FALL 2004 NEWSLETTER
One of the greatest
things about living on
Our retired postmaster Lana Butler has worked at Eastsound for years with a "reverse commute" taking the ferry from Anacortes to the island.
Our Library Director
Victoria Parker will now head the San Juan Island Nature Institute, while we
have a new director, Phil Heikkinen from the community of Show Low,
Our fire chief/community
band leader Gary Bennett will be leaving the island. Emerging from retirement
to take his place is Mike Harris, who retired after 30 years of fire service
two years ago. Lizz Hanks,
The Franciscan Sisters of
the Eucharist, the nuns who ran the
These changes illustrate the variety and human touch of island residents. Below are excerpted articles from
Jun 22 2004
Opting for the summer with her
husband
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Ted Grossman / Staff photo |
By Ted Grossman
Eastsound Postmaster Lana
It was 1987 when Lana, her husband Barry, and son Boone decided to move to the San Juan Islands and give up the 17 years seniority she had accumulated working in Olympia and Tacoma.
"We had boated
[around Orcas] for 10 years, and we wanted the quieter lifestyle and a rural
setting in which to raise our one-year-old son," Lana explained. The
She came across an announcement stating that there was a vacancy for the position of Eastsound postmaster. And when the job was offered, Lana didn't hesitate for a second before accepting the job, even though it meant a lower salary than what she was making in the postal service and, she said, "kissing my upwardly mobile career good-bye."
The
Five years ago the family
moved to Anacortes so Barry could accept a high school teaching job. But Lana
remained a member of the Bible Study group, and the family has kept its
cottage on
The move required Lana to become a ferry commuter. It meant leaving the house in the wee hours, catching the 5:30 a.m. boat to Orcas, and returning home in the early evening. The arrangement made for 14 hour work days, but Lana says she continues to enjoy having a couple quiet hours a day reading while somebody else does the driving.
Local clerk Mike Haugen will serve as officer-in-charge while the U.S. Postal Service looks for the next Eastsound postmaster.
June 15, 2004
Victoria Parker to head San Juan
Nature Institute
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Ted Grossman / Staff photo |
By Ted Grossman
The San Juan Nature Institute has a familiar face at the helm. It's
In one respect, the position is right up Parker's alley. Her job duties will include recruiting volunteers and raising money. As director of the Orcas Island Library, she has been a tireless advocate for LifeLong Learning, and under her guidance the library's list of adult education offerings has grown with each passing year.
The San Juan Nature Institute's mission is to educate local citizens about the unique environment of the San Juan Archipelago by offering a wide range of natural history courses and lectures. It is overseen by a Board of Directors, many of whom are scholars who are renowned authorities in the fields of environmental science.
To date, the bulk of the
San Juan Nature Institute's offerings have been limited to
That reach extends to
school curriculum development. The institute has developed a science
curriculum for grades K-12 that is now being implemented in the
July 28, 2004
Library board picks Heikkinen
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Ellie Mazzarella / Staff intern
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By Ted Grossman
Phil Heikkinen will be
Terms of his employment will include a salary of $62,500, moving expenses totaling $2,500, plus a package of medical, dental, vision, life disability and retirement benefits that go to all paid staff. He will assume his new role on Sept. 20.
Here's what some of the other trustees said about Heikkinen:
Lynn Richards: "He has some toughness to make the tough decisions. He is also very thoughtful, and very capable."
George Garrels:
"Being a director of a small community library is a positive thing. As
for living on an island, he lives in a smaller, more remote community (Show
Low,
Harvey Himmelfarb, a member of the search committee, praised the trustees for welcoming public dialogue, saying "It contributed to a wonderful future for the library."
Dec 10 2003
Bennett says it's time to leave
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Ted Grossman / Staff photo |
By Ted Grossman
Citing personal reasons and undisclosed personnel issues, Orcas Island Fire
Chief Gary Bennett announced that he will be resigning effective July 1,
2004.
