By LESLIE BROWN Staff Writer A handful of men stood under the shelter at the Village Green on a recent weeknight, shooting the breeze, missing the television set they used to share and wondering whose unopened cans of food were spread out on one of the tables. One man, prostrate on a table and seemingly asleep, sudden- ly stirred when talk of the TV began. “I want to see ‘Yellow Submarine’ again. That’s the coolest (film) I’ve seen in my life,” he drawled, lacing his description of the movie with a few expletives, prompting another man to tell him to cool it. “We’ve got a lady here!” And so it went for some time — a lively give and take at the park as the night grew deeper and the stars emerged. Some, when asked, said they were homeless. Some weren’t. One man, particularly well- spoken, said he had a home to go to that night but enjoyed spending his evenings at the Village Green. “A lot of people come and go. It’s a good place to hang out,” he said. Another man, who lived in the woods behind the Roseballen housing development until his camp was razed three months ago, sounded bitter when asked why he was there after dark. “We can’t go anywhere else,” he said. By urban standards, Vashon’s scene at its most centrally located park is mild. The police intervene on occasion, but for the most part, they’re a peaceable bunch, playing Frisbee and hacky sack during the day, sitting on the tables and talk- ing at night. The men and women who spend their days and evenings there, however, routinely leave a mess behind, and the bathroom — built three years ago for $85,000 — is often so dirty that the Vashon Park District considers it a public health hazard. Park district staff who have to 75¢ WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2012 Vol. 57, No. 20 www.vashonbeachcomber.com B EACHCOMBER V ASHON -MAURY I SLAND A ‘Church’ retrospective Vashon’s comedy revue looks to its past. Page 10 Track leaps ahead Two girls advance to tri-district meet. Page 15 NEWS | Vashon College offers a new course on ethics. Page 3 COMMENTARY | A look at both sides of rumble strip debate. Page 6 COMMUNITY | A ride in a hot air thrills seniors. Page 12 Credit union’s problem: A few too many deposits By LESLIE BROWN Staff Writer Vashon’s thriving credit union has had to put a halt to new business accounts — but for a most unusual reason: The small credit union is a little too flush with cash. Since Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union (PSCCU) opened a Vashon branch a little more than a year ago, hundreds of Islanders, many of them frustrated with corporate-owned banks and their escalating fees, have flocked to the financial institution. It now has about 2,000 members on Vashon and $20 million in deposits, a rate of growth that has astonished its founders and even garnered national media attention. The Los Angeles Times recently wrote a lengthy and glowing piece on the credit union, noting that Vashon’s branch — and the story behind it — has made the Island “a darling” of the Occupy move- ment. The story was picked up by the Seattle Times, the Bellingham Herald and other papers. The press attention brought even more interest to the credit But some are troubled by the mess they leave behind SEE VILLAGE GREEN, 18 Michele AnneLouise Cohen Photo A man watches two others play Frisbee on a recent evening. In the foreground are cans of food, brought by someone to share with others. Making a difference for others, row by row By SUSAN RIEMER Staff Writer On a warm afternoon last week a garden on Wax Orchard Road hummed with activity: One woman planted sunflowers; one more stopped by to help plant broccoli, and a man dropped in and headed off to mulch. All of this work was in support of the Vashon Community Food Bank Farm, a sunny acre that has produced 6,000 pounds of fresh produce each of the last two years under the guidance of a half- time farmer and a host of volunteers. The farm is expected to equal or surpass that harvest this year. According to food bank Executive Director Yvonne Pitrof, the farm, as well as a 7,500-square- foot garden at the food bank, are part of a nation- wide effort food banks have undertaken to increase the nutritional value of the food they provide. “It doesn’t get much better than fresh produce,” Pitrof said. Not every food bank has the room to grow its own food, of course, but doing so has become a part of the fresh-food effort. “Any food bank that can get its hands on land to do it is doing it,” she said. This year marks the third growing season for SEE FARM, 19 The food bank’s farm, part of a national effort, is bringing fresh produce to those in need SEE CREDIT UNION, 20 Homeless find a place at Village Green Susan Riemer / Staff Photo Shawna Herrmann, Carol Butler and Jenn Coe plant broccoli at the food bank’s f arm on Wax Orchard Road.
Transcript
By LESLIE BROWNStaff Writer
A handful of men stood under the shelter at the Village Green on a recent weeknight, shooting the breeze, missing the television set they used to share and wondering whose unopened cans of food were spread out on one of the tables.
One man, prostrate on a table and seemingly asleep, sudden-ly stirred when talk of the TV began.
“I want to see ‘Yellow Submarine’ again. That’s the coolest (film) I’ve seen in my life,” he drawled, lacing his description of the movie with a few expletives, prompting another man to tell him to cool it. “We’ve got a lady here!”
And so it went for some time — a lively give and take at the park as the night grew deeper and the stars emerged. Some, when asked, said they were homeless. Some weren’t.
One man, particularly well-spoken, said he had a home to go to that night but enjoyed spending his evenings at the Village Green.
“A lot of people come and go. It’s a good place to hang out,” he said.
Another man, who lived in the woods behind the Roseballen housing development until his camp was razed three months ago, sounded bitter when asked why he was there after dark.
“We can’t go anywhere else,” he said.
By urban standards, Vashon’s
scene at its most centrally located park is mild. The police intervene on occasion, but for the most part, they’re a peaceable bunch, playing Frisbee and hacky sack during the day, sitting on the tables and talk-ing at night.
The men and women who spend their days and evenings there,
however, routinely leave a mess behind, and the bathroom — built three years ago for $85,000 — is often so dirty that the Vashon Park District considers it a public health hazard.
Park district staff who have to
75¢WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2012 Vol. 57, No. 20 www.vashonbeachcomber.com
BEACHCOMBERVASHON-MAURY ISLAND
A ‘Church’ retrospective Vashon’s comedy revue
looks to its past. Page 10
Track leaps ahead
Two girls advance to tri-district meet.
Page 15
NEWS | Vashon College offers a new course on ethics. Page 3COMMENTARY | A look at both sides of rumble strip debate. Page 6COMMUNITY | A ride in a hot air thrills seniors. Page 12
Credit union’s problem: A few too many depositsBy LESLIE BROWNStaff Writer
Vashon’s thriving credit union has had to put a halt to new business accounts — but for a most unusual reason: The small credit union is a little too flush with cash.
Since Puget Sound Cooperative Credit Union (PSCCU) opened a Vashon branch a little more than a year ago, hundreds of Islanders, many of them frustrated with corporate-owned banks and their escalating fees, have flocked to the financial institution. It now has about 2,000 members on Vashon and $20 million in deposits, arate of growth that has astonished its founders and even garnered national media attention.
The Los Angeles Times recently wrote a lengthy and glowing piece on the credit union, noting that Vashon’s branch — and the story behind it — has made the Island “a darling” of the Occupy move-ment. The story was picked up by the Seattle Times, the Bellingham Herald and other papers.
The press attention brought even more interest to the credit
But some are troubled by the mess they leave behind
SEE VILLAGE GREEN, 18
Michele AnneLouise Cohen Photo
A man watches two others play Frisbee on a recent evening. In the foreground are cans of food, brought by someone to share with others.
Making a difference for others, row by row
By SUSAN RIEMERStaff Writer
On a warm afternoon last week a garden on Wax Orchard Road hummed with activity: One woman planted sunflowers; one more stopped by to help plant broccoli, and a man dropped in and headed off to mulch.
All of this work was in support of the Vashon Community Food Bank Farm, a sunny acre that has produced 6,000 pounds of fresh produce each of the last two years under the guidance of a half-
time farmer and a host of volunteers. The farm is expected to equal or surpass that harvest this year.
According to food bank Executive Director Yvonne Pitrof, the farm, as well as a 7,500-square-foot garden at the food bank, are part of a nation-wide effort food banks have undertaken to increase the nutritional value of the food they provide.
“It doesn’t get much better than fresh produce,” Pitrof said.
Not every food bank has the room to grow its own food, of course, but doing so has become a part of the fresh-food effort.
“Any food bank that can get its hands on land to do it is doing it,” she said.
This year marks the third growing season for
SEE FARM, 19
The food bank’s farm, part of a national effort, is bringing fresh produce to those in need
SEE CREDIT UNION, 20
Homeless find a place at Village Green
Susan Riemer / Staff Photo
Shawna Herrmann, Carol Butler and Jenn Coe plant broccoli at the food bank’s farm on Wax Orchard Road.
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Vashon College is offer-ing two new courses — one about ethical decision-mak-ing, the other about effective communication — taught by a former probation offi-cer with a long history of using the courses to help people change their lives.
Donna McDermott, known on the Island for her award-winning Icelandic Sheepdogs, moved to Vashon six years ago. Since then, she’s been flying frequently to Los Angeles and else-where in California to offer her courses, teaching them to probation departments and agencies at all levels.
But both courses have relevance to Vashon, she says, and she’s now hoping to play a larger role on the Island by offering classes that she believes can help Islanders make changes in their personal lives as well as in the larger community.
“Both of these classes are pertinent to where we are on Vashon right now. How do we understand each other? How do we make deci-
sions?” McDermott said.“My hope is that I can
give something to the com-munity in terms of tools they can use to deal with some things like the grow-ing drug problems and the miscommunication in some of our committees … so that this community has all the ingredients it needs to move forward,” she added.
“Ethical Decision-Mak-ing: Creating Positive Out-comes,” slated to begin Wednesday, June 6, will ask students to explore how they make decisions in their lives, especially in stressful situ-ations or when immediate action is required. Students will be asked to read the highly acclaimed novel “The Reader,” about a woman in post-war Germany prosecut-ed for her alleged role in the death of 300 Jewish women during World War II.
The Vashon Theatre will show the film at noon on June 3, with a discussion fol-lowing, in support of the course, McDermott said.
“Competent Communi-cation & Learning Styles,” which begins Thursday,June 7, explores the different ways people communicate and manage information and is designed to improve interpersonal interactions.
Each course entails four two-hour sessions, begin-ning at 6:30 p.m. Ethical decision-making is $100; effective communication is $110. Both courses pro-vide continuing education credits for Vashon public school teachers, according to Pamn Aspiri, adminis-trator for Vashon College.
“We’re very excited about them,” she said.
McDermott, for her part, said she’d be happy if she never flew into Los Angeles again. “The longer I live here, the less and less I want to go to California,” she said.
