Minnie Knych shares this sad news…

LCPL Michael Vargas – Contributed photo

I received a very sad phone call yesterday. Michael Vargas who served his country with honor and disctintion in Afghanistan, returned home and began raising a family. He was killed in a motorcycle accident and leaves behind a wife and 8 month old daughter.

LCPL Michael Vargas is the nephew of Avril Anderson of Friday Harbor. He served his country in Afghanistan several years ago. While he was there, American Legion Auxiliary sent him monthly care packages. One of his requests was for white cotton socks. Michael said that doing laundry was not an option where he was stationed. We put many pairs of socks into each package for him.

While he was serving in Afghanistan, I received a call from him just a few days before Thanksgiving. LCPL Michael Vargas called via satellite phone to say “thank you” for the care packages. Generally, troops only get one chance at a satellite call while in hot zones. It truly touched my heart that he would do such a humble and gracious act to use his one call to thank us because we were honored to be sending him those care packages.

If you want send condolences to the family, I can provide a mailing address for Avril Anderson and her family.
Minnie Knych
Friday Harbor, WA
360 378-7040 (home) 360 378-4662 (work)

Drive-In at the Fairgrounds; Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Time: 9:50pm, Parking and Concessions open at 8:30pm.

Admission: $5/person, family of 5/$20, ages 5 and under FREE.

Plot: A high school wise guy is determined to have a day off from school, despite what the principal thinks of that.

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Running time: 103 mins Rated: PG-13

Please like us on Facebook and visit our website for more information www.sjcfair.org.

The Mausolem – Aaron Shepard photo

Local photographer Aaron Shepard was out at the Mausoleum out by Roche recently and shot this cool photo to share with SJ Update readers. Great shot Aaron – Thanks for sharing!

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

Move over, Brad Pitt, there’s a new heart throb in town….ME! I’m Skippy, aka “Skippy the Wonder Dog”.

I may be small, and yes, now that you mention it, I may only have three of the legs I originally came with – but trust, me – that hasn’t slowed me down a bit. I’m only about a year old, so I’ve got lots of spunk! I love other dogs, and get along great with cats… but my all-time favorite is YOU! I love to be held and cuddled and would love a safe place and a family of my own… in exchange I’ll give you a lifetime of loyalty and love. So, what do you say? Is it a deal?

Animal Shelter
111 Shelter Road
(360) 378-2158

Editor’s note – This post covers material that is not your happy, good news type of stuff that you usually read on the Update. Stephanie’s story is disturbing, and it illustrates why this upcoming community education event on June 24th at SJCT is so important. More on that at the end of the post…

Stephanie’s Story

On my 13^th birthday I was invited to a party where a handsome older boy took an interest in me. After that, he seemed to turn up everywhere I went. I was convinced this was fate, and soon we began a relationship.

My mother worked day and night to support our family while my father was in Iraq. I had little supervision. This charming, older boy said he loved me and wanted to marry me; he bought me nice things and took me to nice places. Continue Reading

With graduation ceremonies behind us, we close the books on a big year for the San Juan Island Service Scholarship Program. The program is designed to inspire young men and women to become active volunteers and give back to our community. This year we awarded twenty-three (yes, that number is correct) $1,000 scholarships to graduating San Juan Island seniors. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of these 23 individuals and recognize them one more time for their service to our community:

Peter Strasser, Dalton Ayers, Matthew Stepita, Kaitlyn Domenech, Samantha Pluff, Max Haenel, Ian Williams, Hailey Loucks, Jade Cooper-Yockers, Samuel Stewart, Ashton Timmons, Sammantha Hopkins, Sophia Dillery, Elizabeth Andersen, Isabel Gabriel, Faith Buck, Peter Holt, Audrey Sable, Madden Shanks, Melanie Cope, Courtney Bell, Sophia Marinkovich and Bella Bledsoe.

In addition to congratulating the scholarship recipients, we would be remiss if we did not take this opportunity to share our appreciation and sincere thanks to all the people and organizations who make our program successful. Our scholarships are funded by generous donations from individuals that recognize the value of instilling a volunteering spirit in our youth, the local restaurants which partner in our Dining for Scholars program, the Thursday night BBQ at the San Juan County Fair – and finally by all of YOU when you show your support by dining out at one of our Dining for Scholars events.

This year, all of these local restaurants opened their doors and hearts to our program. The portion of their profits they shared from Dining for Scholars was essential to our fundraising efforts – so thank you to:

China Pearl, Blue Water Bar & Grill, Lime Kiln Café, McMillin’s at Roche Harbor, Cask & Schooner, MiCasita, The Place, Coho Restaurant, Rumor Mill, Market Chef, Vic’s Drive-In, Haley’s, Hungry Clam, Market Chef, Rocky Bay Café, Café Demeter, and the Spring Street Deli.

