Letters to the editor | Dec. 22 edition

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, December 21, 2022

POST OFFICE

Vashon Library offers help

Staff at the Vashon Library want to help island residents avoid long wait times to mail packages at the post office.

We’ve set up a mailing center at the library, to help residents prepay their postage before dropping off their packages at the post office. Doing so can avoid long wait times standing in line for a postal clerk, as the number of clerks is now critically low due to ongoing USPS staffing issues at the beleaguered facility.

Library staff knew that anyone could prepay for their packages online at usps.com, printing out a shipping label that would allow them to skip the line and leave their packages in the pre-paid bin.

But not all residents have a computer and printer at home. And if they do, most don’t also have a USPS-approved scale to properly weigh their packages.

As part of the library’s mailing center, the library is making available a postal scale, along with a tape measure, markers, packing tape, and of course the library’s public computers and printers.

You’ll need a free library card to access the computers, and your card entitles you to ten free prints every week; and every other part of the mailing center is free to use, thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Vashon Library, our volunteer fundraising group.

And of course, our friendly library staff are there to assist everyone who may need a little extra help.

The mailing center will remain available into the new year. Since launching the service Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 14, we’ve seen over two dozen residents take advantage of this new resource.

Stop by next time you need to mail something, say hello to our staff, and maybe check out a book or a free library program while you’re here.

Steven Bailey, Librarian and Information Services Manager

PET CARE

Thank you to Dr. Dana

On Sunday, December 11, our wonderful 12-year-old black Lab, Harper, died at home surrounded by her family. It was a very sudden death. She had been diagnosed with cancer only a little over a week before. On Sunday morning, she just decided she wanted to die her own way, and she went into cardiac arrest.

I called Fair Isle Animal Clinic, and Dr. Dana was on call. She talked me through what was happening and walked me through watching my Harper die. I told her that after she had died, we would bring her to Fair Isle to be cremated. Dr. Dana would have none of it.

She and her husband, Andy, got to our house a few minutes after Harper had died. She checked her, and then they calmly and beautifully put her on a stretcher and took her to their car.

I can’t thank all of the staff and doctors at Fair Isle enough. You are amazing, and I am so thankful to have you on Vashon to take care of our pets.

Losing Harper was very hard, but it would have been a lot harder without Dr. Dana helping us through it.

Thank you! You are truly a gift to this island.

Charlotte Tiencken