Vashon, she added, “is such an amazing commu-nity. … But we have a lot of folks who are conserva-tive when it comes to tak-ing action, and I think it’s because they don’t know a safe way to do it. I can help with that.”
The Beachcomber, in last week’s story “County officials question art center’s design,” misstated the size of the stage and orchestra pit. The stage is slated to be 1,728 square feet, and the orchestra pit will be 441 square feet.
Donna McDermott
To learn more about the two new courses, visit Vashon College’s website at www.vashoncollege.org.
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Need a replacement for your lost phone charger? How about a few bales of hay, some used bricks or a loaner refrigerator? Or maybe you’re seeking expert advice about how the heck to eject a stuck CD from a player.
Look no further: For these and thousands of other needs, an online com-munity named VashonALL is just a click away.
The list serve — a Yahoo email group — has been around since 2006, provid-ing a virtual marketplace for Islanders to seek, sell, barter and give away items, as well as announce events
and provide timely informa-tion about Vashon-centric things like road closures, power outages and more.
Over the years, the site has racked up more than 23,000 posts, and grown to include 1,735 active mem-bers, which means that almost two of every 10 people living on the Island belong to the group.
“This has been a tool that allows everybody to help each other,” said Julie K. Walton, who recently took over the reins of moderat-ing the list. “The thing I love the most are posts like, ‘If you mow my lawn, I’ll make you an apple crisp.’”
Walton, a former insur-ance claims examiner who moved to Vashon from the Midwest in December 2010, said she spends at least three hours a day monitoring the site — a volunteer job she sought out and relishes because she is disabled due to an autoimmune disorder and fibromyalgia.
“As a new moderator of VvashonALL, I found that instead of being a bored, housebound hermit, I had suddenly become a neigh-bor and a useful part of this incredible Island commu-nity,” she recently explained in an email introducing herself to the group.
Walton doesn’t plan any big changes for the site, she said in a phone interview.
“It’s moderated with a light touch — we give people as much freedom of expres-sion as possible,” she said.
But Viv Ilo Veith, who co-founded the site with Islander Julie Shannon and moderated it for its first six years, said the group’s membership has needed to be reminded from time to time that VashonALL is a place for information, not discussions. Nor is it appro-priate to post invitations to religious or political events, or talk about anything that is not family friendly.
Posts about wildlife and pets, in particular, she said, have led to the most heated exchanges.
“We’ve had about four blowups, and they’ve all been about animals,” she said. “The first one was about squirrels, then there were two about raccoons,
and the last one was about loose dogs. But it has not happened very often over the years, because we treat people like we expect them to act like adults. Information is OK, but if there are opinions and emo-tions, we cut it off.”
Veith, who moved to Seattle in 2009 to receive medical treatments for a brain injury and pur-sue work as a voice artist, said she has had to ban a few posters from the site for breaking the rules and other infractions. But for the most part, the group had functioned well, she said.
“I really loved running VashonALL. … It was my connection to the commu-nity,” she said. “It was a hard decision to step away.”
Guidelines for posting on VashonALL can be found by Googling the group’s name and then clicking on the Yahoo site. All Islanders and people with a connec-tion to Vashon are welcome to sign up, provided they explain why they want to join.
After that, the fun of receiving dozens of infor-mative emails a day from friends, neighbors and com-plete strangers can begin.
This being Vashon, though, new members can also expect a prank post at least every now and then.
Veith recalled that sev-eral years ago, during the construction of the Large Hadron Collider in France — a scientific machine that is the world’s largest and highest energy particle accelerator — Islander Tab Tabscott penned one of her all-time favorite queries on VashonALL.
“He posted that he was looking for a lower rota-tor magnet for a smallish Hadron accelerator that he was building in his back-yard,” she said.
“Someone wrote back, saying she thought she had one in her barn, but she wondered how he was keep-ing his hydrogen liquid. … I let those posts stand — it’s nice to have some humor every now and then.”
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Vashon reported no cases of pertussis in April and has reported only one case so far this month, according toofficials at Public Health —Seattle King County.
The respiratory illness, also known as whooping cough, has reached epi-demic levels in the state, with 1,284 cases reported in Washington through May5, compared to 128 cases reported during the same time period last year.
Earlier in the outbreak, Vashon had been report-ing a disproportionately high number of cases of theillness compared to other areas in the county. WhileVashon’s numbers have decreased, public health officials remain cautious about the situation here, as reported cases typically represent only a small per-centage of actual cases.
Earlier this month, Gov.Chris Gregoire announced the state is putting $90,000into a public awareness cam-paign to help combat the spread of the disease. State officials have also asked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to send a team of investigators to the state to assist with the epi-demic.
Free-wheeling VashonALL captures the Island’s attention
Other Vashon Yahoo groups include Vashon Freecycle, a place where members can procure or give away free items, and Vashon Thought, a forum for ideas. Each of the groups — including VashonALL — has differ-ent moderators.
With nearly 2,000 members, posts are flying daily
By NATALIE JOHNSONStaff Writer
Next week two veteri-nary experts will visit the Island to discuss the latest information about an issue that has plagued Vashon in recent years: leptospirosis in dogs.
Sharon Hopkins, a King County public health vet-erinarian, and Ron Whorle, a public health veterinarian for the state Department of Health, were invited by Fair Island Animal Clinic to talk
and answer questions about leptospirosis and the vac-cine for it. They will also address other diseases that can be spread between ani-mals and humans.
The Island hasn’t had a full-f ledged leptospirosis outbreak since 2006, when 60 dogs were confirmed to have the disease. However, Don Wolczko, a veterinar-ian and owner of Fair Isle, said Vashon continues to have higher rates of lep-tospirosis than other areas. Vashon has seen seven con-firmed cases of leptospirosis in dogs since last November. The disease mainly spreads during the winter.
“We see more of it on the Island,” he said. “It’s a worldwide disease, but it’s such a sporadic disease.”
The higher numbers could also mean Islanders are more aware of the prob-lem and therefore more apt to take a sick dog to the vet.
“Now that we’ve had an outbreak, once you learn something you’re more like-ly to see it,” Wolczko said.
What’s more, Wolczko said he believes misinfor-mation has circulated the Island about the effective-ness of the leptospirosis vaccines.
More then 100 strains of leptospirosis exist and vac-cines don’t cover all of them. Many clients question their effectiveness, Wolczko said, and he’s seen pet owners opt out of vaccinating because it doesn’t seem worth it.
Wolczko said he respected other opinions but wants to
provide a forum for people to get the latest information. He said one of the vets will present a recent study that suggests the vaccine is, in fact, effective and that they will explain which dogs are more at risk of getting the disease.
“I think there’s still a lot of confusion on the Island about whether to vac-cinate,” he said. “We just want to bring an objective third party expert to lay out all the facts and let people have that information and make an intelligent decision about it.”
The veterinarians will also speak about other zoonic diseases — or diseases that can be transferred between humans and animals, such as rabies — and how to
protect humans and pets from them. Leptospirosis, for instance, can be spread from raccoons to animals through urine.
“I just hope people willhave a higher level of beinginformed with the latestinformation available on these topics,” Wolczko said.
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The Beachcomber office will be closed Monday, May 28th
Advertising Deadline Thursday (May 24th) at 1:00
Classified Advertising deadline Friday (May 25th) at 1:00
With $380,000 raised to date, the Vashon Island School District’s foundation is still pushing hard to meet its $500,000 goal by June 30, when the district’s fiscal year ends, according to the foundation’s chair.
Zabette Macomber said she and others on the board are pleased with the degree of giving. About 36 percent of the district’s families have pledged or donated so
far. Last year, 40 percent of the families donated to the campaign — a figure she believes will be higher this year, with a month or so still to go.
And with $380,000 raised, the district won’t have to lay off any teachers or adminis-trators, she said. “I’m com-pletely confident we’ll get above $400,000,” she added.
What’s more, the Seattle Foundation’s GiveBIG day
was successful: $40,000 poured in on that day alone, she said.
But since the GiveBIG day on May 2, the pace of donations has slowed, she said. “It’s harder now that GiveBIG is over,” she said.
“We’ll keep on,” she said, adding that she thinks pro-crastination is what’s get-ting in the way now. “If everybody donates, it makes it so much easier,” she said.
Vets will explore leptospirosis in dogs at a public meeting next week
Sharon Hopkins of King County and Ron Whorle of the state Department of Health will speak and answer questions at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at McMurray Middle School.
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Write to us: The Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber welcomes community comment. Please submit letters — e-mail is preferred — by noon Friday for consideration in the following week’s paper. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. Only one letter from a writer per month, please.
All letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and libel considerations. We try to print all letters but make no promises. Letters attacking individuals, as well as anonymous letters, will not be published.
If you took the most pristine wetland in Vashon, built a coal-burning asbestos plant on it, then hired inmates from Guantanamo Bay to work there, it still wouldn’t be as controversial as rumble strips. I’ve never been one to miss out on a good maelstrom, so I thought I’d jump into the fray.
In November 2009 I was in the middle of a cross-country bicycle trip when some guy in a car began changing his radio station and drifted onto the highway’s shoul-der. He plowed into the back of me at 50 mph. I bounced off his windshield, flew over his roof, and if I could have stuck the landing, I would have been OK. As it was, I did a belly flop on the asphalt, which sent me to the ER with cracked ribs and broken bones in my face.
Two things would have prevent-ed that accident — a rumble strip or a better song on the radio.
Elsewhere on the same trip I came across more than a few high-ways with narrow shoulders filled virtually side-to-side with rumble strips that forced me to ride in traffic. Traveling this way became a learning experience — in that I learned a few new swear words from angry drivers.
Even in the most bicycle-friendly environments, the cyclist and motorist all too often have an antagonistic relationship, with each group holding passionate opinions. This was evident recent-ly as the rumble strip road crew
was stopped dead in its tracks after a protester threatened to block its way — Vashon’s version of Tiananmen Square (although it
was actually an email to County Executive Dow Constantine that halted the project).
As a driver, nothing boils my blood faster than the hubris of a cyclist who obeys traffic laws only when convenient. Some operate a bicycle in a manner they would never dream of doing in a car, yet they demand all the rights and courtesies accorded a motorist.
