Island Rec – Bicycle Roadside Repair Workshop

Spring is upon us and now is the time to tune-up your bike. The deadline is fast approaching for Island Rec’s Bike Repair Class. The class is on Saturday, April 23rd , from 9:00 to 12:30. This will be held at Spring Street International School in their campus courtyard.

You will work on your own bike in the class, learning how to clean, fix flats and do adjustments/cable replacement. At the end of the class you will have a clean and tuned-up bike, and the knowledge how to do roadside repairs and minor tune-ups on your own!

Register today either online or at the Island Rec office. Scholarships available, cost is $36.00.

To view a full schedule of our programs or to register online please visit our website at www.IslandRec.org, call 360-378-4953, or visit our office at 580 Guard St. Monday – Friday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The whole group at the Head Start Farm Field Trip – Tim Dustrude photo

San Juan Island preschoolers in the headstart program got to spend time on a farm today for some hands-on education (disguised as fun playtime). Rex and Lisa Guard opened their “Lazy G Ranch” family farm to welcome the kids along with several educational and community groups.

Lisa and Rex Guard – Jennifer Rice photo

The kids got to play on tractors, glue wool on sheep (no, not real sheep), plant seeds in little cartons filled with dirt to take home, and just generally run around and have a good time learning about farms and agriculture. The event was brainstormed and created by Danna Diaz, Jennifer Rice, Stephanie Prima and Lisa Guard as a project for their Leadership San Juan Islands program.

Jennifer, Danna, Stephanie and Lisa – Tim Dustrude photo

Everything came together for a great experience – lots of volunteers and programs, the weather was nice, and the kids were very engaged and into all the stuff provided for them. Click to read more about it and see a gallery of 30 images of happy kids having fun on a farm. Continue Reading

Jen and Jacquelyn over at The Studio are introducing a new instructor and yoga class and they want you to know about it. Here they are with what you need to know…

The Studio is pleased to introduce Miguele de Quadros and add Yoga with Gyrotonic Principles to our class schedule beginning in May. We invite you to attend 2 free introductory classes on 4/18 & 4/25 at 12:15pm. This specialized yoga practice awakens the senses, stimulates the nervous system, and activates the body using breath. Moving fluidly through sequences, physical and mental blocks dissolve away, allowing the body to open up in new ways.

Created by Hilary Cartwright, a soloist with the Royal Ballet, this style of yoga incorporates elements of Kundalini and Hatha techniques, as well as Taoist principles. Hilary’s unique approach is now being taught by a select group of trainers to a wide range of students, including seniors and dancers at Paris Opera Ballet and American Ballet Theatre.

As a 10 year old ballet student, Miguele was first introduced Continue Reading

Islanders walk over 1,000 miles with their dogs to raise money for Animal Shelter!

It’s a well-known fact that folks here on San Juan Island love their dogs. This week marked over 1000 miles walked over the last six months by island residents and their dogs using a smart phone application called, Wooftrax; every mile walked raising money for The Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor.

The Wooftrax “Walk for a Dog” program is a downloadable program that can be installed on any smart phone. The app keeps track of how many miles the user walks their dog or an animal shelter dog as a volunteer. Best of all, the program is designed as a fund raising mechanism for animal shelters and rescue groups. Walk for a Dog is a simple, year-round app that promotes healthy interaction between dogs and their owners, and raises money every day to support the mission of animal shelters and rescue organizations. It also gives people a reason to think about their local animal organization every time they take their dogs for a walk.

If you’d like to participate, visit www.wooftrax.com on your smart phone. The app will ask you to select the animal shelter or rescue group you’d like to raise funds for. After that, it’s a simple matter of logging on to the app each time you walk your dog.

Jan Murphy, Shelter Manager for The Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor, says, “Many of our dog walking volunteers use the Wooftrax app when they walk shelter dogs now. It’s like getting a double gift – the gift of the volunteer’s time as well as a monetary donation every time a dog is walked.” Murphy says that APS-FH will receive a check at the end of the year from Wooftrax, representing all the miles walked on behalf of the shelter during 2016.

This just in from Island Stage Left…

Photo by Russell J Young

“Venus in Fur” opens tonight (Thursday April 7th) at 7:30. The buzz is around town and seats will be full. Don’t miss out on the excitement! We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

John Langs, the Artistic Director of ACT in Seattle, has been directing Island Stage Left’s two-person cast in Seattle, and now they are ready for you! We open this Tony award-winning, provocative, smart and funny play, “Venus in Fur” by David Ives, at the SJC Fairgrounds on April 7th. We’re very excited as this represents another move forward for ISL and will showcase our two Associate Artistic Directors for this season, Ty and Cassandra Boice.

