Rowan and friends in Madagascar - she's about halfway through her Peace Corps service & could use some help building wells there.

Whenever I see Rowan Braybrook‘s mom Erin around town, she tells me how Rowan’s doing with her Peace Corps work in Madagascar, and it would make anyone proud to hear the cool stuff she’s involved with. She sent me a review of what she’s been up to that I’d like to share with you – you’ll see what I’m talking about. (By the way, her blog is here). Here’s more from Rowan:

Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa

After graduating from Spring Street School and Middlebury College in Vermont, I’m now serving in the Peace Corps as a Natural Resources Management volunteer in northern Madagascar. I thought people on the island might be interested in hearing a bit about what I’m doing over here. I’m also fundraising for a rural well building project—there is a link at the bottom of this message where people can make tax-deductible donations.

Madagascar is, culturally and geographically, halfway between Africa and Asia. The island, slightly larger than California, is home to almost 20 million people and growing fast. Madagascar is famed for its biodiversity (including lemurs), rice, spices, poor roads, and of course, King Julian, from the movie of the same name. Madagascar is affected by a number of problems, including explosive population growth, political instability, deforestation, widespread erosion, poor infrastructure, poaching, a low level of literacy, and lack of jobs, and low income (the average family lives on about $250 per year).

My village is called Anjangoveratra, and is located on the main road in the far northeast of Madagascar, a region commonly known as the Vanilla Coast. I live in a converted office in the community storage facility (much more roomy and comfortable than it sounds) with no running water or electricity. I speak a mixture of three dialects of Malagasy, have no boss, and am constantly chasing cows out of my yard.

Toto, I don’t think I’m in the San Juans anymore.

Over 95% of the people in my area are subsistence farmers. Almost everyone farms rice (Malagasies have the highest per-capita rice consumption in the world), and many people also grow vanilla beans. The price of vanilla has fallen drastically in the last decade, so one of my main projects is to associate three vanilla cooperatives with a fair trade organization.

Although my placement is in the Environmental sector, I also do a lot of community development work. I work in conjunction with Missouri Botanical Garden, which oversees a 7200ha research reserve in my area, to reduce forest incursions through community projects designed to educate communities and provide work alternatives to rosewood and lemur poaching. Some of my other projects include starting a community library and English Club, conducting environmental education presentations, expanding a fish farming cooperative, spreading health information, and building wells in rural areas. I’m now fundraising for well building in three reserve-side towns that have high rates of water-borne disease; if you’re interested in reading more about the project or possibly donating, please visit this link below.

In addition to technical support for the people in my community, my job includes cultural exchange—bringing the outside world to Malagasies and telling the outside world about Madagascar. So just by reading this, you’re helping me with my work! I’m halfway through my two years of exhausting but hopefully rewarding and productive service.

Rowan Braybrook

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains on a clear day - Jim Maya was three miles south of Point Roberts when he took this picture Tuesday, with the Cascades in the background....

The sunny skies & summer-like weather continue this week (that’s news, since summer took so long coming this year!)….let’s looks around at what’s up:

Brook

• Remember Brook Visser who used to teach Pilates when she & Piet & the kids lived here? They’re in Andorra now, and she has a chance to win the Pilates Anytime Instructor Contest if you vote for her (and you get to see a video of her & daughter Emma as part of the deal!) – check it out here.

• Jody Price has a garage sale this weekend – it’s Saturday from 9am-3pm on Treeline Drive off Portland Fair.

• New baby! The Center for Whale Research announced yesterday that K27 has a new male calf, K44 – here are pictures on their website! The CWR reported they saw K27 with her new calf, and she rolled under her baby and lifted him as CWR photographed, so they were able to see right away that it was a boy!

Meanwhile, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer posted this nice writeup by Candace Calloway Whiting about the celebration for Granny (she’s the oldest whale around, and turns 100 this year!) last weekend – Candace is a volunteer this summer at CWR, and captured the event with photos & a reminder that efforts to recover the killer whale populations have to include salmon recovery as well…

Mike

• Living history: Mike Vouri makes history come alive in his presentations, and I feel like I learn something new every time I hear him.

