Senior Center events

The Vashon Low Vision Group will meet at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at the Senior Center. The topic will be a general discussion of coping skills used by fun people with vision challenges. The group meets on the first Thursday of each month.

Swing your partner around and around at a square dance with live music at the Senior Center, at 1 p.m. Friday, June 7.

Join local artist Donna Caulton at 1 p.m. Monday, June 10, as she shares the stories behind her artwork now on view at the Center.

Women Hold the Key

Join Women Hold the Key on Friday, June 7, for an open house, community gathering and ribbon cutting to celebrate the nonprofit serving women and its new location at 9822 SW Gorsuch Road. The event, open to the public, begins with a celebration of teachers from 1 to 3 p.m., followed by a ribbon cutting with grilled hamburgers, hotdogs and vegetarian options from 5 to 7 p.m.

Where the Water Begins

King Conservation District will host “Where the Water Begins,” a free day of learning and beach walk, from 9-3 p.m. Friday, June 7, at Camp Sealth.

The morning class session will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about ecological, geological, and vegetation management issues associated with shoreline properties. After lunch, walk the beach to see the principles discussed in action. Register and find out more here.

Celebrate Pride Month

Vashon has events throughout June to celebrate Pride Month and Vashon’s LGBTQ community.

Pride Street Dance: All are invited to join the DOVE Project and other community partners including Vashon Senior Center for dancing, music, and celebration from 5-8 p.m. Friday, June 7, at Vashon Theatre’s Backlot.

Family Storytime Rainbows: Read stories, sing songs, learn about rainbows, and make rainbow rafts from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Vashon Library.

Orbit Planet Gala: Celebrate the last day of school, the start of summer, and Pride month, with dancing, DJs, activities, and more, from 12-3 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, at Open Space for Arts & Community from 12- 3 p.m. Open to middle and high school LGBTQ+ youth and allies.

Art session: Get artsy and enjoy festive mocktails at the Senior Center from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, June 28, at a pride-themed painting session guided by Collin V.

Vashon Ultra returns

The Vashon Ultramarathon & Trail Run will return on Saturday, June 8, to the trails of Island Center Forest and Fisher Pond for its 14th edition.

This year’s event includes runs of 10 and 20 miles and the headline event of 50k (31 miles).

Kristi Williams will return to defend her title in the 50k, with pressure from Christine Mosely, who was second last year and holds five of the top ten times in the 50k.

Almost 120 runners have registered, and while most are from nearby, some are from as far away as the United Arab Emirates and Belgium. This year, organizers have added a 20-mile event as well.

The runs are a nonprofit charity event that benefits other local nonprofits and youth sports. Day-of-race registration is available. Find out more at vashonultra.com.

Food Bank drive

A summer food and fund drive to benefit the Vashon Food Bank will happen on Saturday, June 8, with collection sites outside of Thriftway and Vashon Market IGA from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Islanders can increase food security on the island by contributing non-perishable food, or by purchasing a Thriftway Care Card or IGA gift card.

The food bank is especially in need of spaghetti, tuna, broth, and canned soups or chili. Donations of any clean, reusable, dry, and structurally sound grocery bags with handles are also appreciated.

Those who miss the event can always bring donations to the blue shed in the food bank’s parking lot at 10030 SW 210th St., located up the hill and to the right of the Sunrise Ridge clinic operated by Sea Mar Community Health Centers.

For more information, visit vashonfoodbank.org or call 206-463-6332.

Wine Tasting

Wine Shop Vashon, located in Vashon Village, will host a wine tasting from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 8, featuring conversations about the geology of Greece, Turkey and Cyprus that gave rise to the wines on offer at the event.

The event will be hosted by Steve Bergman, Kyle Wright, and Liz Ophoven.

Tickets are $25 at wineshopvashon.com.

Garden visits

Five popular gardens on Vashon will be open for visits from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 9. A fee of $10 per garden will support The Garden Conservancy’s mission to preserve and foster America’s gardening traditions. The gardens include Carhart Garden, Froggsong Gardens, Austin Donnelly Garden, Victorian Stumpery Garden and The Garden at the Corner of Dock & Dock. You can learn more by visiting tinyurl.com/vashongarden.

