shares this with you…

WaterWorks Gallery a contemporary, light-filled gallery, continues to evolve as it remains dedicated to showing artists from the Islands, Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. Represented artists, painters, sculptors, and jewelers reflect the area’s beauty through both conventional and unusual representations.  

The Holiday Show showcases unique works for gift giving, large and small and even some pieces are bejeweled and silver and wearable.  SO far there will be new Holiday ornaments in glass, wood and brass. New works by Jaime Ellsworth, Catherine Eaton Skinner, Joan Stuart Ross, David French for a starters… A few new surprises, of touchable objects, maybe even a wearable or two. Gifts that make us happy.

More to follow…

The show starts this weekend with a reception from 4 to 7 pm at the gallery, then runs from November 12th to January 4th, 2017.

And here’s the fun part, every Saturday until the end of the year the gallery will have a special treat for those that visit. 

First Annual Thanks “Living” Celebration at Island Haven Animal Sanctuary

Island Haven Animal Sanctuary invites you to join them on Sunday, November 20th from 2pm-4pm to honor their rescued turkeys and other retired farm animals.

Enjoy plant-based appetizers and learn more about Island Haven and amazing facts about turkeys. Take a guided tour of the sanctuary and toast their animal friends with a holiday beverage or wine. Best of all, feed the turkeys their favorite treats.

Donations are encouraged, all proceeds go towards the feeding and care of sanctuary animals. To RSVP email [email protected] or call 360-472-1040.

The Women’s Fund is a Pooled-Donor Advised Fund held at the San Juan Island Community Foundation. Together, we are able to award grants to local nonprofit organizations.

In October, two proposals were made available for a vote of the full Women’s Fund membership. We voted with a resounding YES (96.36%) to award $3,000 to the Mullis Community Center’s Unpaid Caregiver Support Program to support individuals who care for a family member or friend 24/7, due to a health condition, disability or age related issues. The other proposal was turned down by the members, who voted via Survey Monkey. To date, in 2016, we have donated $14,000 to various grant projects in our community.

For more information on grant applications or to join the Women’s Fund, call 378-1001 or visit us at www.sjiwomensfund.org.

-The Women’s Fund Planning Committee

From the SJ Update mailbag today…

Dear Citizens,

I want to thank all of the people who gave me encouragement and support during my campaign for San Juan County Council District 1. I consider myself fortunate to have had an opportunity to meet with and talk with so many fellow citizens of San Juan County over the course of the campaign.

Although Bob Jarman and I may have had varying views, I want to thank him for his participation in the debate of the issues. Now is the time for all of us to come together and work jointly on our shared future. I would like to thank Bob for his years of service and I wish him the very best moving forward.

I look forward to working with my fellow Council Members, the other County Electeds, the County Staff, and the citizens of San Juan County over the next four years.  It is my privilege to serve my community in this way and I commit to giving it my very best.   

Bill Watson

The Round Towner

Curt VanHyning shares this note with you…

While our county has no public transportation, the non-profit RoundTowner has been providing low-cost ($3) shuttle rides in Friday Harbor since 2013.

The charity corporation was established to provide affordable transportation for senior citizens, people with disabilities, and the rural general public and has just surpassed the 5,000-ride milestone; nearly 2,000 rides delivered in 2016. Grant support from the United Way of San Juan County has offset expensive liability insurance costs for the past two years.

The rest of the operating income has come from riders, other service groups and gifts from individual islanders who wish to support affordable transportation in the islands. Please send donations to The RoundTowner at PO Box 954, Friday Harbor.

Contact us at info [@] roundtowner.com and call 298-6108 for a pick-up.

A Zine Launch and Reading at the Library with San Juan Writes

Griffin Bay Bookstore and the San Juan Island Library take special delight in presenting San Juan Writes, a group of 13 of our very own island writers reading from their inaugural anthology, Signs Along the Way, at the Library on Wednesday, November 9th, 7:00 pm.

Signs Along The Way, the group’s first ‘zine, includes poetry, prose, and creative non-fiction written to the theme: street signs in the San Juan Islands. The group is planning volume II, and is exploring putting out a call for submissions to other island writers who are interested in submitting work for inclusion.

In case you’re wondering: What do you mean, a ‘zine? Rhymes with bean, short for fanzine, or magazine. A ‘zine is any self-published, small circulation publication based on a common interest or theme. Sometimes referred to as an alternative, underground or creative view publication, ‘zines are typically sold at a minimal price, reflecting the publishing expense. ‘Zines can be found at magical places the world over.

This one includes the following 13 Island Writers: Continue Reading

The top of Mount Grant – Jennifer Furber photo

Opt outside for a leisurely morning stroll to the summit of Mount Grant Preserve, then savor some cider and 360-degree views before heading back down. Your friends, family, even your dog, will appreciate the opportunity to work off some of that Thanksgiving dinner before settling back into the couch for the afternoon bowl games.

• Friday, November 25, 2016
• 10:00 am – Noon
• Mount Grant Preserve, San Juan Island

Hosted by the San Juan County Land Bank and San Juan Preservation Trust, this event is free to the public. Please dress for the weather. Parking is limited – carpooling is encouraged. Dogs on leashes welcome.

For more information, email tanjaw [@] sjclandbank.org or phone 360-378-4402.