Please visit us at www.sjiservicescholarship.org to find out more about our program, how to engage students volunteers or to donate.

Sincerely,

June Arnold, San Juan Island Service Scholarship

June 20 is the date for the annual Orca Sing event at Lime Kiln Point State Park

Orca Sing is an annual event where people gather for an evening of music at Lime Kiln Point State Park to honor the Southern Resident orcas. Typically held on a Saturday near the Solstice, this year’s event is the 16th annual and will take place on Saturday, June 20, beginning around 6:00 pm.

This year, Seattle’s City Cantabile Choir will perform. We will also celebrate Washington State Parks and Orca Awareness Month. While there is no guarantee, we hope that the orcas will grace us with a pass-by. The event is free and open to the public. Participants are encouraged to bring a picnic to enjoy the beauty of Lime Kiln.

Tours of the historic lighthouse will be offered before and after the concert. A Discovery Pass is required for parking at the State Park and can be purchased through the Lime Kiln Point State Park Interpretive Center. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited. Round-trip transportation is also available through San Juan Transit.

For more information, contact The Whale Museum at (360) 378-4710 ext. 30. The Whale Museum can be found on-line at www.whalemuseum.org.

Leadership San Juans – Contributed photo

Thirteen islanders have successfully completed their five-month course with Leadership San Juan Islands (LSJI) —graduating on May 29.

This year, Cohort XI participants set up service-day projects on their home islands. On Lopez Island, the team organized the first “Lopez Talks” event, bringing in more than 80 people to discuss various community and world issues; the San Juan Island team performed Earth Day clean-up activities at Lime Kiln Park; and the Orcas Island team helped at Orcas Montessori, enlarging the children’s garden and tidying up the outdoor areas.

The 2015 graduates are Kim Bryan, Jodi Spitalli, Daniel Vekved and Katie Wilkins (Orcas Team); Becki Day, Erin Corra, Bella French, Gregory Maynard and Annette McCullough (San Juan Team); and Bob O’Connell, Dave Sather, Liz Taylor and Sara Waugh (the Lopez Team). All have plans to continue in some form of leadership service within their communities. Since it LSJI’s beginnings in 2004, more than 140 islanders have graduated from this program.

LSJI fosters leadership skills, such as facilitation and collaborative problem solving, and gives county residents the opportunity to better understand local systems and how they interconnect related to: governance, economics, social services, history and culture, education, and the environment. Participants learn within a cohort setting through a series of challenge days and retreats.

Applications for Cohort XII will be available starting in August with open houses planned on each island in early Fall. For more information on LSJI, visit www.lsji.org.

Click to enlarge poster

The Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor is pulling out all the stops on this year’s WAGS event by hosting ‘A Night in Monte Carlo’ with casino gaming by Casino Event – Seattle, silent and live auctions, great food and spirits, wine pull, raffles and live music by Brickhouse, a premier Seattle show band.

And to top it off, we are very excited to announce that our special guests will be actor and SAG President Ken Howard and actress Jane Lynch! Both Ken and Jane have been very active in pet rescue, and have graciously accepted our invitation to join us at our event.

If you missed this event in 2012, here’s your chance to enjoy a night of gaming, glamour and giving! All net proceeds will benefit the ‘New Home – New Hope’ capital campaign to build a new animal shelter for San Juan Island.

So dust off the bling and shine up your dancin’ shoes, it’s gonna be a night to remember! Tickets go on sale May 1st and seating is limited! Contact Leslie Byron, APS-FH Executive Director at 360-378-2159 for more details and ticket purchases.

Saturday, June 27th at the Fairgrounds Main Building
The fun starts at 5:00 pm

A Hosted Excursion by the SJI Garden Club

John Christianson – SJI Garden Club photo

Back by popular demand, keynote speakers Ciscoe Morris and John Christianson will talk roses again as part of this year’s Christianson’s Nursery Annual Rose Festival.

The festivities include the Tri-Valley Rose Society’s Rose Display in the Schoolhouse. Roses submitted by amateurs and experts will be voted on in several categories and gift certificates awarded.

Our day will begin when we gather for the 8:05 ferry departing Friday Harbor. From the Anacortes Ferry landing, we will journey to Old Town Mount Vernon. We will have a couple of hours to explore this lovely part of our world. During that time, the Forte Artisan Chocolates Company will give us a short demonstration. (and Samples?)

We will return to our van for the short drive to Christianson’s. The Tri-Valley Rose Society class on Sustainable Rose Growing will be located in the Big Tent which is also available for our included box lunch. We will return to Friday Harbor on the 4:45 ferry.

• Date: June 27, 2015
• Cost: $35.00 includes: Mainland transportation, Chocolate demonstration, Box lunch, Festival
• Not included: Passenger ferry ticket and Driver gratuity

Check out our website for more information.