As a cyclist, I long ago grew weary of the argument that bikers don’t deserve a voice regarding the roadways as they don’t pay for them. This simply is not the case. The lion’s share of the oft-cited gasoline tax pays for freeways and major highways, which cyclists cannot use. Typical county and local roads are maintained in large part by sales and property taxes, which every cyclist pays. In fact, given the relative wear and tear a car has on pavement verses a bicycle, the argument can be made that anyone riding a bike is
shouldering a greater burden of roadway upkeep.
Certainly drivers have every right to the safest roads possible, but the cyclist, as a legal user and financial steward of the roads he or she travels, also has every right to voice grievances when the fair use and enjoyment of this public asset is threatened.
Personally, I have seen what the absence as well as the inappropri-ate use of a rumble strips can do, and I would be in favor of the judicious installation of this safety feature. With King County’s open house scheduled for next week, I am sure there will be many per-sonal stories both for and against rumble strips. My hope is that each camp will listen in good faith to the opposition and see both sides as legitimate stakeholders in this issue.
If lucky, we may end up with something more implausible than a wetlands asbestos plant — a compromise that both motorists and cyclists find equitable.
— Chris Austin is the circulation manager at The Beachcomber.
EDITORIAL
Countless communities across the country have struggled with the situation Vashon is facing with its Village Green. It’s disheartening on many levels.
It’s hard to see a sweet park occasionally turned into such a mess. It’s frustrating to know that a bathroom built at public expense is now nearly unusable. Most of all, it’s sad to see the reality of this intractable social and civic problem right in the heart of our town — the fact that a handful of people on this Island have nowhere to go or nothing better to do than to hang out in a park, often after hours and sometimes in a state of inebriation.
We believe the park district is right to focus on sanitation at the Village Green and push hard to address it.
We also believe that we Islanders need to live at peace with these men and women who spend the better part of their wak-ing hours in the park, most of whom are decent people who have had difficult lives.
As Rebecca Wittman, the Farmers Market manager noted, they could be our brothers, our sons, our sisters, our daughters. Compassion is in order.
During a conversation with The Beachcomber the other night, some of them noted that they have few alternatives on Vashon — now that a large homeless camp behind the Roseballen housing development is gone. A few of the people who lived in the camp were able to get placed in housing, thanks to the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness and Vashon HouseHold. But some couldn’t — or wouldn’t.
Even in the best of times, there’s a kind of homelessness that is very tough to address. These days, with the economy far from thriving and our social-welfare net tattered, we have far less to offer.
We applaud the park district’s effort to address the sorry state of the bathroom and the overall condition of this wonderful park — put into public ownership a dozen years ago by a com-munity that recognized its worth.
We also hope we can maintain a spirit of goodwill and neighborliness as we pass through the park or linger there with a cup of coffee or a good book. It’s a public space, our town’s living room. Let’s share it with all our of neighbors, no matter their background or bearing. And let’s support the park district in their efforts to keep it clean.
LETTERS TO THE EDITORVAA arts center
Think of Island history and you must think of Vashon Allied Arts. Its rich contributions to Island life reach back to roots planted in 1949 by Norm Edson and Art Hansen. That’s history — history that counts for a lot more than a decrepit quonset hut with a false front. The McFeeds building started life as the Zarth Garage, pumping gas and selling cars. Maybe folks would like to see a gas
station and car lot in place of the beautiful entry of the new Center for the Arts?
My choice: Let’s enhance and expand an existing historic use on the corner, the state’s oldest con-tinuously operating independent arts organization. The new Center for the Arts will serve hundreds of children and adults each year and enrich us with wonderful music, dance and drama performances.
Within easy walking distance of our schools, VAA has for decades helped fill the Island’s arts educa-tion gap — a gap that our strapped school district can’t fill as it scrambles each year just to main-
tain basic education.Did you know the Zarth gas sta-
tion and car lot replaced a school and church? So why not revive the real historic usage of the corner by enhancing a historic, superb com-munity educational service?
As for scale, the roasterie and adjoining Mitchell Construction building run about 100 yards end to end. In other words, the pro-posed Center for the Arts perfectly matches the frontage of the exist-ing use on the opposite corner. And the building’s position allows for restoration of a wetland, the headwaters of the east fork of Judd
Share the park: It’s an ethic we all should embrace
Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, 17141 Vashon Hwy SW, Suite B, Vashon, WA 98070; (USPS N0. 657-060) is published every Wednesday by Sound Publishing Inc.; Corporate Headquarters: 19351 8th Avenue NE, Suite 106, Poulsbo, WA 98370-8710. (Please do not send press releases to this address.)SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $30 on Island motor route delivery, one year; $57 two years; Off Island, continental U.S., $57 a year and $30 for 6 months. Periodical postage paid at Vashon, Washington. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Beachcomber P.O. Box 447, Vashon Island, WA 98070.
The King County Road Services Division will hold an open house for Islanders to learn more about the rumble strip project and ask questions from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, May 21, at Chautauqua Elementary School.
The Center for the Arts offers immense value for our community, a truly historic opportunity.
— Rick Wallace
Thank you so much for the article concerning Vashon Allied Arts’ pro-posed performing arts cen-ter (“County officials ques-tion art center’s design”).
The King County Historic Preservation Office has raised impor-tant aesthetic issues con-cerning the “streetscape” that would result from a structure of almost unprec-edented size in a historic area. As they noted, their argument is not about the intrinsic merits of the facil-ity or its design, but its relationship with existing buildings.
— Doug Ostrom
Rumble strips
The King County Roads Division is holding a meeting Monday night to discuss the rumble strips they’ve ground into the
Vashon Highway. They have assured us that it will not be a public relations snow job and that they will thoroughly answer the questions that we posed to them at a May 7 meeting. For the list of questions and more information about the rumble strips, please go to bikevashon.org. We’d like to see a huge turnout of Islanders of all kinds.
Who should care about this issue?
Obviously bicyclists, everyone from the hard-core winter commuter and the serious exercise rider to the occasional rider and the dozens of school kids who bike to school. Those who walk and run on the shoulder of the highway will now have to share a much diminished lane with cyclists. Parents pulling kid trailers behind bikes and pushing strollers no longer have enough room. We simply don’t have ade-quately wide shoulders for rumble strips and all the non-motorized users.
Friends tell me that the motorcyclists find rumble strips dangerous and annoy-ing, and many car drivers who have been courteous about giving bicyclists and pedestrians a wide berth are now reluctant to cross the center line. The merchants in town and those interested in tourism on Vashon have to know that hundreds of cyclists enjoy our cycling paradise on summer week-ends and that rumble strips will diminish the experience
for them. Lastly, all Islanders who
care about having some measure of local control over our affairs should care. We don’t want King County bureaucrats ram-ming projects down our throats without any con-sultation, discussion or consideration of what is appropriate for Vashon.
— Steve Abel
Placing rumble strips on Vashon Highway is like putting stoplights at every intersection: unnecessary, annoying, patronizing and divisive.
According to King County’s statistics, only one car per quarter runs off Vashon Highway on aver-age, and it’s not because the driver has fallen asleep on a high-speed limited access freeway. We don’t need rumble strips because people on Vashon Highway are generally poking along except for the ferry dashers. The last thing they need are rumble strips, which mar the beauty of our Island.
Most importantly, they detract from the bikeabil-ity of the Island. It is the county’s responsibility now to repair the damage and make good on their prom-ise to encourage walking, biking and a sustainable future.
— Joanna Wiebe
Vashon Islanders and mayflies have something in common. When bestowed with one warmish sunny day, we emerge from our dens (and ponds, respectively) to consume the day as if it were our last.
Unfortunate for mayflies it is, but for Islanders, we will live (in most cases and in spite of ourselves) to see another solar-charged day. And until that happens (face our last day, that is), we will nurse our self-inflicted injuries under the cover of clouds and tend to our skinned knees, thrown backs, sunburned schnozes, nettle-stung ankles and bramble-scratched brows. But make no mistake; we will not give up on the day until the final waning ray of sun retires well below the Olympics. Oh, and should a sunny day occur on the weekend, Lord have mercy.
For me, my sunny day activities begin post bird chirps, but prior to any buzz from the beehive. Primed with some high-octane joe, I grab pen and paper like a dutiful school boy with all the right answers, and begin drafting my plans for the day. While my to-do list may spill over to the next page, depending on diagrams and doodles, my pronounced and project-ed accomplishments are actually tempered a wee bit these days. Awareness is a gift with age, and my inner voice of reason is curiously spot-on, so I listen.
Around the age of 50, my body put in a
personal request for the inclusion of nap time on my to-do list. It just appeared one day, after my “make lunch” entry. My mind seconded the motion and reran several post-traumatic home-improvement flashbacks for good
measure and to drive the point home. Such epiphanies, along with age, per-
sonal reflection, achy joints and a high medical insurance deductible, rouse sev-eral important realizations: chainsaws are for men who have never worn Topsiders; ladders are for lads with more cartilage than bones, and staple gun usage should fall under the guidelines of the Brady Bill. There is one machine that I’ve managed to remain at peace with, my riding mower, and that is thanks to federally mandated safety standards that call for it to shut-down anytime I’m not on it.
When I make my to-do list, I always ignore the math. Sure, I can weed whack the rockery, rototill the garden, repair the chicken coop, walk the dogs, plant trees,
go to the farmers market, clean the foun-tain and prune the raspberries, all before making a pie to bring to an evening pot-luck. If I did tally the time needed for the labors of my day, I’d be too overwhelmed to start a one. So I say “hello” to denial and plug away as if the day and my focus have no end.
Another thing I consider and am pre-pared for is the inevitable to-do list detour, brought on by drop-ins, broken equip-ment, the time and space continuum and my status as a mere mortal. Just last week as I sprang forth from the porch ready to seize the day, I found my weed whacker without string, my tiller DOA, my mower suffering from the vapors and my post pounder in hiding.
Moments like these make me alter my to-do list to include what others might see as flimsy excuses for tasks, silly fodder to check off as the day progresses. Well, yes,
that is exactly right. I add things like flush toilet, feed dogs, make iced tea, retrieve mail and test the hammock. Quantity trumps quality some days, and knowing I got 20 things done fosters a sense of accom-plishment, no matter how trite the task.
