Senior Center

Attend a talk at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23: “Teaching English in the Jungle,” with islander Letitia Reason. Reason will show pictures and talk about her recent seven-week adventure into the Ecuadorian jungle to teach English to the Indigenous Achuar. The isolated community of Sharamentsa, located on the Pastaza River, is accessible only by canoe or small plane. Despite their remote location, the Achuar are actively engaged in a consensus-focused community that maintains contact with the outside world through a satellite internet connection.

Questions? Call 463-5173, or visit vashoncenter.org.

Walk in the Woods

The fifth Walk in the Woods, led by Vashon Forest Stewards, will go around Fisher Pond — the late Bill Fisher’s incredible gift to the community. The site is a 90-acre wildlife preserve one mile from town. Learn about Fisher’s forest stewardship plan and how the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust and Vashon Park District are managing it today. All Walk in the Woods programs are free.

The walk will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. Meet at Bill’s green warehouse on Bank Road. For more information, contact David Warren at 206-295-6670 or email vashonforests@gmail.com.

Photo gear sale

Members of the Senior Center Photo Club and Photographers of Vashon (POV) will be offering cameras, lenses, tripods, darkroom items, and more at a photo gear garage sale held from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24 at the Land Trust Building.

This is a chance for students, artists, and photographers to buy camera and darkroom equipment at very low prices. Both film-based and digital camera gear will be available. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Senior Center.

For more information, contact michael.elenko@comcast.net.

Vashon HouseHold fundraiser

Jam out and help Vashon HouseHold “Raise the Roof” at its 3rd annual summer concert and fundraiser. The event will take place at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at Dig Deep Gardens, and include live music by St. Ophelia, dancing, food, drinks, and mingling with the community — all to raise funding to combat housing insecurity on Vashon. This is a 21+ event. More information and tickets are available at vashonhousehold.org/raise-the-roof.

Welcome home Jacob Plihal

The Vashon Island Rowing Club and the Vashon Theater will host a “Welcome Home Jacob” celebration for island Olympian rower Jacob Plihal from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, August 27, at The Backlot (the open-air venue of Vashon Theatre). All islanders are welcome and encouraged to come. Refreshments will be served, and slideshows and videos will precede a Q&A session with Plihal.

Brown Briefly

Join the hosts of Brown Briefly at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27, on Voice of Vashon, for a spirited discussion of an American woman’s place in politics: the House, Senate, and perhaps even the presidency.

Special guest Rita Brogan will join the show’s hosts for a look at where we’ve been and speculation about what might be if we finally break that highest, hardest glass ceiling in America in November. Brogan is recognized on Vashon for her many local contributions, including her time as president of Friends of Mukai. She also brings perspective through a deep and broad background of regional and national civic leadership; including her tenure on the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women.

Find out more at voiceofvashon.org.

Water District meeting

The Board of Commissioners of Water District 19 has called for a special meeting to be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27, in the district’s board room at 17630 100th Ave SW. The purpose of the special meeting is to continue discussion on the district’s allocation policy and other business, as necessary.

Also, due to one of the board members being out of town next month, the September board meeting has been changed to Wednesday, September 11.

River Bend for IFCH

The popular island band, RiverBend — Paul Colwell, Peter Larsen, Chuck Roehm, Dick Gordon, Mike Witmer, and Kathleen Hendrickson — will perform an evening of bluegrass and old-time music from 6:30-8:30 p.m. (or so) on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Dig Deep Gardens. The performance is a fundraiser for the Vashon Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness (IFCH), supporting the organization’s mission to keep people housed. Food and drink will be available.

Grief ritual

A monthly community grief ritual is held from 1-2 p.m. on the first Sunday of every month, at the Tree of Life Wellness Center, at 17331 Vashon Hwy SW, with donations accepted. September’s first Sunday of the month is Sept. 1. Islanders are invited to share and witness, either in silence or out loud our grief. Questions? Call Susan Pitiger at 206-818-4232 or Brad Davis at 206 799-7235 or Colleen Carrette at 206 351-7769.

Japan Festival

Join Mukai Farm & Garden from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7 for the organization’s annual Japan Festival, located at 18017 107th Ave SW.

The festival will feature food, traditional bon dance, mochi pounding, lino print, kimono demos, an artisan market, and a kids’ village. There will be 15 community booths and festival workshops throughout.

The Vashon Island Growers Association (VIGA) will host a Spirit Garden to raise funds to restore and transform the historic Mukai Fruit Barreling Plant into a Food Hub for local farmers, and the festival finale will feature the renowned Japanese indie pop star Tomo Nakayama.

The festival’s grand opening starts at 11 a.m., followed by a Japanese swordsmanship display. The main stage will feature Troy Osaki’s poetry, the Kokon Taiko ensemble, Koto music by teen musicians, a workshop by Kokon Taiko, a community Bon Odori dance, and a concert by Nakayama. For more information, visit mukaifarmandgarden.org/japan-festival.

Granny’s grants

The fall granting season for Granny’s Attic is now underway — submissions for healthcare-related grants are due by 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11. For more information, email brian@vashongrannysattic.org.

Services Van

Washington’s DSHS Mobile Office will bring its services to the Vashon Food Bank’s parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept 11, at 10030 SW 210th St. Apply inside the van for food, cash, and medical services. Islanders can also drop off paperwork, complete a case, make changes to an existing case, or request food stamps.

Celebrate scouting

Celebrate 100 years of Vashon Island scouting from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at the Vashon Sportsmen’s Club. The Vashon community, scouting alumni, family, and friends are invited to enjoy family-friendly games, a free chili feed, and 100 years of memorabilia from Troop 294 on Vashon. Reconnect with old friends, make new ones, and learn what makes scouting on Vashon so special.

Health insurance

Miguel Urquiza, representative of King County Public Health, will help islanders sign up for health insurance, food stamps, and King County Metro’s reduced fare program from 12:30-3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at Vashon Library. This is for health insurance that will start the following month.

Those dates not convenient? Contact Urquiza for help at 206-477-6965, 206-491-3761, or miguel.urquiza@kingcounty.gov.

Food Bank tour

The Vashon Food Bank has embarked on a journey to relocate to the Vashon United Methodist Church’s property, at 17928 Vashon Hwy. The project will result in a vastly improved food bank, as well as the creation of a community resource hub to better collaborate with other island social service agencies.

Islanders are invited to find out more about this vision in a series of tours of the current and future sites. The next tour will take place from 2-3:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20. Meet at the current Food Bank: 10030 SW 210th St, behind the Sea Mar’s healthcare clinic on Sunrise Ridge. Emily Scott, the food bank’s executive director, will guide tour-goers and and give updates and more details about the project. Be sure to bring water and weather-appropriate clothing

RSVP to minta@vashonfoodbank.org or 206-930-9098.

Grief retreat

Facilitators Peter Jabin, Cristina Manzoni, Reve Shannon and Siena Tenisci will host a Grief Retreat from October 18-20 at Camp Burton.

The weekend will be facilitated by experienced grief mentors who will guide participants through chanting, poetry, teaching, writing exercises, small group sharing, and the creation of a grief shrine. It will culminate in a communal grief ritual. All participation is invitational; nothing is “required” beyond being present with and sharing the griefs you are carrying, to the best of your ability.

The retreat will utilize Francis Weller’s “Five Gates of Grief” to connect participants to their distinct and multifaceted experiences of grief in the context of a “sudden village.”

More information and registration can be found at tinyurl.com/griefritualvashon. The registration deadline is October 4.