The commissioners were stunned when Bennett informed them just 15 minutes prior to the meeting. "This is one of the saddest meetings I have attended," said Commissioner John Erly, who will also be stepping down, but on Jan. 1, when newly elected Commissioner Clyde Duke takes his place. "I tried to talk you out of it," Erly told Bennett.
Firefighters who attended the meeting also expressed sadness on learning of the resignation. "I'm really sad," said firefighter Julie Remington. "It's blown us away."
Battalion chief and
training officer Bruce Brackett not only expressed shock that Bennett will be
leaving, he also praised the chief, saying, "The department is better
trained and better equipped, and Gary Bennett is responsible for it." It
was during Bennett's term that the department relocated its main station from
downtown Eastsound to
Bennett said he appreciated the support, and he defended his work as chief executive officer of the department. "We've made great strides in the eight years I've been here," he said. "We've had some real accomplishments." He then quickly added, "But it's exhausting."
Bennett hopes to spend the next six and one-half months clearing up what he feels are lingering problems within the department, among them uncertainty about whether it is the role of the commissioners or the chief to hire and fire staff. He also hopes to improve lines of communication top to bottom, and he plans to convince both commissioners and the general public about the need to pay the future chief a salary that will encourage top-notch people to apply for the job. The Orcas position now pays $64,000 a year, which is less than that paid in the departments on Lopez and San Juan islands.
Bennett says his decision to quit was his alone, but it has the full support of his wife Sandy. He doubts that the pair will remain on Orcas Island long-term. The Bennetts, who are from the Seattle area, intend to return there in the not-too-distant future. Bennett says he would like to spend more time caring for his mother who, he says, has a "respiratory problem." When he does leave the island, the Orcas Island Community Band will need to find a new director. Bennett has been at the helm for the past three years.
The Bennetts moved to Orcas Island in 1977. That same year he joined the department as a volunteer, rising to the position of battalion chief before being named chief in 1995.
August 20, 2004
Harris jumps back into the fray -
Harvey Olsan says he's the right person for the job
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Ted Grossman / Staff photo |
By Ted Grossman
It was a little more than two years ago when Mike Harris, now 53, decided to
retire after serving nearly 30 years in the fire service. "I always
wanted to retire when I was young enough to enjoy it," he explained.
But just one year later, "I was ready to get back in. I had the itch to make a difference," Harris said. That itch culminated with his selection as Orcas' new fire chief. The last hurdle was cleared at a special meeting Aug. 17, when fire commissioners signed Harris' contract, which calls for a yearly salary of $75,000, but without any fringe benefits such as medical or dental. The overall package is similar to the one provided former chief Gary Bennett, who had a salary of only $60,000, but with benefits valued at about $15,000.
About 30 firefighters, all in their formal dress, attended the special meeting. They gave Harris a round of applause when he was introduced by commissioners. Harris will assume his duties on Sept. 1.
Fire commission chair Harvey Olsan said that Harris was the right person for the job. "He has the professionalism needed to take Orcas Fire into the future, a proven track record of leadership in volunteer departments, and the skills it takes to be successful on Orcas Island." His career includes nine years as a fire chief in Thurston County, and 11 years as a paramedic.
HARRIS CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT TO TAKE THE JOB
Orcas' new fire chief met with commissioners, staff and the volunteers, coming away from those discussions convinced that everybody "was poised to go to the next level of service."
Actually, the biggest potential stumbling block to Harris' accepting the job was knowing that weekdays he would have to be away from his wife of 11 years, who will remain in Olympia, where she works for the DNR. Christianson said her husband wanted to get back into the fire service, and once that became clear, she backed her husband's aspirations completely, explaining that the pair intends to see each other practically every weekend.
OLSAN SPELLS OUT THE DEPARTMENT'S FUTURE GOALS
"Our goal is to
develop an organizational structure that builds on our strengths," said
Harvey Olsan, chairman of the Orcas fire commission.