On a recent sunny Saturday, I was reviewing my list of actions items, weeding tools in hand, when I heard the crush of gravel down my drive. A gleaming chariot approached, driver and riders shrouded under the veil of tinted glass. Ultimate driving machine parked, the car doors opened to expose a boisterous crew of friends from Seattle, each carrying some goodie or libation as an offering. My pic-nic flash mob gushed over the beauty of Vashon, the dreamy ferry ride and the progress I’ve made on the place. After a round of hearty hugs and hellos, one friend said, “I hope we’re not interrupting any-thing.” I assured him that the only thing on my to-do list was to enjoy the day, this very sunny day, with friends.
And I’m happy to report, that’s just what I did, without incident, injury or a call to 911. As for my to-do list, I folded it, tucked it under my favorite refrigerator magnet, just so I’d know where to find it on our next sunny day, say in July or August.
—Tom Conway, a writer and gardener, writes a blog about Island life called Tall Clover Farm.
On often-gray Vashon, to-do lists can wait when the sun comes to callTHINKING SPRINGBy TOM CONWAY
CONTINUED FROM 6
Page 8 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM
DSHS Mobile Office: Employees of the DSHS van will help Island-ers apply for cash assistance, basic food assistance, medical assistance, drug and alcohol treat-ment and child care services. The Division of Child Support will also be available to help with case issues. 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the food bank and from 3 to 5 p.m. at Vashon Market.
TTY Phone Service: Meredith Engle, an outreach specialist for Washington Relay, will describe the text-telephone system using relay operators for anyone who is deaf, blind, hard of hearing or speech disabled. 12:30 p.m. at the Senior Center.
Chamber General Membership Meeting: The guest presenters will be Molly Reed and Angela Luechtefeld, discussing the cir-cumstances that launched the development and planning that has gone into the proposed VAA Center for the Arts. 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Penny Farcy building.
Senior Center Spring Style Show: The fashion possibilities from Granny’s Attic, Luna Bella’s and Wendy’s Weather’d Wear will be modeled at a high tea. The cost is $8. 1 to 3 p.m. in the Senior Center on Bank Road.
The Perfect Storm — Harmful Algae, Migrating Seabirds and Warming Seas: Julia Parrish, UW professor, marine scientist and executive director of the Coastal
Observation and Seabird Survey Team, will provide this month’s Audubon presentation. Free. 7 p.m. at the Land Trust Building.
Preschool Story Time: Zeke Burgin will read to kids and par-ents. 11 a.m. at Vashon Bookshop.
Master Gardeners: Talk to the experts. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside True Value.
Spanish Story Time: Little ones are invited for Spanish stories.Speakers of all languages are welcome. 10:30 a.m. Fridays at the Vashon Library.
Ober Park Work Party: Rainier Haugen, working toward his Eagle Scout rank, will lead a work party in the Ober Park woods to begin improving and widening the existing informal trail and mak-ing it ”toddler-friendly.” Haugen is working with Ed Swan from the Vashon Alliance to Reduce Substance Abuse, applying crime prevention through environmental design principles. The Vashon Park District invites input and assis-tance on this project. Contact Jan Milligan at 463-9602 to comment. 9 to 11 a.m. at Ober Park.
Yard and Plant Sale: Vashon Island Pet Protectors will host its annual sale. Donations are needed and may be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday, at the former Island Variety near Vashon Market. No mattresses or cloth-ing. For more information, call Lois Yunker at 463-0780. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the old variety store.
PEO Yard Sale: This multi-family sale will benefit PEO, which sup-ports educational opportunities for women. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church.
Spring Roadway Cleanup: Teams will be created to adopt a section of Vashon roads and help eliminate roadside litter. The event was created to bring awareness to the dangers of drinking and driving, and in the first two Island events, more than 300 pounds of trash were collected, with 60 percent alcohol-related. Teams are needed to tackle Wax Orchard
Road and West Side Highway. The Vashon Alliance to Reduce Substance Abuse will provide trash bags and collect the trash. For more information, email Robin Blair at [email protected]. 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays, May 19 and 26.
Master Gardeners: They will be available to help answer questions about general vegetable garden-ing, organic pest control, using row covers and more. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside True Value.
Vashon Farmers Market: There will be gourmet salad greens, sweet turnips, heirloom tomato starts and many just-picked treats from local farmers. Free-range chicken and duck eggs will be available as well as gluten-free cookies. Handmade soaps, organic skin products, wooden bowls, hand-carved kitchen implements, caramels for connoisseurs, local craft beer and wine and authentic Mexican fare will also all be for sale. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vil-lage Green.
Land Trust Intro Tours: Learn about the land trust by taking a tour of a conservation project in progress. The tours are offered the third Saturday of the month. Free. For more information, contact the land trust at 463-2644 or [email protected]. 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Singer Farm on Sing-er Road between S.W. Cemetery Road and S.W. 204th Street.
Climate Change: In an interactive Skype presentation, Frederic Joyce, PhD, from Al Gore’s Climate Aware-ness Project, will offer the latest information and answer questions. He will include information on what we need to do now to ensure a reasonable future for those who come later. Free. 1 to 3 p.m. at the Land Trust Building.
Raw Vegan Potluck: Bring food to share, plates and utensils. Call Linda Fox for more information, including her address and direc-tions. 5 to 7 p.m. at Fox’s north end home.
DoVE Turns 1: Celebrate The DoVE Project’s one-year anniversary and help put an end to domestic violence on Vashon. RSVP to [email protected]. 7 to 9 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church.
Father-Daughter Dance: Dads and daughters can enjoy a night out at this annual semi-formal dance. Tickets are $20 per person and are available at the Blue Heron
and Vashon Bookshop. 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Vashon Golf & Swim Club.
Late Night at the Library: Thomas Pruiksma, local poet and magician, will present a magic workshop. Teens can play video games, board games or use the library computers for online gam-ing. Free. 6 p.m. at the Vashon Library.
Senior Center Potluck: Good friends share good food. 2 to 4 p.m. at the Senior Center.
Church of Great Rain: The season finale will feature the best skits and songs from the show’s early years. 4 p.m. at the Open Space for Arts & Community. (See page 11 for more information.)Guide to Falling Down — Sto-ries About Finding Balance On and Off the Bicycle: Joe Metal Cowboy Kurmaskie will offer stories and images from his most current book, including his adven-ture on a bicycle from Costa Rica to Australia, Africa to Canada, Italy to Mexico. He is a columnist, author, TV personality and performer. 2 p.m. at the Vashon Library.
Rumble Strip Meeting: The King County Road Services Division will hold an open house to familiarize residents with proposed safety im-provements on Vashon Highway. Residents will have an opportunity to hear more about the project and ask questions. 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Chautauqua Elementary School.
Library Story Times: Toddler Story Times, for ages 21 months to 3 years, will meet at 10:40 a.m. Preschool Story Times, for ages 3 to 5, will meet at 11:30 a.m., and Baby Story Times will meet at 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays in May at the Vashon Library.
Washington State Ferries Meeting: David Moseley, the head of WSF, will speak on Vashon about the 2012 legislative session, new ferries under construction and the vehicle registration system. 6 to 8 p.m. at McMurray Middle School.
Using ‘Outside’ Skills for Busi-ness Success: Learn how to inte-grate personal talents to create a richer, more successful business. Author and radio commentator Christine Hemp will address her own creative work and how it has informed and enriched her busi-ness. Register by calling 463-2069. Noon Wednesday, May 23, at the Vashon Library.
Play Day: Children and adults are invited to join Vashon Wilderness Program staff for a morning of nature-based field games. Free.
For more information, see www.vashonwildernessprogram.org. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at Agren Park.
Nonagenarian Birthday Party: Dorothy Hall-Bauer, author of “Islanders, Meet Your Neighbors,” will host a picnic to honor all Islanders turning 90 (or more) this year. All nonagenarians are welcome with their friends, family or caregivers. Also invited are all Islanders who have been featured in Dorothy’s six-volume series.Bring a donation for the food bank or the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness. For more informa-tion, call Hall-Bauer at 463-5664. 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at 10127 S.W. Burton Drive.
Vashon Community Scholar-ship Awards: Graduating seniors will receive their awards at this annual ceremony. 6 p.m. Wednes-day, May 30, at the Vashon High School gym.
CLASSES
Ceramics at the Senior Center: Steve Roach of Aruba Tileworks will teach how to make small sculptures and tiles. 9:30 a.m. Fri-day, May 18, at the Senior Center.
Mindfulness Retreat: Dr. Marcie Hamrick and Sevilla Rhoads, as-sociate mental health counselor
and mindfulness teacher, will offer this retreat. Saturday will be an introduction to mindful-ness for beginners and long-time practitioners alike. Sunday will be an optional session for those who would like a deeper experi-ence. The cost is $35 to $85 for each day on a sliding scale. Email [email protected] for information or to RSVP. 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, and 8 a.m. to noon Sunday, May 20, at the Puget Sound Zen Center.
Edible and Medicinal Plants of Vashon: Ethnobotanist Erin Kenny of Cedarsong Nature School will lead this class. Participants will learn how to safely forage for plants and will collect some to prepare into food or medicinal remedies. The cost is $55. Register online at www.cedarsongnature school.org. Financial aid is avail-able. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at a forest near town.
English as a Second Language: Free lessons are available weekly. Homework help is available for students of those who take the class. 6 p.m. Tuesdays at the Vashon Library.
Chicken Butchery Class: The group will spend the morning processing 25 birds and then relax
The Keepers of Point Robinson will host their annual Kite Dayfrom 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Point Robinson.Geordie’s Byre will provide music, and tours of the lighthousewill be held. The Ship’s Store will be open. As many as 200 kiteflyers have been to the event in the past, and organizers arehoping for a good turnout again this year.Above, a young kite flyer tests the wind at a previous kite day.
CALENDARVashon-Maury
Deadline is noon Thursday for Wednesday publication. The calendar is intended for commu-nity activities, cultural events and nonprofit groups; notices are free and printed as space permits.
The Beachcomber also has a user-generated online calendar. To post an event there, see www.VashonBeachcomber.com, scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the prompts.
VASHON THEATRE
Will play through May 24.
Vashon Sewer District Board: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at the Vashon Senior Center.
King County Airport District #1: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 17, at Court-house Square.
Vashon-Maury Island Community Council: 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 21, at McMurray Middle School.
Vashon Park District: 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, at Ober Park.
Vashon Island School District School Board: 7 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at McMurray Middle School.