For reservations (required prior to June 20), please contact:

Special “Leave No Trace” Stewardship Training Events June 17 & 18 on San Juan and Lopez Islands with the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers from the Center for Outdoor Ethics/LNT.org

On October 7, 2014, San Juan County became the first County in the U.S. designated as a voluntary “Leave No Trace” Area as the County Council adopted the Guiding Principles and Ethic to support Stewardship on the San Juan Islands. Be a part of this Legacy!!!!

Leave No Trace, Inc. Selected Washington’s San Juan Islands as one of its eight endangered ‘Hot Spots’ in the Nation in 2014. Last fall, the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers held workshops on San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands training over 75 islanders and reaching out to many others at a week of events across the islands.

The trainers are returning this month for two days of events designed for youth and adults interested in learning about Leave No Trace Guiding Principles and Ethics to help raise awareness about stewardship of our County’s natural areas.

“Many outdoor areas across our nation, like the San Juan Islands, are negatively impacted by recreational use. We are literally loving the land to death,” according to Danielle Rowland, Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer. “In most cases, the land impact isn’t due to a malicious intent to harm nature and wildlife. Instead, it’s simply lack of an understanding or know-how of ‘Leave No Trace’.” Continue Reading

San Juan Island EMS will be conducting an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course beginning September 2, 2015. Classes will be held each Wednesday Night and all day Saturday through February 2016. This opportunity is only offered every 2 to 3 years.

Interested full-time residents of San Juan Island are invited to investigate this opportunity at www.sanjuanems.org where they can find detailed information and the necessary paperwork. Applications are only available online and must be completed and turned in by 4:00 pm on June 29th at the EMS Building located at 1079 Spring Street.

San Juan Island EMS and MedEvac is a service of the San Juan County PHD No. 1 and operates the nationally accredited critical care 9-1-1 response and transport agencies of San Juan Island EMS and Island Air Ambulance.

If you have questions, contact Weyshawn Koons or Cady Davies at 360 378-5152.

Former Friday Harbor High School drama coach/director Fred Yockers is bringing an American classic to the stage at San Juan Community Theatre.

Yockers is holding private auditions for SJCT’s fall play, Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 15-17 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The story of single mother Amanda Wingfield and her attempts to raise two adult children (fragile, apartment-bound Laura and Tom, a warehouse worker and aspiring poet/world traveler) was William’s first popular success and has lived through generations of casts, movies and stage productions.

Yockers will be casting for :

• Amanda Wingfield—Mother, mid 50s. A little woman of great but confused vitality clinging frantically to another time and place
• Laura Wingfield—Daughter, early 20s. A childhood illness has left her crippled in one leg.  Homebound and isolated from the world, she collects little glass figurines as an escape from the world
• Tom Wingfield—Son, mid 20s.  The play’s narrator… a poet with a job in a warehouse. His nature is not remorseless, but to escape from a trap, he has to act “without pity”
• Jim O’Conner— A gentleman caller, mid 20s. A nice, ordinary young man and Tom’s friend

An audition sign-up sheet and perusal scripts are available at the SJCT Box Office
(11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays).

The Glass Menagerie will be presented on the Whittier Stage October 9 through 24.

Climate Change and Better Living through Algae

Click to enlarge poster

Thursday, June 11th, 7:00 pm at the San Juan Grange

Join us for a lively presentation and discussion with Dr. Chuck Greene about his ambitious plan to transform modern society from its currently unsustainable fossil-fuel addiction to a new reliance on algal bioenergy.

Along with this energy transformation, the plan also integrates a suite of technologies that will reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere while simultaneously enhancing global food security.

Dr. Greene is the Director of Ocean Resources and Ecosystems Program at Cornell University and resides part-time on San Juan Island. Professor Greene’s research interests range from the ecological dynamics of marine animal populations to the effects of global climate change on ocean ecosystems. More recently, he has led an international consortium of universities and other organizations conducting algal bioenergy research to help develop pathways for transitioning from fossil fuels to more sustainable energy sources.

This talk is being sponsored by Islands Energy, a collaborative group of local citizens and organizations working together to increase energy efficiency and conservation and promote renewable energy. Islands Energy is led by the San Juan Islands Conservation District in partnership with OPALCO.

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.

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: sueko[@]sanjuanco[.]com

The following is a list of current and upcoming vacancies: Continue Reading

Actors, directors, singers, musicians and anyone who wants to “play a part” in the annual Playwrights “On the Fringe” festival are being asked to meet at San Juan Community Theatre’s PARC Building on Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m. or Monday, June 8 at 7:00 p.m.

“On the Fringe” coordinator Julie Laidlaw says 14 short plays and monologues (by Island playwrights) have been scheduled for the festival, with some 50 roles available. “No experience is necessary,” said Laidlaw. “You just need a desire to make art and/or have FUN!”

The festival is scheduled for Tuesday through Sunday, September 22-27.