Sandy Strehlou of the Town of Friday Harbor Historic Preservation Program thought this might be of interest to local high school students, teachers and parents and so would like to share it with you…

Do you know a student with a strong interest in historic preservation who is also engaged in climate change and sustainability issues? If so, pass along the following information to register for the Washington’s Youth Summit on Climate scheduled for October 1st at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue and being held in conjunction with the Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) annual conference on October 2nd and 3rd.

Read more here.

You may remember a short mention of the Parking Lot Sale at Mullis Center on the Update last month. While I was there getting photos I ran into Ina Mullis who said she would offer some background information on the Mullis Center and what they’re all about and how the whole thing is based so much on volunteers (which are really needed right now).  So here’s Ina, with more on that…

The Mullis Community Senior Center has been community funded for community and senior use from its beginning in 2001. When the previous senior center (Grey Top Inn at the Fairgrounds) was falling apart and the county couldn’t help, the seniors and the larger community (led by the Senior Services Coordinator at the time) raised the funds for the building and my parents donated the land. This is different from Orcas, for example, where the county owns the senior center building.

On San Juan Island, there’s a county/community cooperation where the county rents space for its Senior Service department (Wendy Stephens, Coordinator) at the Muliis Center. Then, the Senior Services Advisory Committee has the typical responsibilities of regularly advising the Coordinator on Senior Services, but on San Juan Island has the additional, rather large responsibility of operating/maintaining the facility.

Advisory Committee members are all volunteers, with the election of members held every fall. The ballots and descriptions of candidates are in the September newsletter (the Senior Signal), and the results announced in October. So, now is the time for candidates to volunteer! Being on the Advisory Committee is not hugely time consuming, but it is an important responsibility. The Center can really benefit from individuals with expertise in many areas—financial, building maintenance and repair, lawn and garden, law (rental agreements, etc.), non-profit regulations, publicity, cooking, and fund raising of all types. Candidates need to contact Bonnie Sliger, Assistant Coordinator, by September 11, 2013 at 378-2677.

Senior Services is holding its annual membership drive: $15.00 per person and $25.00 for a couple. It offers many valuable services, such as:

• Lunch Mondays and Thursdays at 11:30 for $5.00 (60 and over) or $6.00 (under 60), including a great salad buffet. ***There is a continual crucial need for volunteer drivers to bring seniors to lunch and to deliver lunches to seniors who are unable to attend.
• Regular trips for seniors in a wheel chair accessible van (shopping, scenic areas, etc.), “Friends and Neighbors” help program, foot care clinic, advice on senior services and insurances, etc.

The Advisory Committee holds fundraisers and also rents the building for community events (managed by Kathie).

• Pancake breakfast first Sunday of the month—all you can eat Pancakes.
• Coupon book which became available in May, and still has many good discounts (restaurants, dentists, and many stores around town).
• The annual parking lot sale and, then, other events as people think them up (e.g., dinner dance, entertainment such singers, dancers).

I’m happy to answer questions anytime. Also, it would be nice to raise awareness about the community responsibility for the Center. I could be wrong, but as the island population changes, more and more people could be just taking the building for granted and may not even know that it is dependent on community support.

Many thanks, Ina

Local award winning and #1 Amazon Best Selling Author Susan Wingate is co-hosting a publishing workshop next month in Anacortes. Here she is with more:

It’s official! Terry Persun and I are having another workshop in the area and we would love to help you get published. If you have always wanted to write a novel or have one finished right now, scroll down to read about our upcoming event.

And, feel free to forward this to anyone you feel might be interested.
Cheers!
Susan Wingate

Investing in your Book with Terry Persun and Susan Wingate
Join us as we learn to polish (revise) our stories. What publishing options are available. How to Promote your story now that it is available for the world to read.

Polishing: Now that you’ve written your novel, how do you know what needs revised and what doesn’t? How can you drive your good novel into breakout novel potential? There are definitive ways to approach revision that highlight your style and story. You have to know what to enhance and what to delete. This class will provide solutions to implementing critical revisions for your novel.