Olsan said the department faces a number of challenges, including demands for
increased service, particularly those for an aging population with more need
for the Emergency Medical Services; the need to address "a very real
wildland fire threat on the island;" pressure on volunteers to meet ever
increasing training an response requirements imposed by both the state and
federal government, while respecting their commitments to their families;
increased costs of providing all these services; budget pressures created by
the evolution of the EMS (not fires) being the number one service demand; and
the need to improve communications, both internally and externally with the
community.
BENNETT WAS THANKED
Finally, Olsan recognized Chief Gary Bennett and all former and current career and volunteer members, saying they should be thanked for getting the department to this level. "Due to their efforts," Olsan said, "we feel the Fire District has met and often exceeded the public's expectations for service."
Aug 11 2004
Honoring the nuns
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Ted Grossman / Staff photo |
By Ted Grossman
Visitors and local people have been saying for years that one of the San Juan
Islands' unique experiences was getting to see the nuns as they greeted the
ferries that came to the Shaw Island dock.
But the approximately 300 people who turned out Aug. 7 to honor the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist knew that the nuns were a lot more special than picture postcard material.
"They made such a difference in everyone's lives, both professionally and personally," said Mike Anderson, director of operations with Washington State Ferries, during a special ceremony on the dock. Anderson also predicted that "We'll probably never see a day like this again."
Those who came to honor the nuns included many of the ferry system's top management, Congressman Rick Larsen, county Commissioner John Evans, San Juan Ferry Advisory Committee Chairman Bob Distler and members of the Island Sinfonia classical musical group that was created by Mother Kateri Visocky, agent at the Shaw Landing, back in 1978. She headed the ensemble until the nuns moved to Oregon at the end of June. (Her replacement at the head of Island Sinfonia has yet to be named.)
But last Saturday belonged to the nuns and the Shaw Islanders, as was displayed by the many hugs, smiles and tears that were in evidence when local people came by to visit their long-time friends and neighbors.
While all the nuns were honored, Mother Kateri was singled out by the ferry system for her liaison work during the recently completed renovation of the dock. Lisa Parriott, project engineer for the ferry system, told Mother Kateri, "You were the rock. You kept everything together. You kept their (the contractor and workers') spirits up. You're the reason we came in on time and under budget."
Ceremony highlights included the unveiling of a painting entitled "Nuns at Night," and a plaque commemorating the nuns for their work at the ferry landing.. The painting was created by Anacortes artist Dan Olsen.
The plaque, which was commissioned by the ferry system, commended all nine nuns who have worked at the ferry landing "for 27 years of dedication to providing smooth operations, unparalleled customer service and a warm heart to millions of ferry customers and the residents of Shaw Island."
Both the painting and the plaque will remain in the ferry terminal building. Copies of the painting can also be purchased in the adjacent Little Portion Store.
The ceremony concluded with Mother Kateri christening the new terminal by breaking a bottle of champagne on it. From there, everybody proceeded to the music room, where they were treated to cake covered with frosting that depicted the old ferry dock. It was made by Shaw Islander Andrea Schmidt. Next stop was Bill Reeve's house, where islanders danced the night away in a newly constructed barn. The dance was catered by Doug Tidwell of the Orcas Hotel.
The nuns are now residing in the Columbia Gorge area of Oregon.
June 8, 2004
This business employs grandparents, parents and kids
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Ted Grossman / Staff photo |
By Ted Grossman
There are plenty of family businesses here in the San Juans, but one would be
hard-pressed to find any family operation as all-encompassing as the Little
Portion Store on Shaw Island.
At first glance, Shaw's only retail enterprise, which sits alongside the ferry landing, appears to be your typical mom-and-pop enterprise, with, in this particular case, mom being Terry Mason and pop being her husband Steve.
But after only a few minutes in the store, one gets to meet a huge supporting cast. There's Terry's mom, well-known Orcas islander Marguerite Gudgell, who takes the ferry over to help out as often as she can. There's Steve's parents, Herb and Norma Mason, of Anacortes, who are silent partners in the enterprise, and also help out periodically. And then there are the Mason kids: Stephanie, 21; Rebecca, 14; John, 11; and Chloe, eight. They're at the store practically every day doing things like shelving and pricing.