Tomorrow night at the Library at 7pm, Mike  explores the impact of the American Civil War on San Juan Island, the soldiers and sailors stationed here. He also touches on how the secession crisis affected Washington Territory and the Pacific Coast before and immediately after Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter.(He’s the San Juan Island National Historical Park historian, by the way….but you already knew that.)

• Monday was a great day for a 5K, and a record crowd turned out for this year’s fifth annual Firecracker 5000 – here’s more from Paul Hopkins:

Temperatures near 60 with beautiful sunny skies greeted the record 123 participants in this year’s Friday Harbor Firecracker 5000, a 5 kilometer or 3.1 mile run/walk following the same course as the annual Turkey Trot.

Bellingham, WA resident (and part time island resident) Brent Molsberry took top honors among the men’s division with a time of 16 minutes, 8 seconds.  The 32 year old then headed out to Roche Harbor to compete in their 5K where he placed second with a time of 15:07.   Rounding out the top 3 were 16 year old Lucas Rydberg of Pinetop, AZ with a time of 16:17 and 17 year old Dan Dobras of Royal Oak, Michigan with a time of 17:44.

Karen Steen of Olympia, WA won the women’s division.  The 47 year old had a time of 19:03 and placed fifth overall.  Briana Nute and Heather Hyland were the next top women with times of 21:20 and 21:57 respectively.

The event is produced and managed by Island Athletic Events, LLC with special thanks to San Juan Island Fitness and Best Western-Friday Harbor Suites.  For full results visit www.sanjuanislandfitness.com or www.sjmarathon.org

The Soroptimists installed their new officers for the coming year: Front row, left to right : Patty Brightman, Heather Spaulding, Lori Stokes, Robin Jacobsen, Carolee Maya. Back row, left to right: Laura Tuttle, Julie Hanks, Michelle Lyons, Kim Galton, Marcy Hahn.

• The officers are set for next year – here’s more from Barbara Sharp:

Congratulations to the new officers of Soroptimists of Friday Harbor!  The officers for 2011-2012 are: President, Laura Tuttle; President Elect, Heather Spaulding; Past President Patty Brightman; Recording Secretary Kim Galton; Corresponding Secretary Robin Jacobsen; Treasurer Julie Hanks; Membership Treasurer Lori Stokes; Directors Carolee Maya and Michelle Lyons; and Program Coordinator Marcy Hahn.

The new officers were honored at the Soroptimists’ annual Installation Dinner, held at an elegantly decorated Mullis Center on June 26.  Members and their guests enjoyed dinner orchestrated by Becki Day and her hardworking committee, then danced to tunes supplied by DJ Dave Rhine.  The karaoke machine was also popular, with many aspiring rock stars taking the spotlight.

Soroptimists are looking forward to another busy year of service projects and community activities.  Watch for another great Bunko Night in September to benefit the Cancer Treatment Transportation Project, which provides ferry tickets for island patients travelling to the mainland for treatment.

Sororoptimists meet at noon every Wednesday at Vinnie’s.  For further information, go to www.sifri.org.

That's Steve Dyer adjusting the sound at open mike at the Rumer Mill for Cameron and Ian the other night....Steve does an awesome job of directing the show & the flow for the evenning.

If you’ve hung around just a little bit, you know that Give Yourself to Love is Kate Wolf’s beautiful ode to the the way love works… I love this song, and hope you like this version by Kathy Mattea in a recording she made for the Seva Foundation….

The fireworks display over Friday Harbor is sponsored each year by the island's Chamber of Commerce - thanks, you guys! Photo by Kevin Holmes.

…wasn’t it? The longest weekend you ever did see…it felt like it continued yesterday, too, as folks hustled to get to the ferry lines. And a great time was had by all!

I’ll be posting a bunch of pictures & film a little later this week – watch for ’em!

Pam & King Fitch's grandkids sold a lot of lemonade this weekend, getting ready for the Fourth!

See you at the parade & around the island today – have a great one!

Sunrise this morning, off Cattle Point...photo by Ary Hobbel (thanks, Ary - I slept in!)

Plenty of places to play on the island....

It’s part of why we’re here. And part of why folks come to see us this weekend.

The Fourth of July is when people on the island come together, and I hope you come out to the parade, or out at Roche Harbor, or figuring out where to watch the fireworks, or just to hang with friends & swap hugs, stories, and smiles.