VOV-TV is located on Comcast Channel 21. Most VoV-TV shows are produced by Islanders. If you’ve created a video of any kind, drop it off at either of VoV’s drop boxes at Café Luna or Vashon Print and Design, making sure to leave your name and contact information, or email [email protected].
Daily at 8 a.m, noon, 3 p.m., 4:45 p.m and 11 p.m. — Bongo Bob. Bongo Bob is Voice of Vashon’s response to King County’s requirement to include public disaster information on Channel 21.
Karen Biondo, a Vashon farmer with a penchant for pies, is trying to raise nearly $40,000 via a “Kick-starter” campaign to bring her dream of a mobile pizza kitchen to fruition.
The irrepressible farmer — a blonde dynamo known on the Island for her farm-inspired cooking, home-made goat cheese, fresh eggs and seasonal jams — has been making pizzas from her home oven for the last few months.
“All pizzas are relatively, amorphously round-about 10 inches,” she wrote in one email blast to custom-ers. Among the choices she offered: farm sausage with marinara sauce, carmelized onions, sauted peppers and her own mozzarella cheese; roasted winter squash, rosemary and her own chevre, and a polenta pie for the gluten free crowd.
Now, she said, she wants to take her show on the road. With a mobile oven,
she could serve pizza at Ober Park concerts, First Friday events, the Farmers Market and the art studio tour. She’d also be licensed, permitted and bonded, she said — a legal kitchen that could “bring farm-to-table-food to a public setting.”
But her goal is not simply to find a way to make a liv-ing as a farmer, she added. She also wants to build a model that other farmers could possibly follow.
“I want to show a way that farmers can diversify, ... so that farmers can stay on their farm and bring local food to a new level,” she said.
As of Monday, Biondo still had a ways to go in her campaign on Kickstarter, an all-or-nothing funding vehicle for artistic or com-mercial projects that might not get start-up capital any other way. With a dead-line of 11:09 p.m. Friday, Biondo had 97 backers pledging $20,992; she needs $38,500 to buy her mobile pizza oven.
But Biondo said she’s confident she’ll get there. “I think there’s going to be a last-minute, 11th-hour rush,” she said.
If not, she said, “I’ll regroup and launch some other avenue for funding.”
Page 9
with a lunch prepared by host farmer/chef Karen Bion-do, including liver pate and fresh hearts. Particpants may bring a few birds of their own. The class price is $165 per person. To register, email farmstead [email protected]. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, May 25, at La Biondo Farm and Kitchen.
Reclaiming the Heart of Powerful Connection: Parents and children ages 7 to 12 are welcome to ex-perience nature and learn wellness skills in the Cedar-song school forest. Leslie Chertok, Jennifer Easley and Erin Kenney will lead the day. The cost is $135 to $220, depending on family size. For more information, see www.cedarsongnatureschool.org. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at Cedarsong Nature School.
Metal Arts: Learn to use a plasma cutter and basic welding techniques with steel and assorted found objects. Create a small metal sculpture of your own design. The class is taught by metal artist David Erue. The cost is $70 for VAA members and $85 for nonmembers plus a $50 materials fee. To register, see www.VashonAlliedArts. org. Noon to 3 p.m. Satur-days, June 2 and 9 at Erue’s shop on Cove Road.
Vashon College Courses: Vashon College will offer two new classes next month. Competent Communica-tion will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays, June 7 to 28, and Ethical Decision-Making will meet from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, June 6 to 27. (For more information, see story, page 3.)
SCENE & HEARD:
Volunteer cyclist Stephen Davis, above, and Rochelle Munger are leading Chautauqua fourth-graders in the school’s 15th annual bicycle safety class, which ends this week. Students ride bikes during their regular physical education classes, practicing skills that prepare them for riding safely on neighborhood streets and trails. Their final session is a fun ride to Vashon High School to practice trail riding etiquette and to experience street-like conditions.Grants and support from Island businesses provided the school with a fleet of bikes, helmets and in-class instructional aids. Carrie Power, now a teacher at McMurray Middle School, launched the program at Chautauqua in 1997.
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GENERAL & SPECIALIZED CARE:
Special pricing on dental implants through August.
Did YouKnow... For more informationabout VYFS or to volunteer, please call
463-5511or visit our website at www.vyfs.org
Karen Biondo and her friend Tom Conway display one of her pizzas.
Page 10 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM
206-463-500017633 97th Pl Sw. Vashon, WA 98070Island Home Center & Lumber
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Page 11
ARTS&LEISUREVashon-Maury HAVE YOU SEEN IT? VALISE Gallery ’s third annual all-Island show, “The Art of Work and
Invention,” is on view at the gallery through May 26. The show, open to anyone from Vashon who wanted to include a work, features home-designed gadgets and imaginative tools and inventions. Visit www.valisegallery.org for more information.
The next show in Vashon Allied Arts’ New Works Series is “Through the Garden Gate,” a work of theater inspired by Island author Terry Hershey’s book “Soul Gardening.” Islanders Patricia Kelly and Pat Churchill will stage their co-produced and co-directed show at 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and 27, and 8 p.m., Saturday, May 26, at the Blue Heron. The show, presented in the round, will show-case the talents of more than 20 Island performers, including writer Hershey. Tickets, $12/$15, are on sale at the Blue Heron, Heron’s Nest, Vashon Bookshop and www.brownpapertickets.com.
Molly’s Revenge, a renowned Celtic trio fea-turing cham-pion Scottish fiddler Rebecca Lomnicky, will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 26, at Bethel Church. The trio, play-ing a classic mix of bag-pipes, whistle, and fiddle, will be joined by local Celtic legends Kat Eggleston, John Dally and Wally Bell. Seats are $15 in advance and $17 at the door. Children ages 12 and younger and seniors get in for $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Buy tickets at Vashon Bookshop, Bethel Church, by calling 567-4255 or visiting www.mollysrevenge.com.
A ribald night of stand-up comedy, hosted by humorist Steffon Moody and featur-ing a line-up of Island funny folks, will take place at 8 p.m. Friday, June 1, at Red Bicycle Bistro. There is a $5 cover charge.
SAVE THE DATE ‘Church’ takes a stroll down memory laneBy ELIZABETH SHEPHERDArts Editor
Writers and ensemble members of The Church of Great
Rain have gone deep catalog, reaching back in time to revive some of the funniest material from their first two seasons.
The variety show, which some have called Vashon’s own version of “Prairie Home Companion,” is now in its fourth year, pack-ing the house these days at the cavernous Open Space for Arts & Community. It will close its spring season at 4 p.m. Sunday at Open Space.
Regular audience members and newcomers can expect a show that revisits some of the early comedy skits that helped turn the show into such an Island phenomenon.
“It’s a look back to our beginnings,” said Jeff Hoyt, who along with his wife Cindy, writes some of the show’s material. Both also perform as members of the show’s comedy ensemble, dubbed the Holly Roller Radio Players.
Hoyt has watched the audience for the show grow exponentially over the years — from the 40 or 50 people who showed up for the first shows at the Red Bicycle Bistro to the standing-room-only mob of around 600 that now turns out for near-monthly shows in the Open Space.
What’s the secret of the show’s success? To Hoyt, it’s all about community.
“It’s kind of like we have captured light-ening in a bottle,” Hoyt said. “It’s a unique amalgam of community on three different levels. First, there is the community of people who work on the show, and we’re like an instant family. The second thing is that the audience is made up of small groups of people hanging out and talking, and making plans to go out to dinner afterwards. It’s a little like an actual church in that regard. And then there is the mythology we create around the mate-rial — it’s really all about Vashon.”
Amy Gilman, a fan of the show since its
inception four years ago, echoed Hoyt’s ratio-nale, saying she enjoys the show because it helps her connect with fellow Islanders both onstage and off.
“There is definitely the communal ele-ment of seeing your friends perform,” she said. “And it brings people together and is very church-like, in that it has all the desired effects minus the dogma.”
Gilman said she has also watched the show grow much more polished over the years.
“I’ve noticed that the writing is more refined,” she said. “And everybody who is up there loves to perform.”
Sunday’s show will feature several guest stars.
Steffon Moody, a local performer who appeared in early church shows, will be back on stage, and another local actor, Paul Shapiro, will reprise his fondly remembered turn as a dying slug in a comedy sketch.
As usual, there will also be lots of music in the show, played by both the Church House Band, led by show co-founder Greg Parrott, and special guests Luc and the Lovingtons.
Luc Reynaud, frontman for the Seattle band, created the group as a social project in 2007, while doing relief work in New Orleans. Working with a group of displaced kids,
Reynaud collaborated to create the anthem, “The Freedom Song,” which was later record-ed by two-time Grammy-winner Jason Mraz.
The band, which now includes Felipe Cañete, a Chilean artist living in Seattle, keyboardist Jake Shaw and drummer Loren Boley, recently garnered an international fol-lowing with a tour through South America.
With its community emphasis and the word “love” embedded in its name, the band seems a perfect fit for the church’s look back at its storied rise as an Island cultural institu-tion.
And with the Holy Roller Players on stage, there is also sure to be plenty of comedy, lead-ing to those quasi-spiritual moments that audiences have come to treasure, for all kinds of different reasons.
“I would say (the show) helps us laugh at ourselves and not take ourselves so seriously,” said Gilman.
Cast members of the Church of Great Rain will revive some of their early material in the show’s next installment.
The Church of Great Rain revival show will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday, at Open Space for Arts & Community. Doors open at 3 p.m. Advance tickets, $10, are on sale at www.brownpapertickets.com and Vashon Bookshop.
Tami Brockway Joyce, Jennifer Sutherland and Terry Hershey will appear in a New Works show.
Rebecca LomnickyIslanders can choose from an array of entertainment in the next few days, from seeing Island kids tear up the stage to getting a dose of Russian culture courtesy of Vashon Opera. Here’s what’s on tap.
Performance of Vashon Opera’s pro-duction of the Russian opera “Eugene Onegin” will begin today at Bethel Church, with a dress rehearsal at 7 p.m. The rehearsal is aimed at family audi-ences, with discounted $15 tickets. A few $32 tickets might also be left for regular performances at 8 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Bethel Church.
Check www.vashonop-era.com, Vashon Bookshop or at the door.
The opera
will feature
star turns
by opera
founders
Andrew
and Jennifer
Krikawa, as well as a star-studded cast
of regional performers, including tenor
Anthony Kalil, who has been invited
to join the Lindemann Young Artist
Development at The Metropolitan Opera next year.