Steve and Terry, together with their children, moved from Orcas Island to Shaw in 1999. Terry gave up her job as director of Children's House preschool, in no small part because she was burned out after working there for 13 years, six of them as director. Directing Children's House proved to be an endless struggle that required Terry to burn the midnight oil year after year writing grant proposals.
But the main reasons for the move were so Terry could have more time with her family, and so she could live on an island that reminded her of what Orcas was like when she was a kid. The Gudgells moved to Orcas when she was six years old. Terry stayed there through high school, graduating in 1975.
Although the couple's move to Shaw brought Terry more time with her kids, she still didn't get to see much of Steve, who captained a freight ship in Alaska six to eight months every year.
Steve and Terry continued to hold out hope that they could be together year-round, but the situation seemed hopeless as long as they stayed on Shaw, where business opportunities are virtually non-existent. Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine that a day would come when the nuns would give up the job running the ferry terminal, and the Little Portion Store. "Everybody thought they'd be here forever," Terry admitted.
But then came the announcement late last August that the nuns intended to leave. Terry sprung into action. She contacted Steve in Alaska, at which time the pair decided to make an offer to buy the store and accompanying marina, and get the contract to run the ferry terminal.
They knew from the get-go, however, that the only way they could make it financially is by getting both.
Their prospects were not good, at least initially. Washington State Ferries announced that it was bound by law to put the contract up for bid, and the government agency indicated it could be as late as September 2004 before the bid specifications could be drawn up, and the applications reviewed. And the nuns were reluctant to wait for nearly a year. They wanted to sell and move on.
"There were a number of times when we felt that we were going down the tube," said Terry, doubting that all the pieces could be put together. Steve put things more colorfully. "it was like going from Mount Everest to the Marianas Trench," he said.
What sustained them was the support of the Shaw community, including the nuns. And the support wasn't just lobbying on their behalf. "The people gave us all sorts of help," Steve said. "There is real expertise on this island."
As for the nuns, they were determined to sell the store and marina to the Masons. "They had other offers, but they chose us," Terry said, adding, "we're very grateful; we feel real special."
Given all this community support, the ferry system eventually relented. The Masons signed the last sheets of paper June 2, assuring them both the store and the ferry contract. It was practically nine months to the day from the time they first expressed interest in the package, prompting Terry to say, "It was like having a baby."
The Masons realize that what they face is a whole lot of hard work because, at least for now, the family will be doing virtually all of it themselves. The store, which is headed by Terry, is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with hours slated to be extended to 7 p.m. during the summer. And that doesn't count all the extra time Terry will spend ordering, reviewing the books, paying the bills, etc.
Steve is running the ferry landing, which must be covered from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.
Terry, however, said it best. "It's a dream come true."
FROM COLDWELL BANKER ORCAS ISLAND
STEWARDS OF YOUR
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION
ON ORCAS ISLAND AND THE
SAN JUAN ISLANDS
INDEPENDENCE DAY 2004
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The 4th of July Parade in Eastsound brought out the American Legion Auxiliary, campers from Canoe, the French-speaking camp, and an Orcas inspiration, the Pink Paradeers, supporting our locally-made Earth Ball in the cause of peace.
And no matter what your politics are: VOTER REGISTRATION
No matter what your politics, in order to vote in the election, you must be registered. Robin Woodward, proprietor of The Living Room arts salon, has organized a registration table at The Kitchen in Eastsound, on Mondays and Fridays through August starting Monday, June 7, from 12:30 to 1:30PM.
To volunteer, you can e-mail Robin at: thelivingroom@orcasonline.com. Orcas Island stands behind the effort to get out the vote!
Click here for a round of Restaurant Roulette in Eastsound.
• Spring 2004 Newsletter
• Fall 2003 Newsletter
• Spring 2003 Newsletter
• Winter 2002-2003 Newsletter
• Fall 2002 Newsletter
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