Us, hanging together. That’s what makes it.

Happy Fourth to you!

Sunrise, from the Friday Harbor Marine Labs' dock....

Gearing up for the long weekend…have a great one!

• Have you seen Jennifer Beck Furber’s Baby By The Sea blog? She’s a heck of a writer, has great photos (another good way to tell a story), and just looking at it makes me glad I live here. Check it out here.

• All the photos from back then show her distinctive saddle patch…and now it’s time to celebrate! There’s a 100th Birthday Celebration for the matriarch of J pod, Granny, this weekend at 1pm at Lime Kiln…here’s the details.

Things are growing at Heritage Farm, down Cattle Point Road (before you get to Portland Fair) - be sure & visit their stand at the Farmers' Market, or drop by their farm store!

• Barry & the Kiwanis Club are ready for Monday’s annual picnic at the Historical Museum – here’s the scoop:

The Kiwanis Annual Pig War Picnic festivities begin right after the end of the parade, about 11 a.m., and continue on through the music, food, games, and activities until 4 p.m.  The location is on the grounds of the San Juan Historical Museum Grounds on Price Street.

Deborah & Hobbes have a really productive garden this summer - drop by the Farmers Market tomorrow & see!

Lunches are only $5 and there will be an abundance of food, including BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs with all the trimmings, coleslaw, and chips. Drinks and hot fudge sundaes are also available.  There will be a beer garden, too, featuring beer and wine.

Musical entertainment will be non-stop, and includes performances by Mallett, the Rhythmatics and The One More Time Band. Kids and adults will have plenty to do, with activities including face painting, an egg toss contest, a three-legged race, a pie-eating contest, a cakewalk and much more.  National Park Historian Mike Vouri will tell the story of the Pig War. Awards for entries in the Fourth of July Parade will be announced at 12:45 p.m.

For families who are looking for a way to spend a few hours relaxing and enjoying themselves without spending a lot of money, this is the place to be.  The fun begins when the parade ends and goes on until 4 pm.  The contributions from this event provide a significant source of funding for Kiwanis of Friday Harbor to offer scholarships and other services throughout the year to island children and youth.

Never know what you'll find at Farmers' Market - that's Vinny, Marco & Jessica with a baby goat. Photo by Kevin Holmes.

Always loved this song, and there are enough of us on the island who would rather be out on the water than anything…sing along with Crosby, Stills, and Nash:

Looking out over the harbor....

It was cool to hear from The Island Inn at 123 West‘s CEO Scott Hale that the inn is open – here’s the full story:

Red, White and New – Friday Harbor Hotel Opens July 4th

The Island Inn at 123 West will open all thirteen of its Friday Harbor accommodations, including seven Penthouses and six Eurostyle guestrooms, as scheduled on July 4th 2011.  “We worked extremely hard to get exactly where we wanted to be,” said Misty Todd, Reimaginator of The Island Inn.  When asked about her title, Todd clarified, “that’s what I’ve done with this project – reimagined it.  I am so glad we got to where should have been.”

Euro style rooms...

Todd is referring to the iterations of her iconic Friday Harbor waterfront venture which began conceptually in 2004.  Site preparation and cleanup of the former oil storage facility followed in 2006 and the construction of progressive and connective residential and commercial space was completed in 2009.  After briefly marketing the luxury residential condominiums for sale, Todd elected to pull the listings, saying, “I simply could not dilute any of these spaces; they are just too special.”

Ready, set....slow

Eager to share the extraordinary spaces with others, Todd offered the123 West residential condominiums as vacation rentals throughout 2010.  Strong and immediate guest feedback encouraged Todd to reimagine her project as a premier inn.  After taking a few swings at venue development and operations, Todd added Chief Experience Officer Scott Hale to her team.  “This venue and my role are both the right pace at the right time,” remarked Hale.

“The Inn’s design is phenomenal and complements the historic Friday Harbor waterfront,” Hale said of the Island Inn edifice.

A place to rest...

When asked how The Island Inn would be different from other Friday Harbor hotels, Hale chuckled and said, “We say that we’re off the coast of ordinary and we celebrate that daily. Experience Ambassadors answer your telephone and e-mail inquiries, we greet you in a space signed ‘re_combobulate’ and there really is a no diving tile in the Euro guestroom showers.”