The Salish Sea Early Music Festival will present “An Evening with Wilhelmine,” with renowned players on baroque lute, cello and baroque flute, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, at Vashon Methodist Church. The suggested donation is $15 to $20; youth 18 and younger are free.
The annual Best of Open Mic — also known as “BOOM” — will take place at
7:30 Thursday, in the Vashon High School. The show will highlight the crème de la crème of VHS students’ contributions to monthly open mics at the school.
The talent show is sponsored by the Literary Journal Club, and its 2012 Literary Journal, a collection of writing and art by VHS students, will be sold at the event. Admission is $5 at the door.
Shark Biscuit, a local surf band inspired by such mid-century music makers as The Ventures and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, will play a free show at 8:30 p.m. Saturday, at Red Bicycle Bistro.
ON TAP THIS WEEKEND: A BAND, AN OPEN MIC, A GRAND OPERA
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Volunteers from the Red Hat Society and the Sportsmen’s Club helped with the balloon event early Monday, when many hands were needed in even a slight breeze.Elaine Nelson, left, pre-pares to lift off. She regret-ted that she had never gone up in a balloon before. “I wanted to change that,” she said.
Several Island seniors gathered at the Sportsmen’s Club early Monday morning to do something they had never done before: take a ride in a hot air balloon.
This opportunity came because one resident, Elaine Nelson, mentioned to Vashon Community Care (VCC) employee LoAnne Forschmiedt that one of her regrets was that she never had experienced such a ride.
More than a year ago, Forschmiedt set about trying to make that dream come true. She contacted the Jeremy Bloom Wish of a Lifetime Foundation, which helped make this day pos-sible and arranged for Morning Star Balloons of Battle Ground, Wash., to come to the Island.
“I am so thrilled,” Forschmiedt said, taking in the early morning scene.
She was not alone. Five residents went for a ride in the tethered bal-loon, including Anne Kappelman. “Fun, fun, fun,” she enthused, “It was lots of fun.”
Ralph Eister, 92, recently took a photography class at VCC and had his camera in hand when he went up. Unfortunately, winds kept the balloon below tree line. “I wanted to get above the trees to take pictures,” he said.
Don Steele, 93 and known to many for his potted plants, said he came out of the desire to try it. “It was my first flight,” he said.
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By CHARLEY ROSENBERRY For The Beachcomber
The Vashon Boys High School Lacrosse Club bounced back from three tough losses to finish its sea-son with three consecutive victories.
On Senior Night, May 7, Vashon opened with its sec-ond game against Kennedy Catholic, a team that beat Vashon a week earlier, 15-10.
Kennedy scored first, but Vashon responded to take a 5-3 lead at the end of the first quarter. Vashon could not stop Kennedy’s top scorer in the second quarter, allowing Kennedy to even the score at 7-7. The game remained tied at the end of three quarters, 10-10.
At the beginning of the fourth, Vashon’s offense erupted for five unanswered goals. Leading off with two goals from Caz Mozeleski and Luke Hembree, Vashon peppered Kennedy’s goalie. Vashon’s defense wore down the Kennedy offense, allow-ing just one goal with three minutes left in the game. Mozeleski led Vashon scor-ers with five goals and one assist. Evan Anderson estab-lished himself as Vashon’s top ground ball man, collect-ing eight ground balls.
It was a fitting honor for Vashon’s seniors Luke Hembree, John Smith, Konnar Fall, Dan Lofland, Will West and Max Croonquist.
With little time to rest, Vashon relied on its back-up players to carry the
team against Klahowya on Tuesday. At the outset, Vashon’s offense took time to find its rhythm. Led by Charlie Penwick and Eli Sedgemore, the defense dis-rupted Klahowya to keep within striking distance. Klahowya led by a 2-1 mar-gin at half. Vashon’s offense awakened in the third quarter to score three goals while the defense shut out Klahowya. Though Klahowya scored twice in the fourth, Vashon’s AJ Ford ripped a shot past its goalie for a 5-4 victory.
Vashon played its final game of the season on Wednesday against Seattle’s Garfield High School. Garfield had edged out Vashon for a play-off berth with a victory earli-er in the week, giving Vashon
extra incentive to show that it belongs among the top teams in Washington’s Division II High School Lacrosse. Despite playing two consecu-tive games before its show-down with Garfield, Vashon held nothing back as this game opened. With Winter Krimmert repeatedly win-ning face-offs, Vashon raced to a 9-1 lead. Vashon’s offense cooled in the second quarter, but it’s defense denied all but one Garfield-scoring oppor-tunity, giving Vashon an 11-2 lead at half. In the third quar-ter, Vashon’s offense came alive again.
Goals from Hembree, Mozeleski and Anderson extended Vashon’s lead to 15-3. Vashon continued to frustrate Garfield with
goalie Aaron Bomber mak-ing Herculean saves and Vashon’s offense record-ing four additional goals to secure a 19-3 win.
With 15 saves, Bomber secured his place as one of the state’s top two goalies in Division II. Mozeleski finished the game with seven goals and two assists. Hembree had six goals and one assist and finished the season with the most goals of any Division II player. While Vashon did not make the playoffs, its 9-7 record gave it an eighth place ranking in Division II.
— Charley Rosenberry is the coach of the high school boys
lacrosse team.
Page 14 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM
SPORTSVashon-Maury
SOFTBALL: At their f inal home game May 8, the gir ls fastpitch team honored two senior players, Corr ine Pruett and Shannon Slater, for their spir it and leadership this season. Coach Jackie Merr i l l called it a “special moment of fanfare and flowers” and noted that the team is looking for ward to a competitive season next year.
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Baseball season closes with one win, one loss
The boys lacrosse team is done for the season. The team ranked eighth in Division II, and one player, Luke Hembree, finished the season with the most goals of any Division II player.
Boys lacrosse ends on a high noteBy RITA ALLMAN For The Beachcomber
The Pirate baseball team ended its season last week with a win, a loss and a final record of 4-11.
League play ended on May 7 at Life Christian with the Pirates earning a 1-0 victory.
Freshman Josh Myer started on the hill for the Pirates and pitched a complete game shutout. He allowed only three hits and two walks and recorded seven strikeouts. Although Myer pitched a beauty of a game, the opposing pitcher threw a good game as well. Thus the contest entered the sixth inning knotted at zero when the Pirates were finally able to break through. Ezra Lacina singled, and Erik Powelson doubled him home to score the only run of the game and the only run Myer needed. The remainder of the Pirate offense was four singles contributed by Ben Reoux, Joe Wald, Kelly Sullivan and Rowan Stewart. Vashon finishes the season with a league record of 4-8.
Line score: Vashon 1 run, 6 hits, 3 errors; Life Christian 0 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors.
In the final game of the season, Vashon hosted the Eagles of Life Christian on May 8. The Eagles came away with a 6-4 victory.
Erik Powelson started on the mound for the Pirates and pitched all eight innings of the game. He surrendered seven hits and three walks, result-ing in five earned runs. The game was tied at three through five innings. However, Life Christian put up a run in the sixth and two in the eighth to secure the win. Vashon had plenty of scoring opportunities due to 10 base on balls, but they were only able to generate the four runs.
The game saw a multitude of extra base hits. The Pirates had two triples (Ben Reoux and Powelson) and a double (Ezra Lacina) and three of the Eagles’ seven hits went for doubles. Rounding out the Vashon offense with singles were Joe Wald, Josh Myer and Rowan Stewart.
The Pirates finished the season with an overall record of 4-11.
Line score: Life Christian 6 runs, 7 hits, 1 error; Vashon 4 runs, 6 hits, 1 error.
— Rita Allman does team and web support for the Pirates baseball team.
The Vashon High School girls’ tennis team is sending one dou-bles team and a single to the tri-district tournament at the Amy Yee Tennis Center in Seattle on Thursday, where they’ll be playing for a chance to head to State.
Players advancing are VHS senior Catherine Amick and junior Victoria Zaknich, No. 1 in doubles for the league, and senior Alex Wall, No. 2 in singles, coach Eve Lou Grimsley said. Molly Johnson can gain a third-place entry if she wins a pigtail match — an extra bracket used when the regular bracket is full — in Coupeville.
The girls landed spots in the tri-district tournament after winning matches at the Nisqually League tournament Wednesday and Thursday at Charles Wright.
An eight-card draw tournament was played with teams from Cascade Christian, Charles Wright and Vashon, according to Grimsley.
Three singles and three dou-bles were entered from each school, with the first- and sec-ond-place winners guaranteed a spot in the tri-district tour-nament. Third-place finishes necessitated a play-off for entry. The tournament began with two pigtail matches to accommodate the full draw sheet.
Grimsley said she felt good about the girls’ success, espe-cially since they were competing against Charles Wright, where many of the players take private tennis lessons.
“Our league is extremely hard,” she said. “It’s an honor to be able to advance.”
The Vashon track team ended its season last week in Orting, but two girls, Samantha Clements and Julie Wilson, will continue on to the tri-district meet in Shoreline.
They earned the chance to advance at the Nisqually League championship meet in Orting. All seven Nis-qually teams plus Port Townsend participated. Athletes had to place in the top four in their running, jumping or throwing events to advance. Wilson, a senior, attacked the girls 100 meter dash to take fourth with a time of 13.64.
“I have learned to value my form and technique in this event because it is a very short race. I did not think that I had qualified when I crossed the finish; however, I am looking for-ward to extending my track season,” she said.
Clements, a junior, set a personal record in the long jump at 15 feet 3 inches to take third place overall.
“The triple jump is my
favorite event, so I was sur-prised to have placed this high and qualify in the long jump. I am excited to move on to the district meet,” she said.
Clements placed fifth in the triple jump at 30 feet 9 inches. Pending results from the other league meets, additional Pirates may qualify into the Shoreline tri-district meet.
Page 15
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VHS SPORTS ROUND-UP
Vashon High School’s rela-tively inexperienced golf team ended its regular season well, said Coach Andy Sears, with three members headed to the tri-district tournament.
After a sub-district game last week, slated to play in the state-qualifying tournament are juniors Cole Devereau, Swedish exchange student Magnus Wallgren and senior
Dan Ridgeway. Sears said he was pleased
with the showing.“A vast majority of our play-
ers are new to the game andhave shown a tremendous amount of growth this sea-son,” he said.
