Another Spectacular Year For Friday Harbor High School Advanced Placement Art Students

High School Art Instructor Andy Anderson is very proud to announce that six Friday Harbor High School AP Art students earned the highest possible score of “5”on portfolios submitted to the College Board Advanced Placement Art program. Seniors Sam McMain, and Daisy Roth each submitted 2-D portfolios, and Drawing portfolios were submitted by seniors Will Kromer, Robyn Roberts, Kendra Meeker and junior Ellery Von Dassow. Continue Reading

All San Juan Island high school students are invited to audition for the Friday Harbor High School Drama Group’s production of Alice in Wonderland.

Auditions for the January 2014 play are being held Monday through Wednesday, September 16 through 18 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the high school’s drama room.

Director Jane Maxwell Campbell will not only be casting more than 30 actors and actresses from the island’s public and private high schools, but will also be looking for three different actresses to play Alice. She says she chose to have three identically-costumed actresses of three different sizes “so the audiences can see her shrinking and growing.”

This slightly more cartoon-like version of Lewis Carroll’s story (written in two acts by Anne Coulter Martens) also features a narrator role for the Cheshire Cat; and, of course, the Mat Hatter, White Rabbit and Queen of Hearts. A script is available for students to review at the FHHS library.

The production will run in the Whittier Theatre January 16-19.

This message popped into the Update inbox…

The San Juan Singers are having our first rehearsal this Wednesday, 9/11 at 7:00pm at St. David’s Episcopal Church. We’d like all past and present singers to join us, along with anyone interested in performing in a community chorus. www.sanjuansingers.org

Could you possibly put a notice in the San Juan Update?  We are really trying to reach out to contact everyone!

Thanks a million!  Kathy Dolsen

Memories from the seventies: Celebrating the guys who got it all started, including (from left, in purple) Mike Goff, Pat Sandwith,  Mark Brewer, Craig Blakeway, Ken Franklin (green shirt), Keith Guard (yellow), and Gene Wilson. Photo by Marilyn Goff (thanks, Marilyn!)

Saturday afternoon brought sunshine, a football game with Anacortes High, and a flood of memories as the Wolverines celebrated 40 years of football at Friday Harbor High School.

It was great to see the guys who helped get the program going & cheer for them, and see the Wolverines come oh-so-close as they dropped the season opener to the non-league SeaHawks 20-19.

Just got this note from Helen Machin-Smith of Island Stage Left:

Island Stage Left and the San Juan Community Theatre have come together to present a joint production written by a local playwright. Island Stage Left patrons please note – Saturday the 28th is the evening for the “Stage Left Gold Bucket” night. Pay if you can, what you can, at the door. We would love to see a full turnout for all nights, of course, so for tickets on all other nights, please go to SJICT box office for prices.

See you there!
Many thanks, Helen

A Reflection on Thomas Jefferson in Three Acts
“From This Desk”

Written by Don Pollard
Directed by Helen Machin-Smith
A joint production of SJCT and Island Stage Left

Gubelman Theatre

Thurs.-Sat., September 26-28 7:30 pm
Sunday, September 29 2:00 pm

Festival Seating

Thursday Opening Night Reception
Adults: $25 Students: $12

Friday and Sunday
Adults: $16 Students: $8

Saturday “PAY AS YOU CAN” (At door only).

Thomas Jefferson, played by Daniel Mayes, gets a chance to talk to you! For four nights only 67 people will be lucky enough to get a seat for these premiere performances.

Playwright and islander Don Pollard moves us into the study of the third President of the United States for a close-up chat that takes us from his efforts to expand the West; to the end of his life and his tumultuous relationship with John Adams; to present day and Jefferson’s take on how the Founding Fathers’ plans have fared.

“This play is about whether there is still relevance to what Thomas Jefferson and the Founding Fathers said and did more than two centuries ago,” said Don. “At the end of the play, you’ll get the drift!”

San Juan Island Barn by Edmund Lowe – Seattle, WA

Heritage Barn Rehabilitation Grant Program The Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation (DAHP) is accepting applications for historic barn rehabilitation funding through the Heritage Barn Rehabilitation Grant Program.

Grant applications are due on Monday, October 28th 2013, with grant awards slated to be announced in early 2014.

The Town of Friday Harbor’s Historic Preservation Program and the 100 Friends of Old Island Barns encourage readers to help get the word out to owners of historic barns throughout San Juan County.