A young playwright, Thomas, has written an adaptation of the 1870 novel Venus in Fur by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (origin of the term “masochism”); At the end of a long day in which the actresses Thomas auditions fail to impress him, in walks Vanda, very late and seemingly clueless, but she convinces him to give her a chance. As they perform scenes the lines between writer, actor, director, and character begin to blur.

An exploration of gender roles and sexuality, Venus in Fur is also a witty and unsettling look at the art of acting—onstage and off. For full schedule and showtimes, visit IslandStageLeft.org.

Ranger Raena Parsons examines butterfly larva collected at American Camp. Deer fencing is behind her. NPS photo by Gary Tarleton

San Juan Island National Historical Park is looking for 6 volunteers to help put up fencing in the prairie at American Camp on Thursday, April 14th.

This prairie is home to the rare Island Marble butterfly– found only on San Juan Island! Fencing off a portion of the prairie will help protect juvenile butterfly (the egg and caterpillar stages) from being accidentally consumed by the local deer.

Although the deer are just browsing on their favorite greens, mustards, they are unwittingly devouring significant numbers of butterflies.

In order to survive, the butterflies need our protection.

Work will include walking medium distances (less than a mile) over uneven grass covered terrain carrying light loads (15-25 lbs).

Please contact Jenny Shrum by email at jenny_shrum [@] nps.gov or by phone at 360-378-2240 ext. 2225 for more details.

Ian Boyden Resigns as Executive Director of IMA – Contributed photo

The board of SJIMA has accepted the resignation of its Executive Director Ian Boyden, who plans to pursue his career as an artist and freelance curator.

Mr. Boyden and his family plan to remain on San Juan Island. He will continue on as an advisor and guest curator to the museum.

According to Board President Charlie Bodenstab, “Ian brought great vision and powerful programming to the museum and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

A search committee will be formed to fill the Executive Director’s position. Until that time, Mr. Boyden will serve on an as needed basis during the transition.

For further information contact: Charlie Bodenstab by email at:
charlie [@] bodenstab.com

Click to enlarge

Bagpipes and highland dancers get into the mix when San Juan Island’s community chorus presents their annual spring concert at San Juan Community Theatre on Friday and Saturday, April 8-9 at 7:30 p.m.

Directed by Angel Michaels, San Juan Singers: Ayres of the Celtic Isles takes us where the Scots, Irish, and Welsh folk live, work, fight, and play —where there is a tradition of music, story-telling and dance.

Pipers Mike Chisholm and John Ralston of British Columbia will join the Singers in several of the songs of glory, betrayal, love found and lost, and, of course, a bit of the “blarney.” Also from Canada, Highland dancers Alison Ward and Susan Nase of the Shot of Scotch dance company will bring the unique Scottish dance form to the stage.

The evening’s Business Partner is Lake Kennedy McCulloch CPAs. Concert tickets are $18 for adults, $9 for student reserved, with $5 student RUSH one hour before the show.

The SJCT Box Office is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or tickets may be purchased on-line at www.sjctheatre.org.

Where was this photo taken? – Click to enlarge – SJI Historical Museum photo

For this month’s history column, a query from the San Juan Historical Society and Museum…

We know it’s springtime, but where is this?

This lovely scenic from the image collection is labeled “Probably Argyle.” But is it?

Where exactly do you think this photo was taken? We wonder what this area looks like today. Does the hill in the background still exist? What kind of trees do you think are blooming? Cherry? Pear? The house looks brand new. When do you think it was built? What clues do you see?

Please comment here or via our website and let us know. Thank you — and happy springtime to you!

For their Tuesday Film Series at the Grange, the Friday Harbor Film Festival is showing Alive Inside. This film was one of the Audience Choice award winners at their 2015 festival.

View the trailer above or click here for more info. It shows tonight, April 5th at 7:00 pm at The Grange.

Becki’s “selfie” – photo by… well, Becki

The Chamber of Commerce is doing a scavenger hunt of sorts this month, sponsored by Islanders Bank. Check out what Becki Day has to say about it…

We have a Scavenger Hunt, sponsored by Islanders Bank that has started!