“I’m excited to have three players advancing to tri-dis-tricts. Hopefully they will bepeaking at the right time.”
Coach Andy Sears with some of the members of the VHS golf team. From left, Magnus Wallgren, Cole Devereau, Dan Ridgeway and Parker Scott.
Samantha Clements set a personal record.
Alex Wall attacks a volley at a recent match.
Page 16 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM
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By MARY KAY RAUMAFor The Beachcomber
The Vashon Valkyries high school girls’ lacrosse team played five games last week, winning the last game of their season schedule and advancing in the Washington Schoolgirls Lacrosse JV Championship Tournaments.
Last Wednesday, the Valkyries played an away game against Bellevue East Blue. With midfielders Ellen Chappelka and Mykah Shiosaki leading the pack, Vashon controlled the ball 21 times out of 27 draws. The Valkyries put a season of practice drills to work and transitioned the ball down the field to textbook perfection putting them ahead from the start.
Midfielder Sarah Raymond dominated on ground ball controls, soundly advancing the ball to the attack line with Anneke Steneker and Genevieve Rauma contributing seven goals each. Although Bellevue East Blue came within a point, the Valkyries main-tained their lead, finishing with a 17-10 win.
On Saturday, the Valkyries traveled to Snohomish to compete against 14 teams in the state’s first-ever JV championship. A grueling schedule of three consecutive regulation-time games determined if the Valkyries would
advance to the second day of the tournament. The Valkyries faced Kennedy in their first
match, putting 12 goals on the board within the first 15 minutes. Subsequently, Coach Larry Dubois provided an opportunity for defenders and midfielders to play the attack position. Eight players contributed goals to the Valkyries win, 20-1.
In its second match, the Valkyries faced Wenatchee, which pulled Bainbridge’s top-ranked goalie — rather than one of their own subs — for the first half of the game, a costly mistake, it turned out. Bainbridge’s goalie stopped four shots on goal in the first half and worked the boundary line behind the goal to give Wenatchee possession.
The Valkyries, however, dominated the draw with Shiosaki and Zina Carroll advancing the ball to an attack line led by Rauma and Steneker. Although goalie Anna Berti managed to stop 10 goals, the Valkyrie defense could not contain a Wenatchee offense dominated by its powerful center. The game ended in a 10-10 tie, but Vashon took the win: Wenatchee had to forfeit the game for its use of that Bainbridge goalie.
Under a sweltering sun, the Valkyries head-ed into tournament play facing Snohomish, a
team with just one loss. The Valkyries’ single sub was no contest to Snohomish’s sideline of fresh legs, and after a full day of play, the Valkyries could not pull out the energy required to contest an aggressive, talented team. Snohomish took the win, 14-3.
Late that night the Valkyries learned that they placed seventh of eight seeds, advanc-ing to the second day of the tournament to face No. 2 seed Snohomish Sunday morn-ing. The Valkyries hit the first goal of the game, unsettling Snohomish. Known to push the boundaries, Snohomish struggled to find momentum with calls against them, and the Valkyries played at the top of their game. At the half, the game was tied, 3-3.
The Snohomish defensive line swarmed Vashon’s attacks with human walls to shut down their shooting. Dubois adjusted the strategy, drawing the defenders outward by playing attacks wide and creating lanes for Shiosaki to drive down the middle.
With eight minutes remaining, the score was tied, 6 all. After a time out, Snohomish went into overdrive, scoring two goals, running down the clock and ending the season for Vashon. The final score: Vashon 6, Snohomish 8.
Valkyries end season in first-ever state tourneyVashon High School boys soccer com-petes in State today against Rochester High School at Centralia in elimina-tion play. Should they win, VHS will go on to State quarter finals on Saturday. The Pirates split their two games in the tri-district tournament last week, with a 2-1 win against Lyndon Christian on Monday and a 3-1 loss against first-ranked Overlake High on Friday. Goals scorers against Lyndon were Peter Amick (midfielder) and Victor Moreira (forward), easily pushing Vashon to a win. During Friday’s match against Overlake, the Pirates came back in the first half to tie the score with a goal by Ezra Koenig (forward), assisted by midfielder Nick Gass. The Pirate’s capable defensive back kept the Owls from more goals until the 68th and 78th minute, when Overlake’s top scorer broke through. For up-to-date game and score information, check the Vashon Island School District’s sports website.
To place an ad in the Service Directory, contact Daralyn or Matthew at 463-9195. Deadline for ad placement is Friday at 1pm.
Page 17
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clean it sometimes complain about the mess, Executive Director Jan Milligan said. A couple of times, a bin in the bathroom that holds spent needles has been ripped off the wall and needles were scattered across the floor.
Sometimes the janitor arrives to find someone sleeping there. On a Saturday two weeks, Milligan cleaned the bath-room herself before the start of the Farmers Market, when hundreds of people visit the park.
Drug paraphernalia, human waste, beer cans and other trash routinely litter the bathroom floor as well as the area around it, she said.
Last week, at the park district’s board meeting, Milligan brought up the issue, saying she wants to try to find away to address what she sees as a growing problem and a hazard to her staff and the public.
“My concern has nothing to do with homelessness,” she said after the meeting. “My concern is that the frequent users over there are making a pretty big mess of both the grounds and the bathroom.”
Bill Ameling, who chairs the park district’s board, shares Milligan’s frustration.
“We provide the community restroom there in town for people. But no one uses it because it’s trashed and danger-ous,” he said.
Indeed, both said, they’re concerned that many Islanders avoid the Village Green altogether these days because of what many perceive as a growing presence of badly behaved people in the park.
“I don’t mind that they’re there,” Milligan added. “It’s their behavior that’s a problem.”
Milligan said she plans to work with the King County Sheriff ’s Office more closely, since some of the activities — drinking and drug-use, for instance — are against the law.
The park district might consider locking the bathroom at times as well, Milligan said.
But pushing the problem out of the Village Green could mean it crops up elsewhere, such as Ober Park, where there’s a popular children’s playground, both Ameling and Milligan noted.
“It’s one thing to have a needle in the bushes at the Village Green. What if there were needles in the playground where the kids are?” Ameling asked.
Milligan said she plans to begin her effort by talking to those who spend time at the park and appealing “to their sense of responsibility,” something she attempted last week when she approached one of the park’s regular users about the situation at the Village Green.
“I’m going to try to make them understand that how they act is keeping others out of the park … It’s about respect. And I think they have some consciousness about it,” she said.
Village Green — put into public ownership after a huge fundraising campaign about a dozen years ago — has long been a quiet place, save for the bustling weekly farmers mar-ket. The park district tried to draw more people into the park a few years ago, when it held its Tunes at Noon music series; the series ended in large part because of scant attendance.
Martin Koenig, who headed up the fundraising cam-paign to put the Village Green into public ownership, has also tried to make the park a more central part of Island life; for a few summers, he held ethnic folk-dancing sessions — replete with live music — in the park on Monday nights. But the park has never fulfilled its potential and become the hub of the community, Koenig noted.
“It’s a very friendly place and a very intimate place. … It’s really owned by the community. But that hasn’t happened,” he said, noting that it’s not well-used. “I don’t know why.”
All along, Vashon’s small homeless population as well as those who don’t have other things to do during the day have found it a pleasant place to spend time. The public bathroom, completed in 2009, added to its lure, some
noted. The situation has grown more intense this spring, after the large homeless camp behind Roseballen was razed by the landowner, a Seattle woman who has since sold the property to King County.
Those who were lingering at the Village Green the other night said they understand that trash is a problem. One man, whose first name is Michael, said he, too, is unhappy about the state of the bathroom. “It disgusts me,” he said.
But on this particular night, he noted, the trash can in the park was full as well as a Dumpster in the alley behindthe park, leaving park denizens no choice but to use the bathroom waste basket. Looking in the bathroom at an overflowing trash container and cans and paper towels strewn across the floor, he added, “This is the first time it’s been this bad.”
Some said they were frustrated by the public’s dismay with their presence at the park. One man, sounding upset, noted that the Farmers Market gets to use electricity for the weekly affair but those who hang out at the park at night no longer have access; power is now routinely turned off during the week.
“If I can’t be here, the Saturday market people can’t be here,” he said defiantly.
Michael, meanwhile, sounded dismayed by the talk and acknowledged that the small collection of park users has made the situation worse.
“If the guys would be more respectful of their surround-ings, the community wouldn’t be so angry,” he said.
He routinely cleans up trash in the park, he said, adding he would that night, before he headed home. And indeed, by 6 a.m. the next day, before park district staff had madetheir morning rounds, the trash can in the bathroom was empty and the floor swept clean.
Rebecca Wittman, manager of the Farmers Market, said she recently encountered a drunk, profane person at the park on a Saturday morning, when she was setting up for that day’s activities. She ignored him, and he eventually left. But most often, those who stay in the park all night politely pack up and leave on Saturday morning when she arrives.
She said she hopes Islanders can view the nighttime park users with compassion. “These are people who could be your sons and brothers,” she said.
At the same time, Whittman added, she sees a need to proceed carefully. “It feels like a real delicate balance between us,” she said.
Page 18 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM
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Leo MontagueLeo Montague died on Monday, May
7, 2012. A founder of the Vashon Health Center, he served for more than 30 years on its board, in addition to volunteering at Granny’s Attic. He founded the men’s workshop Grandpas, which repaired donated appliances and other items. He also served as one of the early Community Council presidents and as a member of the Vashon Island School District board. An avid reader, he led the local Great Books discussion group. He was troop leader of Boy Scout Troop 294 for 10 years. In 2009, he was honored as the Grand Marshall of the Vashon Strawberry Festival.
Leo John Montague was born in Hover, Washington (near Kennewick) on May 18, 1923, son of Grover and Ruth (who also lived on Vashon for many years). After completing his training as a Navy pilot at the end of World War II, he returned to Washington State College (now University) to finish his education, then moved to Seattle with his new wife, Opal, and started work as an engineer at Boeing, where he remained until retirement. In 1959, the family moved to Vashon, “the perfect place to raise a family on a farm,” he said. Maintaining a lifelong tradition of “never living in a house I didn’t help build,” he added an upper story and a ground floor extension to their west side 2-bedroom farmhouse, where Opal still lives after 53 years.