Baseball Academy auction

Vashon Baseball Academy, a travel baseball program that started its first season last summer, will hold its first annual auction from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 9 at the McMurray Middle School gymnasium. There will be activities for kids and food served, according to organizers. All are welcome.

The silent auction will feature items from Vashon merchants and exclusive Mariner’s collectibles. Raffles for Mariners tickets will include four Diamond Club seats.

Birding events

Steve Caldwell will offer “Birding by Ear,” a three-hour walk starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday, June, 9, to identify birds by their chirps, squawks, and caws. Participants should meet at the parking lot at the north end of Paradise Valley near 204th St. To find out more and confirm your attendance, email sylvia@sylvansanctuary.com.

Margie Morgan will welcome eight birders to her backyard at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 15, to see and hear birds close up at the multiple feeders and fountains in her garden. To register and find out more, email sylvia@sylvansanctuary.com.

Garden Club

The Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club holds its monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. Monday, June 10, at the Bethel Church gym. This last meeting of the fiscal year will include a discussion of the club’s Kay White Scholarship Program and an announcement of this year’s award recipients. Bring a potluck dish to share.

Water District meeting

Water District 19’s next regular meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, in the district’s board room at 17630 100th Ave SW.

Cemetery District

King County Cemetery District’s next regular board meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, in the district’s office, at 19631 Singer Rd SW.

“Thank you” event for ferry workers

Islanders for Ferry Action (IFA) will host an event to thank Washington State Ferries (WSF) workers at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12 at Vashon’s north end dock.

IFA will deliver thank-you notes and treats to workers that day, joined by State Representative Emily Alvarado, State Senator Joe Nguyen, WSF Director of Planning and Relations John Vezina, WSF Deputy Director of Planning and Relations Hadley Rodero, and Slade McSheehy, Superintendent of the Vashon Island School District.

For more information, contact IFA director Amy Drayer at amy.drayer@vashonchamber.com.

Healthcare Town Hall

Indivisible Vashon and the Vashon Rotary will host two healthcare town halls on Thursday, June 13, presented by Whole Washington, a charitable organization advocating for universal healthcare in Washington and beyond.

The first workshop, with Vashon Rotary, will take place from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Chautauqua Elementary. The second, with Indivisible Vashon, will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Land Trust Building.

Whole Washington is made up of healthcare professionals and volunteers and supports the creation of a national single-payer healthcare system.

Juneteenth

The Vashon Juneteenth Committee and Mukai Farm & Garden will present an event commemorating Juneteenth from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, in the atrium of Vashon Center for the Arts. The event will include educational displays, speakers, live music, snacks, and a cash bar.

Juneteenth marks the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved citizens of Texas were finally declared free from bondage, a full two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. In the summer of 2021, Congress passed legislation with bipartisan support to make Juneteenth a federal holiday.

Vashon’s celebration of Juneteenth, organized in partnership between the Vashon Juneteenth Committee and Mukai Farm & Garden, is now four years old.

Walk in the Woods

Learn more about Island Center Forest at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 29, in the third installment of the Walk in the Woods series, which will include a conversation with Paul Fischer, the King County Forester responsible for forestry in Island Center Forest. Walkers should meet in the parking lot off of Cemetery Road at 10 a.m. For more information, contact David Warren at 206-295-6670 or VashonForests@gmail.com.

Master Gardeners

Bring your gardening questions, plant samples, and/or plant photos to the Vashon Master Gardeners, stationed in front of Ace Hardware every Saturday, May through August, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and first Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact Vashon Master Gardeners, WSU Extension, at mgvashon@gmail.com for more information.

Open Water Swim

Sign up for Swim Defiance, a historic 3-kilometer open water swim from Vashon’s south end to Owen Beach, in Tacoma, to be held on Sunday, Aug. 11. The competition is limited to the first 100 entrants. Find out more and sign up soon here.