Happenings | Dec. 8 edition

What’s happening on Vashon in the days and weeks to come

Learn the business of photography

Photographer and educator Ray Pfortner will give a Zoom talk, “Do More With Your Photography,” offering 22 practical steps for islanders who want to do sell or use their photography commercially. The talk will take place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, and is sponsored by the Photo Club at Vashon Senior Center. Find a Zoom link and more information at tinyurl.com/3xz97sy9.

Pfortner, who has lived on Vashon for 29 years, has worked in photography as an educator, stock photography agent, photo editor, business consultant and photographer. He teaches for colleges, public schools and arts centers throughout the Northwest, including Vashon Center for the Arts.

Talk on Rural Gentrification

Jennifer Sherman, a professor of sociology at Washington State University (WSU) will present a free lecture at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, “Diamonds in the Rough: The Gentrification of Rural Washington,” at Vashon Theatre.

The lecture, presented by Vashon Park District in partnership with WSU’s Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service, will detail the influx of wealthy urbanites to rural communities throughout the state, causing rapid change and new inequalities for long-time rural residents.

For more information, visit vashonparks.org and foley.wsu.edu.

Visit Santa

Visit Santa, at Santa’ Cottage, located behind US Bank next to the Village Green, open on Sunday, Dec. 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. This free event, where parents can snap photos of their child with Santa, is sponsored by Bettie Edwards and the Chamber of Commerce. Children can also bring their letters to Santa to the cottage that day.

Affordable Housing

King County is considering zoning changes to Vashon Town that involve affordable housing density bonuses and building height limits. The Affordable Housing Committee (an advisory committee of the Vashon-Maury Community Council) is seeking wide input on this topic at their next meeting, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, via Zoom. All are invited to attend and participate. A link to the meeting can be found at v-mcc.org/event.

Community Council

The Vashon-Maury Community Council will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. Islanders can join the meeting in person at the Land Trust building or via Zoom, with a link posted at v-mcc.org. The Council’s agenda includes a discussion about ways islanders can help support Vashon’s Postal Service employees; there will be a vote on a resolution to increase passenger ferry service and a vote on a new representative to the island’s Ferry Advisory Committee. Visit v-mcc.org or contact dianeemerson@yahoo.com.

Garden Club

The December Garden Club meeting will take place at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12, at the gym of Bethel Church. The agenda includes a holiday flower-arranging workshop by Trudy Rosemarin, and a holiday potluck. All members are invited to come and join in the fun.

Brown Briefly

Join Brown Briefly hosts Truman O’Brien, Bruce Haulman, Craig Beles and Kevin Jones at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, on Voice of Vashon 101.9FM, to hear Bianca Perla and Maria Metler discuss their work with Vashon Nature Center and the “Natural Wonder: An Island Shaped By Water” exhibit currently on view at Vashon Heritage Museum.

Ryan Krug Cup

The Ryan Krug Cup, an annual fundraiser for the Vashon Community Scholarship Fund (the Ryan Krug Scholarships), which was to be held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, at Vashon High School’s stadium field, has now been postponed until February. In the annual Cup, men’s players bid for starting positions as they play the oldest Vashon Island soccer club’s boys’ team.

Correction: Previous versions of “Happenings,” in the Dec. 8 issue of The Beachcomber and online, announced that the Ryan Krug Cup would be held on Dec. 11. The match has now been postponed until sometime in February, with the full details to be announced at a later date.