Island Inn Penthouses range in size from 900 to nearly 1500 square feet and offer super comfy beds, spa-inspired steam-showers, gas fireplaces, flat panel televisions, wireless internet, and designer kitchens.  Eurostyle guestrooms range in size from 200 to 750 square feet and provide sleek styling and easy furnishings like cushy bedding, flat panel televisions and fun washroom elements.

During summer months, Eurostyle guestrooms start at $179 nightly and Penthouses start at $379 nightly.  The Island Inn at 123 West is the perfect spot for an easy San Juan Island getaway, wedding or business retreat.  To learn more about the Island Inn at 123 West, visit www.123west.com or phone 1-877-512-9262.

The Island Inn at 123 West opens this weekend...

Lime Kiln Lighthouse at sunset, early evening....photo by Mahesh Thapa (starvingphotographer.com) - thanks, Mahesh! (Click to see a larger, cooler version!)

Yesterday morning’s rain is nothing but good for keeping the plants going & growing – let’s see what else is going on:

• If you’re a photographer, you know shots like Mahesh‘s picture above take a little planning, a great eye, and sometimes a little luck, as well as great skill with a camera. When you look at his Starving Photographer website, you’ll see great work (love his stuff!) as well as the details of how he shot the pictures (here’s how he shot the one above.)

Thanks, for sharing, Mahesh!

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• Just got a note from Fiona at the Nature Institute, who says this weekend’s Seaweed Safari and Rocky Shore Exploration, set for this Sunday July 3, has been cancelled due to lack of registration.

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• Also – there’s so much work & progress being made at the Brickworks that their 4th of July Pancake Breakfast has been cancelled for this year.

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Saturday night!

• This Saturday it’s Deaf Pete playing at Pablito’s after 9pm…DP consists of Ryan Browne, Jake Beliveau, Jesse Kansanback, Hank Schuman, and Andrew Dunn. Here’s the scoop.

• This happened: I was in front of the Drug Store waiting for the cars to pass (people from off-island, you know – islanders usually wave you across) and I heard this couple next me talking about how they were heading for their boat to go fishing. The woman said, “Look! A bait shop!” and the guy said, “Cool!” and they headed over across the street to Haley‘s. They went in, came out maybe ten seconds later, looked at the posted menu, then went back in.

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A chance to get a clean car out of the deal - helping Relay for Life, and spiffing up your rig.

• If you need a haircut or stylin’…go see Tookie & Rose. They rock!

• Remember that little story about Hayden visiting the island? Thought I’d add a little to it…Here’s the connections: Carolyn Adler is his paternal grandmother, Sharon is his aunt, and Brian (Carolyn’s son) is his papa. Hayden’s mom Carey is the one visiting (she’s here this week with her fiance and Hayden) from Florida, as her folks moved back to the island a couple of months ago. You may remember that Brian & Sharon played soccer for FHHS, and are great people to have around.

This morning at the Big Store....

• How about that gas…when I mentioned that our cheapest gas got into the $4.60s a month or two ago, Kerwin over at Islanders Insurance mentioned that he & Margaret had a trip to Europe with Nancy & Bob Jones & the gas in Switzerland came to about $8.70 a gallon.

Meanwhile, Ann Harris told me around that time she was searching for something in the Update archives for spring 1999 & found this note at the time that I wrote: “Gas prices zoom: $1.84 at the Little Store over the weekend. Time to walk.”

Last week when I went to Nanaimo, B.C., the gas was about $4.80-$5 a gallon, so yeah, it’s cheaper to fill your tank here on the island than in Canada right now. So I reckon I’ll head over to IPS & fill up before I go over for Canada Day….

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Good deals at the jewelry store....

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• The WSF is running its regular schedule between now & the fifth, but has the option to add on additional sailings as need – here’s are when thos ould be:

Thursday, June 30, extra trip if needed, 8:45 pm
Thursday, June 30, extra trip if needed, 9:45 pm
Friday, July 1, extra trip if needed, 8:45 pm
Monday, July 4, pick up traffic at Orcas & Lopez if needed, 10:30 pm
Tuesday, July 5, extra trip if needed, 8:45 pm
Tuesday, July 5, pick up traffic at Orcas & Lopez if needed, 10:30 pm.