During the month of April, I will be visiting different member businesses around the island and taking a “selfie” at that business. The photo will be posted on the Chamber’s Facebook page. All correct guesses as to what business I am visiting should be posted on the Chamber’s Facebook page for each sighting.

At the end of the month, a drawing will be held of all of the correct answers. The lucky winner will receive an iPAD Air donated by our sponsor, Islanders Bank.

Join in on this fun promotion and be sure to patronize our local businesses!

Becki Day
Executive Director
San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce

(Ed. note: This story has been updated since it was first published.)

Town of Friday Harbor Arts Commission sponsors poetry contest

Local writers are invited to submit poems inspired by the natural beauty of San Juan Island for the Sunken Park Poetry Contest sponsored by the Friday Harbor Arts Commission.

The winner will read the selected poem at the unveiling of a Town of Friday Harbor mural in Sunken Park on Sunday, May 22nd, and the poem will be submitted to local news media for publication.

The title of the mural and theme for the contest is “Witness the Beauty”. This work by Kirkland, WA mural artist Jake Wagoner was selected by the Town Council at the recommendation of the Arts Commission from several proposals submitted by professional northwest mural artists.

Poet, teacher, and former Washington State poet laureate Elizabeth Austen will adjudicate. Writers of all ages are encouraged to submit poems of up to 30 lines. Applicants must be San Juan Island residents.

Complete application information is available at Town Hall and at www.fridayharbor.org under “What’s New”. Submissions must be received at the Town of Friday Harbor business office no later than 4:30 pm Monday, May 2, 2016.

Just heard that Ruth Offen at WaterWorks Gallery is looking for a part time staff assistant. Here’s the scoop…

This is an hourly wage job consisting of entering information into ACT, (a database management program) and facilitating inventory management using Microsoft Excel, with simple sum usage, not complex formulas.

The position requires flexibility as the work may run from 3 hours to 10 hours a month. A few other tasks might be added depending on the skill level of individual.

The individual should have excellent computer skills, be a self starter, and have verifiable references, a strong interest in the arts, painting, sculpture and jewelry. Knowledge in this area is very helpful.

Good language and people skills neccessary and being a team player is important.

Please send resume hard copy to:

WaterWorks Gallery
PO Box 28
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
attn Ruth Offen.
Or submit via email to ruth [@] waterworksgallery.com.

Town of Friday Harbor recognized for commitment to employee health

The Association of Washington Cities (AWC) announced that the Town of Friday Harbor is one of 112 cities, towns, and other local governments to have earned the distinguished WellCity Award. This recognition is awarded annually to entities that meet the AWC Employee Benefit Trust’s stringent WellCity standards and demonstrate a commitment to employee health. The Town previously earned this award in 2012.

“We are happy to release a record-breaking list of employers that place employee health among their core values,” said AWC chief executive officer Peter B. King. The WellCity program promotes healthy lifestyles and employee education and use of health care resources to improve employee morale, productivity, and work/life balance which in turn results in reduced health care costs.

“Our Town employees should be very proud of the effort they put into earning this award,” said Mayor Carrie Lacher. “Their participation has been key to the success of this program.”

The 112 public employers that met the WellCity standards have earned a 2% discount on 2017 medical premium contributions. Collectively, these jurisdictions are expected to save more than $3 million. For more information about the Town’s WellCity program and award, please contact Julie Greene, Town of Friday Harbor Wellness Coordinator, at 378-2810.

The view toward Friday Harbor from Mount Grant – Tim Dustrude photo

Seeing is Believing – Driving Access at Mount Grant Preserve –

Fundraising continues for the Campaign for Mount Grant Preserve, a community-wide effort to permanently protect a very special, 141-acre San Juan Island landmark. In order for people to see what all the excitement is about, Mount Grant Preserve will once again be open to cars on select Sundays this spring and summer. Although the preserve is open to hikers year-round from dawn until dusk, those who are not able to hike have appreciated “Sundays at the Summit” when cars are allowed to drive to the top.

“Sundays at the Summit” kicked off on Easter weekend when the gate was open to motorized vehicles. Going forward, driving access will be permitted from noon to 6 pm on: Continue Reading

View from the Skagit Valley College deck – Contributed photo

Cathy Degnan from the San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College tells us… 

Join a course on poetry, astronomy, backpacking, or building that (tiny) home you always dreamed of!

All these lifelong learning classes described below are held at the San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College in Friday Harbor, overlooking beautiful Griffin Bay. Continue Reading