When I unlock the door to the Grange hall and show it to potential renters, I always describe it as either the island’s second living room or like the mess hall at summer camp where you drank bug juice. Either way, for the last 10 years, it has been an honor to be a Grange member, rental agent and one of the stewards of this cherished island institution.
Autumn is the time when trees lose their leaves and everything seems to turn to beautiful shades of orange, gold and vibrant red, but for those of us living up in the north, autumn is the time when days get short.
Recently while cleaning off my desk, I came across an email from Vashon High School principal Danny Rock that I had printed out last spring.
Island voters had some excellent candidate choices in last week’s election, and the fire, park and school districts will soon seat several new members.
Maybe, “Austin is back due to mild interest” is closer to the truth.
Reboot. Do over.
We all need a fresh start sometimes, but it isn’t easy when we are immersed in our busy lives.
The state’s ferry system is that it is a sort of aging money pit that will require millions of dollars to remain viable, according to multiple people from the Washington State Ferries (WSF), the legislature and islanders. So the question is, is the system worth it?
From the time they are born, children grow and learn within the context of their relationships. Unable to care for themselves, babies rely on the adults in their world for safety and nurturance. It is through relationships, therefore, that babies and young children learn to trust, to play, to communicate and to solve problems.
Realizing the community council that fell apart in 2010 was a crucial link between the island and the county, a group of islanders has decided to try to revive that link by creating a replacement. In 2010, the nine-member Vashon-Maury Island Community Council (VMICC) was strong and active, but it met its demise when the members chose to resign amid what some called frivolous public records requests by islander Tom Bangasser.
In recent months, the school board has begun talks about the new capital facilities bond to help pay for the maintenance of the district’s three schools and improve the athletic facilities at the high school.
As a public school teacher with a 3-year-old daughter who will be starting at the “big” school soon enough, I find myself thinking about education a lot.
Just this month it was announced that Granny’s Attic awarded more than $100,000 to local nonprofits. Of that, $90,000 went to Vashon Community Care, an organization that routinely seeks community support to help it stay operational.
You are probably familiar with the Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA): the non-profit that brings us the bountiful Wednesday and Saturday farmers markets.
