Land Trust

Join the Vashon Maury Island Land Trust at their annual open house from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, March 7, at the Land Trust building, at 10014 SW Bank Rd.

Learn about the Land Trust’s work, ask its staff questions, and enjoy refreshments and snacks. There will be a short program at 6 p.m., offering a peek at the Land Trust’s plans for 2025.

Buzz into spring

Vashon Island Beekeepers Association (VIBA) holds regular meetings at its local apiary to raise bees and beekeepers. Mentorship opportunities are also available.

The first meeting of the 2025 season is at 12 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at the apiary. A yearly membership to VIBA is $35 per individual or $50 per family.

VIBA will also offer a three-session course for new beekeepers, “Intro to Beekeeping,” from 10:15-11:30 a.m. on March 8, and 1-3 p.m. on March 9 and March 30, at its apiary.

The cost is a $75 donation to VIBA which includes a membership for the year, due at the first class.

Email vashonislandbeekeepers.info@gmail.com, or visit tinyurl.com/jcfkjcfu, to find out more, or connect with the group on Facebook by searching VashonBeekeepers. The apiary’s address will be provided to those who sign up for meetings or join the group.

Inclusion Island

Join Inclusion Island, a group of adults with developmental disabilities and their friends and family, for a Saint Patrick’s Day party from 2-4:30 p.m. on Saturday, March. 8, at Bethel Church, located at 14736 Bethel Ln SW. The afternoon will include food, games, and more.

Questions? Email hersheyhousing@gmail.com.

Garden Club meeting

The Vashon-Maury Island Garden Club will host its monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, March 10, at the Bethel Church gym. Guest speaker Jerry Gehrke, aka “the Bee Guy,” will talk about nature’s most effective pollinators — mason bees — and answer questions about these hardworking creatures that help our fruit trees thrive. Learn more by visiting vmigc.org/activities.

Indivisible Vashon

Attend Indivisible Vashon’s next in-person member meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, in the Vashon Presbyterian Church’s social hall, at 17708 Vashon Hwy SW. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring a small donation for the use of the church, and “finger food” to share.

Indivisible Vashon takes actions to defend democracy by advocating for progressive political candidates and legislation, and working for social and environmental justice.

To find out more about work of the group, visit indivisiblevashon.org.

Celebrate Pi Day

Get a free slice of Pie from noon to 4 p.m. on Pi Day, March 14, at Vashon Presbyterian Church.

Pi, the irrational mathematical constant that represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, begins with the significant figures 3.14, and is thus celebrated on 3/14.

There will be a contest for reciting the most digits of Pi at the church, according to organizers, with a prize for the winner and second place.

Vashon Wilderness Program

The Vashon Wilderness Program (VWP) holds its annual fundraiser from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at Camp Sealth — VWP’s 400-acre outdoor classroom for the past 18 years.

The fundraiser raises money to keep nature programs accessible to all children. The evening will include live entertainment, food by Chef Weeze (Nola’s Events), cocktails by herbalist and VWP mentor Anthony Latora, and art by renowned wildlife photographer Annie Marie Musselman.

Tickets are $100 per person or $800 per table and can be reserved at at vashonwilderness.org.

An online silent auction runs from March 3-14.

Home & Garden Fair

The Vashon Island Chamber of Commerce hosts its Home & Garden Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 15 at Vashon High School.

“Moving Mountains”

Dr. John Osborn, an islander and physician affiliated with Vashon’s Medical Reserve Corps, will read from his new book, “Moving Mountains: Creating the Nurse Practitioner and Rural EMS,” from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, March 14, at the Land Trust Building.

The book, published by Caxton Press, is a memoir, cowritten with John’s mother, Marie, about her life and work as Idaho’s first licensed nurse practitioner.

The book tells an incredible story of service: In 1971, Marie founded an emergency clinic in rugged Sawtooth-Salmon River County, covering 6,000 square miles on 24/7 call for nearly 30 years.

The book — filled with 170 photographs and contributions from EMS providers and others who worked with Marie — also tracks the development of rural medicine, emergency services, and breaking the glass ceiling of male-dominated medicine.

John will have a few books for sale at the event. The book can also be purchased at caxtonnnn.myshopify.com.

Women Hold the Key

Islanders can witness the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and creativity at “AI, Robot and You: A Journey into the Future,” an upcoming fundraising event for Women Hold the Key (WHtK), a nonprofit on Vashon Island that fosters strong, supportive communities where women can thrive.

The family-friendly event, “AI, Robot and You: A Journey into the Future,” will take place from 3-6 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at Vashon Center for the Arts.

It will feature islander Ben Goertzel, the CEO and chief scientist of SingularityNET, along with development team members Dianne Krouse and Caroline Robin Cariste. The evening will include a special performance by Desi the Robot — an AI-powered robot musician created by Goertzel, and human members of the band fronted by Desi, “Desdemona’s Dream.”

Visit womenholdthekey.com for more information and tickets.

Get services

Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) mobile van will return to Vashon from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, at Vashon Food Bank, 10030 SW 210th St.

Apply inside for food, cash and medical benefits. Islanders can also drop off paperwork, complete a review, make changes to an existing case, or request an EBT card.

Senior Center

The Vashon Senior Center, at 10004 SW Bank Rd., offers a hot lunch at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and activities throughout the week. Additionally, the Vashon Oneness Center offers a free chance for islanders to meditate together every Monday from 5-6 p.m. at the Senior Center.

Visit vashoncenter.org for a full event calendar.