Publishing in today’s fast-moving e-Publishing world. They will talk about different publishing options and the role of publishers, publicists and agents in our new landscape of publishing in the 21st Century.

Promotion: How to promote your novel/stories now that they are out there for the whole world to read.

Check out Susan’s Website for more info.

Calling all island crafters, artists, bakers and creative-types!

The Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor is having a “Christmas for Critters” Holiday Craft Bazaar November 15 & 16 at The American Legion Community Room.

If you are interested in selling your hand-crafted items, baked goods, packaged hand-made food items or art, please contact Jan Murphy at [email protected].

Only 117 days til Christmas folks….

This fun and crazy annual family event features San Juan’s original Blaskapelle Oompah Orchestra, Bavarian menu and drinks, professional polka instruction, a singalong and kids’ crafts.

Break out the liederhosen and dirndl skirts for the costume contest! Brought to you by the SJI Chamber of Commerce. All Oktoberfest proceeds benefit the charities of the Lions, Rotary and Soroptimists. Collectible SJI Oktoberfest steins will be for sale.

For more information, email
Rebecca [@] SanJuanIsland [.] org, call 360 378 5240, or find the event on Facebook: SJI Oktoberfest.

Saturday, October 5, 5 to 10 p.m., at the San Juan County Fairgrounds on Argyle Street in Friday Harbor.

San Juan Community Theatre opens its new HD-live programs on Monday, September 9 at 7:00 p.m. with the National Theatre Live presentation of The Audience featuring Helen Mirren.

Recorded live from London’s West End, The Audience will be rebroadcast via SJCT’s new satellite, projection and sound systems, bringing the world stage into the Whittier Theatre.

Written by Peter Morgan and directed by Stephen Daldry, The Audience reprises Helen Mirren’s Academy Award winning role as Queen Elizabeth II.
For 60 years Elizabeth II has met each of her 12 Prime Ministers in a weekly audience at Buckingham Palace – a meeting like no other in British public life – it is private. Both parties have an unspoken agreement never to repeat what is said. Not even to their spouses.

The Audience breaks this contract of silence – and imagines a series of pivotal meetings between the Downing Street incumbents and their Queen. From Churchill to Cameron, each Prime Minister has used these private conversations as a sounding board and a confessional – sometimes intimate, sometimes explosive. Continue Reading

“Have you ever wanted to swim with the fish? Bull kelp is the fastest growing seaweed in the world, and the ultimate underwater playground for many aquatic species.”

Learn basic to advanced techniques of splitting, stitching, layering and weaving bull kelp while combining various coastal roots, greases and other organics to weave free standing vessel forms and stitched pouches. Bull kelp is worked wet and shares the characteristics of fine grade leather in that condition. When finished and dried it becomes hard and has textural qualities of tree bark. Here is an opportunity to explore this fascinating material.

Bullwhip Sea Kelp Pouches & Vessels. October 6, 2013. Instructor Shannon Weber. www.shannonnweber.com

The fee is $150. This is a one day workshop. Location and exact time to be determined (once we have access to the fall ferry schedule).

A minimum of 10 participants is required and we need commitment as soon as possible so that Shannon can make her travel and harvesting plans.

To go ahead and get your name on the list as “interested” until we can set time and location, contact Debbie Pigman at
pigmansartworks [@] rockisland [.] com.

Announcing a new monthly series on the San Juan Update. We are teaming up with the San Juan Historical Museum to bring you a short article with a new subject each month…

Here’s the first in a monthly series of archival photographs from the San Juan Historical Museum. Each image will feature a subject chosen with that month or season in mind. A variety of decades will be represented and we hope you’ll recognize some family members or those of your friends.

