Articles in "Community"

Do you know someone who needs help? Do you suspect there are many others who are not being served? Share your thoughts. Let’s start brainstorming together and solving problems on the island. Send your ideas to Vashon Idea Box@aol.com , a suggestion box established by the Vashon Maury Island Community Council’s Outreach Committee. Better yet, join in the Outreach activities as well. The committee is looking for ideas and members to link with the various groups of islanders, all with different interests and needs.

On Saturday, September 24, eight labyrinths on Vashon Island will be open to the public from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. You are invited to take a self-guided tour of these labyrinths and the gardens where they are set.

The tour begins at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, which is located on the Island highway across the street from the Vashon Community Care Center. Maps and directions to the various sites will be available there.

Less than two months ago the United Nations declared a famine in parts of East Africa. It was widely covered by the national media for several days but has since received very little attention. Now the UN has even greater warnings about the scope of this terrible situation.

Tens of thousands of refugees have died and more than half a million children are on the brink of starvation. UN officials have stated that the famine continues to spread, warning that 750,000 people could perish in the next few months unless humanitarian aid increases.

On Friday August 19, 9 climbers set off to summit Mt Rainier. They have been training and fundraising for 6 months to a year for the Climb for Clean Water. The Climb is a Rotary project spearheaded by Sam Collins, past president of the Vashon Island Rotary and former Executive Director of Vashon Youth and Family Services. The fundraiser raised about $25,000 for clean water for 13 Guatemalan villages where the Vashon Island Rotary has been working to improve public health.

Some of the winners an participants in the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness first Salmon Derby held Saturday August 27th showing off their fish. Shown, left to right: Dan Houston, Richard McIntosh Sr., Richard McIntosh Jr., Dave Kuhns, Hawkins Ehret, Gene Kuhns Jr., Gene (Geno) Kuhns III. The first and second place winners, Richard McIntosh Sr, and Richard McIntosh Jr., donated their winnings back to the IFCH to help with their mission of assisting Islanders to find and keep housing. The IFCH will continue this derby every year and are hoping to become part of a larger, regional series of such derby’s that offer large prizes and attract participants from all over the Puget Sound. The event was organized by Gene Kuhns and Dan Houston.

A dog spotted movement along the fence line and stared for a moment then laid his head back down. He was old and stiff and cold and lost.
His red brown coat was long and rough, he had white legs and paws and a big white collar of fur, his ears flopped down at the tips.
The dog had been with the ranch for years, moving sheep from ranch to range and helping his people with all the care involved with livestock.

Just last month the Washington State Fairies were elected Official Unofficial Honorary Mayors of Vashon by a landslide (Yes, they did run unopposed, but a landslide is a landslide). Their campaign aimed to raise funds for our financially strapped public schools. And on Wednesday September 7th our Mayors (Mayorettes, if you will) will deliver a check to the Vashon Island Public Schools Foundation.

It’s definitely happening. On Sunday, Aug. 21, we’re having a potluck for all RPCVs living on the island and their significant others from noon to about 5 p.m. (drop in or stay for the whole time). Meal at 1:30 pm and we’ll provide paper plates, plastic forks, cups and name tags... you bring something to eat, bring your own beverage, and interesting stories. It should be a blast.

At length and at last the waiting is over. After a tension-filled two days and an additional day to tally and collate the results, voting returns are in for the 2011 Vashon Maury Island Garden Club Flower Fair. No longer will we have to suffer the agony of not knowing.

I was ecstatic to hear through a friend that a writer’s day camp for young adults will be underway in early August.  What’s compelling about this day camp is that Mel Michaels, the project’s mastermind, has also started a local publishing company, aptly named, Frog Holler Press.   Frog Holler Press will be publishing an anthology twice year with the creative work produced by local Vashon young adults.    

The fast-paced, high stakes and hazardous world of gardening is rarely more so than on Vashon Island, and the Vashon Maury Island Garden Club Annual Flower Fair provides the general Island population with their best opportunity to see the hard-won "fruits" of Garden Club member's efforts.

The Vashon Maury Island Heritage Museum is planning an exhibit for October 2011 titled ‘Home of Record: Vashon and the Viet Nam War’. A key feature of this exhibit is a special recognition in memory of  the twelve Vashon-Maury veteranswhose names are on the Vashon Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  We would like to contact any family members of these men