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George & Milene celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary last week - congratulations!

• Out at American Camp – Mike Vouri tells me: “Curious as to where the American Camp bald eagles are now nesting? Ask a staff member to show you! An easy 10-minute, (one-way) walk on the new Fraser Homestead trail.”

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• Have you seen David’s blog of his travels in Peru? Get ready to say,”Wow!”

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• Cady is getting the Written Word Contest together at the Fair, and there’s only a week & a half left to get your submission in! Here’s the deal:

The San Juan County Fair is looking for Written Word submissions for the 2011 fair. The due date for submissions is July 10th and the booth will be facilitated this year by the Wildfire Women Writers (WWW) group.

“We are hoping that people from all the islands who are inspired to write will submit this year,” said Cady Davies of the WWW. “We have contacted the libraries on San Juan, Lopez and Orcas and set them up as drop off points.”

Other ways to submit are by email to [email protected] or mail to Written Word, San Juan County Fair, PO Box 1094, FH, WA 98250.

“It’s important that all submissions follow the correct format, as it is disheartening when we cannot include a submission due to incorrect format or incomplete information.” Davies continued. “We encourage anyone who wants to share their work to do so. For those who receive first place prizes, there will be an opportunity to read their piece on stage, only if they wish, of course.”

The rules for submission can be found at these websites; www.islandwriters.weebly.com or www.sanjuancountry fair.org.

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The sound of music....the community marching band was practicing for the Fourth of July Parade last night on Guard Street...they sure sound good! That's Dave Eden as the drum major out front...

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• A good sized crowd helped at that fundraiser for Carmen Dixon a few weeks ago – and organizer Cindy Gutierrez has a big list of folks to thank! Here’s more:

I would like to extend a heart felt thank you to all who contributed to Carmen Dixon’s Benefit on the the 5th. I love the way this island pulls together and rallies around when an Island falls on hard time.  That’s what makes this place so amazing.

A big and special ‘Thank you’ to Abe, Andy, and Lisa Gutierrez and Venita Iverson for all their hard work in the kitchen!  As always, it was yummy!  To Verne Howard for donating all the food and supplies.  To the American Legion for allowing us to hold the event in their establishment.  And to all the local businesses that were kind enough to donate auction items.  Our silent auction was a success and we appreciate everyone’s time, energy and expense in support of Carmen.  Below is a list of all who donated something for the silent auction:

Ace Hardware
Afterglow Spa
Barbara Snider
Bo Turnage, DDS
Bow Wow Adventure
Brownes Lumber
Camille Cruz
Christina DeLorenzi
Christy’s Salon
Dominiques House
Downriggers
Duck Soup Inn
Finish Line Auto
Friday Harbor Drug
Friday Harbor Pet Supply
Griffin Bay Books
Halley Byne
Island Studios
Jessica Doolittle
Joan Byrne
Julie Caudill
Kim Burns
King’s Marine
Lisa Gutierrez
Lynn Wilson
Lisa Hess
Mar Vista Resort
Mary Fowler
McMillin’s Dining Room
Momentum Handbags
Monica Benedict
Nate’s Automotive
Osito’s
Paradise Lanes
Roche Harbor Company Store
Roche Habor Marine
Roche Harbor Resort
Sally Hazel
Salon Capella
Samantha Garl
San Juan Florist
San Juan Island Golf & Country Club
San Juan Roasting Co
Shirley Vejvoda
Theresa Hill
Tookie Sandwith
Venita Iverson
Vinny’s Ristorante
Windjammer Janitoral Services
Zip San Juan

Get well, Carmen!  Our thoughts and prayers are with you! –
Cindy Gutierrez

Over 80 kids tried out for the show....

Over 80 island kids came to auditions for the The Little Mermaid on Monday, and over 50 were cast for Saturday’s two shows – here’s more from the Community Theatre’s Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

It's this weekend!

Island Youngsters Shine in The Little Mermaid July 2

Missoula Children’s Theatre brings its special twist to the classic story of a little mermaid who lived “deep in the salty waters of the Sassafras Sea” to San Juan Community Theatre on Saturday, July 2.