September is back to school time! Here’s an elegant 1912 photo of Friday Harbor High School students and teachers. Do you recognize anyone’s grandparents? Were the school pennants for inspiration or where these students were headed? To purchase this image and others, or for help researching your family’s island history, contact the San Juan Historical Museum.  www.sjmuseum.org

Here’s a note from Jan Murphy about her upcoming workshop at Wild at Heart Studios…

I like to ask workshop attendees who they would most like to take a creative art workshop from. So many of you have told me you’d LOVE to see a Sas Colby workshop that I knew I had to contact her and ask if she’d make the trip. Fortunately for us – she said yes and will be here on San Juan Island September 14 & 15, teaching a workshop entitled, “Art as Improvisation“.

This is a rare opportunity for artists of all levels to work with Sas, whose workshops usually take place in far flung locales such as Mallorca, Spain; France; and Taos, New Mexico. Her workshops are highly valued as breakthrough experiences by their participants.

This remarkable weekend workshop will celebrate the joy of painting and creativity as well as the art of surprise! Your art-making will get a massive jump start by diving into Improvisational exercises led by Sas who will present a world of new methods for getting started in the studio.

Mixed media artists, painters, jewelry-makers – whatever your medium of choice, you are certain to be inspired and learn new techniques to help take your art to the next level. Previous students of Sas have told me what they learn from her carries over into all their work!

Visit www.wildatheartstudios.com for more information about this workshop and to register. Keep in mind I’m happy to accept partial payment to hold your spot! Just give me a call at (360) 298-2195 or email me at
Sanjuanjan [@] gmail [.] com to make arrangements.

Treat yourself to a creative retreat in Friday Harbor – you deserve it!

Hope to see you soon!

Yours,
Jan Murphy
Wild at Heart Studios

Soroptimists International of Friday Harbor started off their fiscal year by providing $5,000 in additional funding to two vital community organizations. The club gave 2,500 each to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of San Juan County (DVSAS) and the Family Resource Center in Friday Harbor.

These funds are in addition to annual grants Soroptimists provide to these two organizations, whose services directly support the Soroptimist mission. The Family Resource Center is a drop-in, resource and referral center for community members that helps families use social services in San Juan County. DVSAS works to prevent  domestic violence and sexual assault and to provide services and support to victims.

Soroptimist International is a service club with a mission to improve lives and opportunities for women and girls in local communities and around the world. The Friday Harbor Chapter, www.sifri.org, raises funds, provides volunteers for community programs, and provides grants and scholarships to individuals and organizations to advance that mission.

Airport Manager Dave Ryan surveys the progress as construction continues on the new building.

Have you seen that new building going in on the east side of the Airport (inside the fence) near the bakery and wondered what it is? Well wonder no more – it is the Airport’s new Pilot Welcome Center.

The building will include new restrooms, airport and flight information for pilots as well as information about Friday Harbor, a seating area with possible wi-fi, and phone service.

Please join me in celebrating my 20th birthday and contributing to a good cause… I’m having a potluck/community gathering at the Grange Hall on Sunday, Sept 8, 2013. However, this isn’t your typical birthday party, but a way for me to celebrate one of my dear friends, and coworker, Don Adams. I’ve worked with Don at the Bluff Restaurant at Friday Harbor House for 2 summers and Don is going for radiation treatments for cancer 5 days a week off island. I’d like to ask all of you to help me help Don by bringing a dish to share and a donation to help offset Don’s medical expenses and join in an evening of music, food, and good company.

Please bring a dish and/or a beverage to share…we also welcome you to extend your evening festivities at either The Bluff at Friday House or Rumor Mill (or both!).

If you are unable to attend, donations may be dropped off or mailed to Islander’s Bank at:
Friday Harbor Branch
P.O. Box 909, 225 Blair Ave.
Friday Harbor, WA 98250-0909
(Phone: 360-378-2265).

Please make out checks to the “Medical Fund for Don Adams”

Questions? Email me at amandabrast [@] aol [.] com or call at 360.378.3253

Look forward to seeing you there!

