The people of Vashon are known for their caring and generous ways. They pull cars out of snow drifts, assist a nurseryman to restore his storm-damaged greenhouses and look after home-bound neighbors. My neighbor cleaned up a garbage spill on her street, putting it in her garbage can — which leads to this suggestion that we all could carry a clean trash bag and rubber gloves in our car.

There will always be a few slobs who toss bottles and cans from their car windows, but we don’t have to look at them — a safe stop and a few stoops will beautify our Island once again.

We are models for our children, and if they can watch our benevolence, their generation will be better for it.

— Nancy Gokay