Click here for more information.

Randy Lindsey (2nd from right), Mike Scott (left) and Lorie Narum (right) of the local Zito Media Friday
Harbor office, hand off the 32 inch HD color TV to winner Jenna Avery. Click for larger version.

Zito Media is pleased to announce the winner of the drawing for the 32 inch HD color TV. Jenna Avery of San Juan Island was the lucky name drawn from the bucket at the Zito Media booth at the San Juan County Fair. The drawing was held to kick off Zito’s new 50 meg High Speed internet service.

Zito wishes to thank everyone who stopped by the booth and entered the drawing and also invite you to stop by the Friday Harbor Zito office at 570 Guard Street on Tuesday evenings between 5:30 pm & 6:30 pm to check out our 50 meg internet & High Definition channels

San Juan Community Theatre’s Family Theatre takes on a holiday classic with a twist in its upcoming production of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.

Auditions for the November play are being held on Monday and Tuesday, September 16 and 17 at 3:30 p.m. in the Whittier Theatre.

Director Penelope Haskew will be casting up to 50 island K-6 graders and 10 adults for the play featuring singing, dancing (even a few “rap” moves) and dialogue, making for a more fantastical twist to the classic Tchaikovsky ballet.

The play reaches back to the original E.T.A. Hoffman book explaining how the Prince was long ago turned into the Nutcracker who later magically saves Clara from the evil Mouse King. All of the classic characters make an appearance, from Clara’s mysterious godfather to her annoying younger brother, Fritz, to the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Land of Sweets.

The production will run in the Whittier Theatre November 22-24. Rehearsals will take place after school and on Sundays.

For more information on the auditions, contact Haskew at
penelopehaskew [@] gmail [.] com

National Park Service fire crews plan to conduct two prescribed fires on the American camp prairie and another on the southwest slope of Young Hill between September 11 and mid-October, weather permitting, announced Superintendent Lee Taylor.

The American Camp fires will target a half acre north of the Redoubt Road and 4.5 acres on the south slope and immediately below the Redoubt. They will restore habitat for two rare prairie species: the island marble butterfly (Euchloe ausonides insulanus), a federal species of concern; and golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta), also a threatened species. The park successfully cultivated golden paintbrush last winter.

The Young Hill fires are slated for the unit running from south of the English Camp cemetery to the Sandwith orchard along West Valley Road. Prescribed fires in several units over the last decade have been especially beneficial to the Garry oak woodlands on the southwest slope, Taylor said.

“The island marble butterfly population is dwindling and American Camp is their final stronghold.  We have to take steps now to improve and expand habitat for these creatures or they will not survive,” said Taylor.  Fire creates the right growing conditions for the mustard plants the butterflies depend on, she said. Continue Reading

Cashmere is this week’s Pet of the Week

This beautiful young lady is “Cashmere” and she was brought to the shelter a few months ago with her three adorable kittens. Since then she has decided to forgo motherhood for a more suitable lifestyle and would love to find a home where she will be loved and doted on. Cashmere is very affectionate and sweet-natured and gets along well with other cats. We think she’s about 2-years old. We know she’ll return all the love she gets in her new home… Stop by the shelter to meet this lovely girl. 111 Shelter Road. 378-2158.

San Juan Community Theatre’s free OnBook! Readers Theatre series centers on women leaders in the play, SEVEN, on Monday and Tuesday, September 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m.

In 2006 seven award-winning playwrights joined together to create a documentary theatre piece for Vital Voices Global Partnership whose President, Alyse Nelson, then connected them with seven women from its large international network of amazing women leaders.

Over many months the playwrights worked individually collecting interviews from each of the extraordinary women and created seven monologues that illuminated the women’s inspiring journeys, and then, collaboratively they worked together to weave the acclaimed documentary play.

SEVEN is directed by Julie Laidlaw and will be presented on the Whittier stage.
Doors open at 7:00 p.m. with festival seating. Admission is FREE!

For more information on the series and other Theatre events, visit www.sjctheatre.org

The Soroptimist Cancer Transportation Fund provided $16,998 for ferry tickets for cancer patients and their caregivers in the recently completed 2012-2013 fiscal year. Twenty-two clients received help from the fund in this time.

