Green Party reads, talks
The Green Party Book Club will meet at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 27, at the Vashon Tea Shop. The book being discussed is “Overthrow: America’s century of regime change from Hawaii to Iraq,” by Stephen Kinzer.
All are welcome; you do not have to be a member of the Green Party to join us. For further information, please call me at 463-9579.
— Ivy Sacks
Quilters hear from soldier
Karen Gwilym, Sue Wilcoxen, Arlene Higley and Nancy Zellerhoff hosted the Quilt Guild meeting on April 15. Kathy Billingsley, Catholine Tribble and John Croan were introduced as guests.
Members were reminded to attend the show-and-tell meeting set for 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at the Vashon Community Care Center. Refreshments will be served.
Margaret Bickel presided over the raffle ticket drawing for the beautiful quilt, which raised over $6,300 for the American Heroes project. John Croan, representing the VFW, drew Steve Swanson’s (non-Islander) winning ticket.
Dianne Jecs read a touching letter from the mother of a wounded soldier describing what the quilt he received means to him and reported on her experience as part of the team that delivered 100 soldier quilts to Madigan Army Hospital recently. For information about the needs of American Hero Quilts, see www.amercianheroquilts.com.
Participation was solicited for an upcoming challenge project to be chaired by Joanne Helsby and a mystery quilt project being coordinated by Jo Ann Bardeen.
Many upcoming classes were announced, including bag making, working with silk and making a fused flowers quilt. Quilters will also be busy preparing for “Quilts In Bloom,” the 2009 Quilt Show.
Vashon Island resident Janet Kime spoke about her quilting career. Her presentation included examples of her quilts and doll clothes she makes and sells for Barbie and American Girl dolls. She also talked about the many quilt books she has written, and she graciously autographed her books owned by members.
The next Quilt Guild meetings are at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at the Epsicopal Church with Nancy Weed demonstrating cleaning of a sewing machine and at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 20, at the Presbyterian Church with Carla Peery speaking on “Down the Silk Road.” Guests are always welcome.
— Jo Ann Bardeen
Seniors learn poetry
Are you a poet? Do you love poetry, and would you like to understand it better? Then join the Senior Center’s poetry and music workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesdays at the Senior Center on Bank Road.
It’s fun and free and taught by Mel Michaels, who’s a graduate student at Goddard College, studying for his MFA.
Poetry needn’t be signed or read by its author. Just bring your enthusiasm and humor. The class runs for nine weeks, until June 18. Please call the Senior Center to sign up at 463-5173.
— Deirdre Petree
Meade on Comcast 21
Voice of Vashon’s television programming on Comcast Channel 21 next week will feature a new Susan McCabe exclusive interview with Michael Meade. Meade talks about his new book, “The World Behind the World, Living at the Ends of Time.” The interview will be aired at 7:02 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, and at 10:02 p.m. Wednesday. The Monday showing will delay the normal rebroadcast of the Community Council meeting by about 15 minutes.
For the full broadcast schedule including both audio and video schedules, see www. .voiceofvashon.org. If you have been creating your own video that you would like to share with your Vashon/Maury neighbors, please e-mail dans@islandimage.net.
— Dan Schueler
Preschool has open house
The Creative Preschool will hold an open house from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, for those interested in attending preschool this fall. The school has separate classes for 2s, 3s and pre-k children.
The school is housed in the Presbyterian Church, 17708 Vashon Highway S.W. For additional information, call the school at 463-2166.
— Bob Jones
Ulatoski takes on ferries
Ferry and other state officials tell us users “somehow … don’t count” anymore, and fares will grow and service shrink, Joe Ulatoski told Vashon Kiwanis April 15.
But he added that if users up and down the Sound speak together we can get changes anyway.
“Elections are coming,” he added meaningfully.
Ferries are “our lifeline,” not a choice, “not a luxury,” the retired brigadier general noted as he encouraged Kiwanians to be ready to speak out individually when various user groups agree on what changes to seek.
“Everybody needs to get involved if we are going to have any kind of an impact,” he emphasized. “This is the year.”
Keep one thing in mind, he said; the last election was won by 167 votes.
In June the state Transpor-tation Commission is to come out with fare recommendations.
Ulatoski summarized the recent history of ferry service, reminding us that four boats were out of service at one time and “nobody’s head rolled.” The governor told the new head of the Department of Transportation to get this straightened out, and she appears to be listening, he added.
Ulatoski is part of a Vashon Community Council committee working to organize users up and down the Sound to research and agree on what can be done legislatively.
Probably in May his committee will get other ferry community groups together to agree on a strategy, he said, adding that legislators representing ferry users already get together.
John Watkins and Susan Purdom suggested fare pricing may have gone up less than inflation. Ulatoski countered that fixed income folks are hurting.
In another appeal, Ulatoski challenged Kiwanians to “jitter bug” May 31 at a “sock hop” to raise money to build a third and final tower for the local radio station to offer disaster information, including ferry disruption, to all Islanders at 1650 on the AM.
— Jay Becker
Class of 1968 reunites
The Vashon High School class of 1968 invites all classes that graduated between 1965 and 1972 to a 40-year reunion party on Aug. 16, 2008.
For more information, see www.vhsreunion.com.
— Carl Holert
Register for kindergarten
The early registration period for 2008-09 kindergarten students ends Wednesday, April 30. All complete registration packets received by this date will have their teacher placement information mailed to them in late June. Incomplete packets or packets turned in after this date will receive this information in late August.
A complete packet includes registration card, Washington State immunization form, health history, placement form, after school transportation form and a copy of the child’s official state birth certificate.
— Gillian Callison
‘Comic spirit’ at Unitarians
Joe Meeker, a Vashon treasure, has traveled extensively around the world as a lecturer and consultant to academic, government and corporate institutions. Professor emeritus of literature and philosophy, his favored discipline is interdisciplinary study, which weaves nature, mind and art together. Meeker was a producer and host of the 1980s NPR radio series based on his book, “Minding the Earth.” His other books include “Spheres of Life” and “The Comedy of Survival.”
On March 9, Meeker joined the Sunday Morning Conversation with Part I of his work, “The Comic Spirit,” a thought-provoking discussion of comedy and tragedy as complex literary models of human behavior. Stimulating, intriguing and truly enjoyable are descriptions of this well-received material. On April 27, Part II of The Conversation with Meeker promises the same.
For more information contact Elaine Kearney at 992-1071.
Sunday Morning Conver-sations are held in Lewis Hall behind the Burton Community Church at 23905 Vashon Highway.
— Wendy Wharton