Leo is survived by his wife, Opal, a sister, Joan, a brother, Dan, four children, John, Jane, Paul and Ruth, and two grandchildren, Eric and Ashlee.
A memorial service will be held at Island Funeral Service, 18005 Vashon Hwy SW at 2:00 PM on Friday, May 18 (the 89th anniversary of his birth).
the farm, on a plot of land Amy Greenberg and Chris Robison own and have given over to the food bank’s effort. Food bank farm and garden manager Jenn Coe credits the couple and a multitude of volunteers with helping this program thrive.
Earlier this spring, when the growing season was just beginning, about a dozen volunteers helped start several plants through the foster seedling program, which Coe began last year. She supplies seeds and supplies, and volunteers start vegetables in their greenhouses or on their windowsills.
“It’s a huge contribution,” Coe said. “It’s really critical to the program.”
New this year — and an indication of the just how important the farm and gar-den have become to the food bank — is a paid apprentice program. One newly hired apprentice works eight hours a week at the farm, and another will soon be hired to work at the garden, according to Coe.
The experience will provide a small amount of income and teach people impor-tant food-growing skills, Coe said, as well as give her consistent help throughout a labor-intensive growing season.
“My goal is to feed people,” Coe said. “It doesn’t need to be me doing that.”
Last week apprentice Shawna Herrmann planted seeds, raked beds and helped plant the broccoli starts while she talked about the farm and her new role there.
“I’ve already learned so much,” she said. “I love working outdoors. I love plants. On top of that, I am getting to do something to help people.”
Her efforts will support several crops at the farm this year, including spinach, beets, chard, kale and cabbage. At the farm, Coe
and others plant en masse, with a focus on fall and winter produce and growing enough to feed all those who rely on the food bank. At the garden, they are more experimental, Coe said, and choose plants for a summer harvest, such as tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers and zucchini, and if they have space, they will happily plant a flat of something new that a volunteer might contribute.
As in home gardens, sometimes certain crops are prolific and provide more than can be readily used. When that is the case, the surplus is donated to the White Center Food Bank, which has gardens of its own but not a sufficient crop to feed the numbers of people who rely on it. Audrey Zemke, the volunteer coordinator at the White Center facility, called the produce from Vashon “an
extreme help” because produce is so expen-sive for people with low incomes.
“It’s lovely to get fresh produce from them,” she said.
Helping plant the broccoli last week, food bank board member Carol Butler, who vol-unteers at the farm weekly, voiced her sup-port for giving food to White Center, which has a much larger low-income population than Vashon and served nearly 5,000 indi-viduals in April alone.
“Every food bank is not equal,” she said. “Their resources are not the same.”
Because Vashon is rural and has the land and a strong volunteer base, it can do what some other food banks cannot — and then share the abundance.
“We’re a vast network,” Butler said. “When we produce food, we feed people
who need food.”Both Pitrof and Coe encourage people
of all skill levels to volunteer. Large groups have been helpful, Coe noted, including the Vashon Rotary Club, which set up the two 80-foot hoop houses in half a day. Individuals and small groups, includingfamilies, are welcome too. Extra hands are needed not just in the summer months, but also in the winter for harvesting cold weather crops. Groups should schedule a time to come by, Coe said, but peopleare also welcome to stop by Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, even if they have only a short amount of time to spare.
“There is always something to do,” she said.
At the food bank, the recession and lingering economic problems continue to mean that many Islanders need the supportof the food bank, Pitrof said. On average it serves 200 households a week, with fewer needing help at the beginning of the month and more at the end.
For her part, Hermmann, a food bank client herself, knows the farm and garden produce is a welcome sight when it arrives on the food bank shelves.
“A lot of people assume that lower income people don’t really care about healthy food. I think that is a big misconception,” she said. “People who go to the food bank really appreciate fresh produce.”
CONTINUED FROM 1
Carol Butler, Shawna Herrmann and Jenn Coe pause from planting starts, which will feed clients of the Vashon food bank and possibly people in White Center as well.
People who want to volunteer at the food bank farm can drop by between 1 and 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Coe will be there to provide guidance. To be put on the volunteer email list, contact Coe at 463-6332 or [email protected]. The farm is located at 24026 Wax Orchard Road, S.W.
Page 20 WWW.VASHONBEACHCOMBER.COM
All-Merciful SaviourOrthodox Monastery
9933 SW 268th St. (south of Dockton)SUNDAYS: DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 am
Followed by PotluckCelebrating 2000 years of Orthodox Christianity Call for a schedule weekday and Holy Day services.
463-5918www.vashonmonks.com
Burton Community ChurchALL ARE WELCOME
INSPIRATION not Indoctrination!Worship 11 am
Rev. Bruce Chittick, PastorMaggie Laird
Pianist/Choir Director463-9977
Bethel Church14736 Bethel Lane SW(Corner of SW 148th St.
and 119th Ave. SW)9am Sunday Bible School
10am WorshipFollowed by coffee fellowship
AWANA Thurs 6:00pm Sept-May
Offi ce phone 567-4255
Vashon Island Community Church
Worship Service 10:00 am (Children’s Church for preschool–5th graders)
Offi ce Phone 463-3940Pastors:
Frank Davis and Mike Ivaska9318 SW Cemetery Road
www.VICC4Life.com
Catholic ChurchSt. John Vianney
Mass–Saturdays at 5:00 pmSundays 8:00am and 10:30am
Worship 10:30 am & 7:00 pmThursday Bible Study 7:00 pm
Call for locationSaturday Prayer 7:30 pm
Pastor Stephen R. Sears463-2567
Vashon Presbyterian Church
Worship 10am17708 Vashon Hwy (center of town)
Pastor Dan HoustonChurch Offi ce Hours
Monday– Thursday 10 am - 2 pm
463-2010
Our Vashon Island Community warmly invites
you and your family toworship with them.
Wors hip on our Island
Centro Familiar CristianoPastor: Edwin Alvarado
Ubicados En Bethel Church14726 Bethel Lane SW
206-371-0213Hora De Services: Sabados 7:30pm
Todos Son Bienvidos, El Lugar Ideal Para Toda La Familia
Dios Les Bendiga
Friday, June 1st
Please have your insurance information when you call and bring a picture ID and Insurance/Medicare/Medicaid cards to the appointment. Thank you for partnering with us in the fight against breast cancer.
17637 100th Ave SW, Vashon, Washington 98070
Vashon Market (IGA) Gift Certificates will be
given to patients
(Additional appts possible Sat. 6/2)
East Side of Vashon Plaza - Parallel to 100th Ave. SW - Mobile Coach - Assured Imaging Women’s Wellness of WA
union, said Patte Wagner, manager of the Vashon branch. Recently, they’ve been get-ting calls from residents of California, won-dering if they, too, could move their money to the Vashon branch. (They can’t. Only Washington residents can open an account at a state-licensed credit union.)
But even before the LA Times story hit the news stands, the credit union had been faced with a problem: They’ve had too few loans to counter the expense of all those deposits.
Credit unions don’t make money on deposits, said Kevin Ellisen, PSCCU’s chief executive officer. They only make money when they loan the funds from those depos-its to other members — in the form of credit cards, car loans, mortgages and other forms of debt. And while the deposits have been coming in at a rapid clip, Vashon credit
union members have not been quite so quick to borrow money or move their exist-ing debts — mortgages and credit cards, for instance — to the branch.
Ellisen said the media attention has been “thrilling” and the support on Vashon grat-ifying. “But it’s a situation where our expec-tations have been exceeded. We’re now try-ing to manage our growth,” he said.
PSCCU was chartered in the 1930s and has four branches. It has never suspended business accounts before, Ellisen said.
“I don’t want to give people the impres-sion that we’re suffering,” he added. “But too much of a good thing is indeed too much of a good thing. … Give us another year before we can take on more (business) deposits.”
If suspending business accounts — which includes accounts held by associations, clubs and nonprofits — doesn’t rectify the deposit-to-loan balance, Ellisen said, he’ll consider writing letters to those members who have $500,000 or more in their savings accounts and asking them to lower those
deposits “so that we’re able to receive the deposits of more members.”
The handful of Islanders who helped bring PSCCU to the Island say they, too, are thrilled by the media attention and the way it’s highlighted the power of a credit union. Bill Moyer, executive director of The Backbone Campaign and now a board member of PSCCU, said the story of how Vashon brought a credit union to its com-munity is both inspiring and meaningful because it can be replicated elsewhere.
“It’s a model for other people, for other communities,” he said.
He’s not worried about Vashon’s credit union. “It’s sustainable. It’s just uncom-monly fast growth,” he said.
At the same time, he added, those who support the credit union on Vashon need to take the next step. “People need to know that moving your debt is as important as moving your money,” he said.
Rex Stratton, a lawyer who also played a lead role in bringing PSCCU to the Island, said he’s also enjoyed the publicity the
Vashon branch has received. But he also is glad the credit union is striving to manage its growth.
“You have to be very careful about what your mix is. … It’s a very interesting dance,” he said.
As for Wagner, the media attention has been fun and a little overwhelming. The LA Times’ reporter highlighted her role; “luring” Wagner from her previous job as the manager of Vashon’s Chase branch to become the manager of the credit union, the reporter said, was considered a “stroke of genius” by the Vashon organizers.
After the story hit the wires, Wagner said, she got congratulatory calls and emails from friends at Washington Mutual (which owned the branch before Chase took it over), saying things like “go, girl,” or, “I knew you’d take some action.”
A buttoned-down banker, she laughed at the role she’s found herself in as the manager of a small credit union on Vashon Island. “Holy cow. We’re the darling of the Occupied movement,” she said.
CONTINUED FROM 1
Ann Hamlin, Amy Huggins, Cherry Champagne and Carol Spangler made up the team that won the SUV challenge.
Shape Up Vashon, a group dedicated to helping Islanders improve their health, recently celebrated its six-month anniversary and honored the people who partici-pated in its recent six-week wellness challenge.
Eighty people participated, according to Dr. Kathleen Davis, the head of SUV. “I am sure we will do it again,” she said. “I think it is the most popular thing SUV has done.”
Participants dedicated themselves to eating well, execis-ing and promoting wellness then reported their activities to SUV. The winning group, the Vashon Athletic Club Yoga Girls, above, took first prize, with each member win-ning one month free at the club.
The challenge ended with a dinner and Zumba dancing led by Sara Van Fleet. “It was really cool,” Davis said.
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