This is the tenth year that fund has operated, providing ferry tickets to cancer patients and their caregivers living on San Juan Island and being treated on the mainland. The Soroptimists refer people who need to fly to the San Juan Eagles, who provide free private airplane trips to the mainland for cancer patients.

Starting in September, Julie Hanks is taking over from Liz Illg as the Ferry Ticket Coordinator. The Cancer Transportation Fund has a new dedicated telephone number and e-mail for clients needing ferry tickets. The new phone number for the Cancer Ferry Ticket Project is: 360-317-5086. The new email is:
soroptimistferrytickets [@] gmail [.] com.

The contact for the San Juan Eagles is Soroptimist Vicky Thalacker (378-4578).

Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor is a service club with the mission of improving the lives of women and girls locally and internationally.

Daniel Himebaugh-Pacific Legal Foundation
Roger Stark-Washington Policy Center

Friday Sept 13, 6:00PM Forum
Eastsound Fire Hall, Orcas Island-
Sponsored by the Orcas Eagle Forum

Sat Sept 14, 6:00PM Potluck and 6:30PM Forum,
San Juan Historical Museum-
Sponsored by the San Juan County Republicans

Volunteers needed for speaker lodging, set up and clean up
SJI bring a dish to share

Call Cindy Carter 376-2187 or Michelle Loftus 378-4738 for more information

The Master Gardener Fair Design Committee for 2013 wish to extend heartfelt thanks to the many folks who gave of their time, materials, and expertise, making our presence at the fair this year a footloose joy for all who passed our way.

There were the demonstrations ranging from good and bad bug ID to composting to best veggie gardening practices. Sunset Building Supply on Lopez, courtesy of June Arnold, loaned us garden décor items for our area and reduced pricing on soil and plants. Browne Home Center loaned us native plants and sedums. Ace Hardware donated plants for display. Wild Bird Bamboo loaned impressive bamboo for display. The San Juan Island Garden Club covered the cost of two banners for the Flower Hall. The San Juan Island Master Gardeners bought three other banners.

Special thanks to Teddy Deane for designing the banners, especially the welcoming banner donned with the smiling faces of some of the MG demonstration garden volunteers. Cattle Point Rock and Top Soil and Devon Foss for the loan of three large hardscape items. A loud cheer to the San Juan County Fair staff for their support of our larger presence and their help in all things large and small. To the Master Gardeners who gave of their time and sweat equity in the months leading up to the fair and all the work done in set up and take down, you know who you are.

Cheers and thanks,
MG Fair Design Committee,
Pat Reveles
Tori Benz-Hillstrom
Ervine Munroe
Liz Pillow
Linda Thompson

A new Beginning Marimba class is starting soon.  It will be held on Thursday evenings from 5:30-7:00 starting September 12.  No experience is necessary for the class and a personal instrument is not needed.  The Fall session is 11 weeks for a cost of $110. Learn something new this Fall and meet new friends!  It’s fun and it’s easy to learn.  For more info, contact Margie at 378-5437 or email her at:
nwredwood [@] gmail [.] com

Ed. note: This has been updated from when it was first posted…

Experience the life and times of early settler families at the San Juan County Pioneer Festival, a cooperative effort of the San Juan Historical Museum, Friday Harbor Grange #225, Battery D Foundation, San Juan Island National Historical Park and the Journal of the San Juan Islands.

Click poster for larger size

Experience mid-19th century Royal Marine Light Infantry and U.S. Army camp life from the Pig War era, with demonstrations of music, blacksmithing and carpentry. Black powder rifled musket demonstrations and the firing of the Battery D howitzer cannon will be highlights of the event.

Participate in interactive demonstrations from days of yore such as butter churning, apple cider pressing, spinning and weaving. Fun and games for the kids including three-legged races, sack races and the always popular cake walk. Break out your best recipe and enter the fruit pie contest! Bring your pies for judging by 10:30 AM.

If you are part of an early settler or prominent family in the San Juans we invite you to participate and showcase your family’s imprint on San Juan County history. Pioneer families from all the islands are welcome. If you would like to set up a display to tell your family’s story, please contact the San Juan Historical Museum at 360-378-3949 or [email protected]

Vendors will be present to sell assorted food items and crafts. Hamburgers, hot dogs, pop, beer and wine will be sold to raise funds for the San Juan Historical Museum, Friday Harbor Grange #225 and Battery D Foundation. Admission is free and donations will be graciously accepted!

For more information click here.