Voices From The Verge

All are welcome to attend a celebration and launch of Voices From The Verge, which will be held at Vashon Bookshop, on Friday, November 16th, at 6:00p.m. Janie Starr and Juli Morser created this small collection of poems, essays, and images in order to shine a light on the challenges and gifts of Island neighbors and invite us to connect with one another around what it means to live in a community where we all belong.

Expanded from the original Beachcomber series, "On The Verge", Voices showcases the diversity of Islanders with stories about life on the verge – that precarious place where many have resided for a myriad reasons. Contributors’ stories showcase their resilience, courage, and humor and are meant to engage and inspire. Contributors range in age from 10 – 97, and include a rapper, a brain cancer survivor, a farmer who used to ride the rails, a 3rd grader from Mexico, single parents, and teenagers overcoming adversity.

Because of the generosity of Sustainable Vashon, Welcome Vashon, and individual Islanders, proceeds from the sale of Voices From The Verge benefit the work of the Vashon Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness. (IFCH). To donate to Voices: www.sustainablevashon.org ; to donate to IFCH: www.vashonifch.com.

Come meet your neighbors, join the conversation, buy books, and explore ways to make Vashon a welcoming place for all. As June Schwarzbeck, age 97, said, "I came to Vashon more than twenty-five years ago, and I regret every day that I haven’t lived here."