Vashon’s Strawberry Festival, celebrated over July 16 to 18, included several contests for good causes.
Islanders cast dollar votes for unoffical mayor, and Thea Jones, top left, took the title after running on the platform supporting Guide Dogs for the Blind, many of whom are raised on Vashon. Jones said she received roughly $2,000 in votes and $1,500 in off-Island corporate donations.
Jones, whose sight is failing, is pleased to have won, she said. “I wanted to do it for the puppies.”
She extends a thank you to all the people on the Island who support the guide dog program. Jones said she plans to continue to raise funds for the program and will appear on King 5’s New Day Northwest in a month or so.
Each year Vashon Community Care residents, staff and volunteers nominate people for the role of festival king and queen. This year Don and Marcia Montgomery took the honor and rode in the parade with Prince Dyllan Robison, the son of a staff member. For the next 12 months, the king and queen, and those who sit with them in the dining room, will receive their meals first.
Constantinople’s contest, Babes and Broads, Cats and Dogs, brought in $700 for Learn 2 Earn, an employment service for people 21 and older with developmental disabilities. Seleana Korenek, bottom left, took the cutest babe award, while Sherri Turner, top right, won in the “Broad” catergory. Turner’s dog Cedar, not pictured, also took top honors.
At The Vashon Maury Heritage Museum’s jam contest, Lisa Brougham took grand prize — 30 pounds of sugar— for her raspberry jam, and first prizes were given to Anna Ripley for her “Phantom of the Berry Patch” jam, Tom Conway in the “savory” category for his homemade ketchup, Judith Lawrence for her fig preserves and Nancy Lewis-Williams for her quince jelly. The People’s Choice prize went to Lisa Hewson for her blueberry jam.
At Sundays classic car parade, which this year honored Tom Stewart, entrants voted Paul Norton’s 1968 Camaro Best in Show.
Vashon Island Allied Arts’ much-coveted garden-themed quilt went to Kari Martin, who has lived on Vashon for 20 years and has bought quilt tickets every year in hopes of winning the piece. This year she only bought three tickets. “I never expected to win,” she said. “I feel really lucky.”