Sunday, 08 September, 2013 05:00 PM – 08:00 PM

Islander and Yale graduate Beau Borrero is offering a 5-week SAT prep course for all island High School Seniors and interested Juniors, beginning Tuesday, September 3rd and leading up to the October 5th test date. Beau has been teaching SAT prep independently and with the Princeton Review for over 15 years. Beau’s students’ scores improve by an average of over 200 points, and they manage to have some fun in class too!

Course Schedule

• Sunday Sept. 8, 15, 22, 29: 10am – 1pm
• Tuesday Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24, Oct. 1: 7:00 – 9:00pm
• Saturday full-length practice tests, Sept. 14, 21, 28: 8am – noon*
  *Practice test sessions are not required but highly recommended.

Fees
$450 with registration prior to August 28, 2013, $500 thereafter.
More Information
E-mail: [email protected]
505 Spring Street • Friday Harbor, WA 98250 • 360 378-6393

Have you tried surfing or ever wished you could? Here is your opportunity to surf vicariously in Hawaii, on the Gulf Coast, in Ireland and Rapu Nui.

Come out Tuesday, September 3 at 7 pm to view Step Into Liquid, the weekly documentary offering from the Friday Harbor Film Festival at the FHFF office (10 First St., next door to The Toy Box. Admission is by donation, including free popcorn. Seating is limited.

Step Into Liquid takes us from the terrifying, monstrous waves of Oahu’s North Shore to the Texas waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the shores of Ireland and Rapu Nui. Told through the voices of legends, pros, and everyday surfers alike, it is not just a film for surfers, but for anyone with an appreciation for sport and an inkling of what it means to be “stoked.”

For more information, check out www.fhff.org.

Jordan is this week’s Pet of the Week

You may remember Jordyn from several months ago when he was featured as Pet of the Week. Sadly, this poor guy is still waiting for his own home and we thought we would re-introduce him. Jordyn is a complex fellow….very sociable when he’s in the mood for companionship, but a bit of a loner the rest of the time. He’s a big boy, and can tend to be overly-aggressive with other cats, so we think he’d do best as the only cat in a home. Jordyn would make an excellent barn cat, provided he still gets the attention he needs. Please drop by the shelter to meet him! 111 Shelter Road. 378-2158.

Photo Credit – Port of Friday Harbor

The Port of Friday Harbor and San Juan Island Fire Rescue have determined that the recent fire at 10 Front Street was not an intentionally set fire. A team of investigators determined that the cause was an electrical problem within a wall near the kitchen area.

The Fire Department reports that there were no injuries. The Port of Friday Harbor wishes to thank the community for the outpouring of support for the businesses and their employees who were affected by the fire. The Port of Friday Harbor’s Board of Commissioners and the Town of Friday Harbor have pledged to work together to begin the process of rebuilding this very important part of Friday Harbor’s waterfront as soon as possible.

BACKGROUND: San Juan Island Fire Rescue serves all of San Juan Island – including the Town of Friday Harbor – as well as Brown and Pearl Islands. Through a contract with the State Department of Natural Resources, the fire district also provides wildland fire suppression for all of San Juan County’s non-ferry served islands.

Predominantly staffed by volunteers, the agency operates seven fire stations, numerous fire engines and other vehicles as well as the region’s only fire boat. In 2012, the fire department responded to 241 calls for service.

Residents of Brown, Pearl and San Juan Islands are encouraged to contact the fire department if they are interested in becoming a firefighter. The next recruit academy begins in September at the Mullis Street fire station.

The Port of Friday Harbor is a public port district on San Juan Island that operates the marina in Friday Harbor, including Spring Street Landing. The Port maintains Jackson Beach and the boat launch ramp as well as the Friday Harbor Airport. The Port owns and operates numerous properties around the airport and waterfront, providing spaces for many locally owned businesses that add to the economic vitality of the community.