A cast of more than 50 local children (1-12 graders) will have rehearsed all week in preparation for the two performances of The Little Mermaid at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the Whittier stage.

MCT’s adaptation (conceived and written by Jim Caron) of this age-old tale is full of humor, plot surprises and music.  Little Mermaid (Celia) lives for music.  In fact, it is said that she had the loveliest scales in all of the Deep.  Celia and her three sisters are allowed one visit to the World Above, each on her 16^th birthday, to learn the secrets of life on dry land.  Their discoveries include ferocious dragons, advancing armies and, of course, a handsome and resourceful Prince Charming.

Missoula Children’s Theatre has been touring around the country for the past 37 years, bringing teams of actors and directors into more than 1,200 communities each year.  Two Missoula directors arrived in Friday Harbor on Sunday, complete with a MCT “little red truck” full of costumes, set pieces and props.

The Business Partners for The Little Mermaid are the Bed & Breakfast Association of San Juan Island and Computer San Juans.  Tickets for the performances are $19 for adults; $9 for student reserved, with $5 student RUSH available one hour before each performance.  A private donor has made provision for free tickets to anyone needing financial assistance to attend a Theatre event.

Our friends at Rotary & Islanders Bank want you to keep this one on your radar for the Fourth:

The ever-popular Timebenders of Victoria, B.C. will be the featured band again this year for Rock the Dock.  This fabulously entertaining family-friendly street dance will be held at the Friday Harbor waterfront.  Plan on great music, a blast from the past with 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s music that highlights the stars from each era.

The Timebenders are a huge hit every year and the amazingly low ticket price of $10 for ages 12 and over returns this year to delight everyone at an affordable price.  This is a time for all of us to celebrate our country’s independence, dance, enjoy the music, and be together for one of the all-time best annual San Juan Island events.

Profits will go to Rotary projects such as the spelling bee and the local club’s effort to join in the goal to completely rid the world of polio.
Tickets will be available at the gate on July 4th.  Pre-sale tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce and from  Rotarians.  Rock the Dock with your friends and neighbors!

Remember Jeff VanDerford, who used to write & shoot pictures for the Journal? He & Nancy are retired in Virginia now, and he checks in every so often...that's them visiting the garden of the Governor's Palace at Williamsburg.

Looking around to see what’s up….

• I sure like the way Scott Hale has on the 123 West website, right at the top: “Ready, Set, Slow.”

Thor - at Griffin Bay on Thursday at 7pm

• Looks like Thor Hanson‘s set for his presentation on Thursday at Griffin Bay Bookstore this week – he was on NPR last weekend, and has nice reviews of his book Feathers in The Economist, Science News, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.

Here’s more from Nancy at GB:

Griffin Bay Bookstore is proud to announce an evening with San Juan Island’s own Thor Hanson, noted author and conservation biologist, on Thursday night, June 30, 7:00 pm.

Hanson will regale us with stories from his latest work, FEATHERS: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle. This is an event sure to enchant, and to inspire you to learn about the many remarkable aspects of feathers – from how they evolved to how they are used to attract others (of both the avian and human variety). “There are many things in nature well adapted to a single purpose, but few things adapted to many purposes,” says Hanson. “Their sheer diversity of form and function make feathers unique, from waterproofing to flight, insulation, and colorful display.”

Be sure to attend our evening with Thor Hanson; he’ll be here at Griffin Bay Bookstore in between events on his nation-wide book tour. FEATHERS has received many accolades, including the following from Peter Matthiessen, National Book Award-winning author of The Snow Leopard and Shadow Country:

“A fascinating book about the most remarkable—and beautiful—of all avian evolutionary adaptations, with wonderful accounts of ornithological investigations and the solving of biological quandaries and questions, all of it unusually well-written. Highly recommended.”

Laurie & Tim and the crew at Market Chef open on Saturdays during the summer, and last week's first Saturday was jammed on the deck out front...drop by & say hey this weekend!

• Here’s the word from the Washington State Ferries for this weekend:

Please plan ahead for heavy traffic this Fourth of July weekend. We encourage customers to walk on instead of taking their vehicles. Paid parking is available at the Anacortes terminal. The San Juan routes will operate on the regular summer sailing schedule.

Last Friday singer & songwriter Dana Lyons delighted the crowd at the Library with his wit & social conscience & very singable songs...and checked with Melina to make sure the library has his book, "The Tree."

You’ve read about the problems around the country in the other news, and it’s cool to find out that the local Red Cross is lending a hand. Here’s more from Sheila Harley:

On the eve of this great country’s birthday, it is good to be aware of the heroes who deploy out of the American Red Cross when disaster hits our own people.

During the terrible tornadoes that hit the east in late May, three of the Island’s Chapter Red Cross Volunteers deployed to North Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee for two weeks to assist with helping the victims begin to get their lives back together.

Tori Benz-Hillstrom, a licensed social worker from San Juan Island, deployed to North Carolina. She dealt with “Disaster Mental Health for survivors and American Red Cross staff.” She says, “Disaster is hard but rewarding and humbling. Anytime you can continually witness human beings at their best is rewarding in and of itself. Disasters bring out the very best in people, whether it’s seeing an individual’s gratefulness for still being alive after they lost everything they own, witness neighbors helping each other with selfless compassion, or continuously being amazed at the love and support that is brought from all over the country to the survivors from the volunteers of the American Red Cross and other organizations.”

Tori has just been asked to be a Disaster Health Manager for the Seattle Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Ann Bozeman is an American Red Cross Volunteer from Anacortes. She deployed to Alabama. She was involved with the outreach program in Hamilton. Ann is a Client Case Worker who spent time traveling to the rural areas assessing the needs of the people in outlying areas. She found that most of those who survived, some the only survivors on their street, hid in crawl spaces and bath tubs. She, also, was impressed by the people who cared so much about the welfare of their neighbors, even though their own homes were totally gone. She learned that folks needed to tell their stories to others. That was part of her job. She listened, thereby easing the burden of their despair.

Earlene Rothuage, RN, deployed to work in Memphis. Earlene lives in Friday Harbor, and helps her husband, Arlin, with managing our Island’s Red Cross Chapter. She worked at the disaster center in Memphis. It was her first deployment as an RN although she has deployed in different capacities to several other disasters including Hurricane Katrina. She was involved with registered nurses and emergency medical technicians. Earlene says she had a wonderful professional experience with nurses of all ages from all states. She also tells about the many churches in the area who opened up their doors becoming temporary homes for disaster victims.

Three cheers for these dedicated women who worked to share their expertise in helping out their fellow Americans through the American Red Cross. Their jobs were not easy but they all helped out to the level of their experience and MADE A DIFFERENCE.

Most people on the island are unaware that their monetary donations go directly to the American Red Cross in Washington, DC where they are meted out to those Chapters in the country that are in most need. This, to us, is a new way of donating.

If islanders wish to contribute to our own Islands Chapter, they can donate “in kind.” This means that one can ask our Chapter Director, Arlin Rothauge, 378-6500, what is needed here on the islands. Then purchase the item and donate it to the Islands Chapter. Of course, donating to the American Red Cross in any form is always most appreciated.

This is one of those vids you’re gonna watch & then forward to your friend who has 650 Facebook friends, all of whom will think you’re the cool one for finding it for them.

There, I did that for you. Check it out.

Hayden with his friend Popeye - she's helping keep an eye on him on the docks at the marina.

I saw Carolyn Adler playing with a kid this weekend, and I asked her about him. She says he’s the son of Carey Phillips (FHHS ’97), and they were up visiting from Fort Myers, Florida because her parents have moved back to the island earlier this year.

She says they’ll be here all week…and they had fun this weekend. Here’s more:

My daughter, Sharon and I had him yesterday all day, so we did a lot of things: hung out on the docks, visited a friend’s boat where Hayden was given a tour, Sharon took him to the fish tank, we saw Popeye and he wanted to feed her fish

Then we ventured out to Roche Harbor where we saw some pretty strange people out on the water having fun with the paddle boards and kayaks (he thought that was funny).

At the sculpture park we let him run around and get some energy burned off before we headed to dinner. We made sure that we kept him very busy! I think that we wore him out because he feel asleep at dinner.

It was great to run around at the Sculpture Park next to Roche Harbor.....