By SUSAN RIEMER

Reporter

Thousands of people took part in the annual Strawberry Festival last weekend, with many of those involved deeming it a success.

The festival has a long history on Vashon, marking its 108th year this year.Throughout that time as the island changed, so did the Strawberry Festival, which is put on by the Vashon-Maury Island Chamber of Commerce.

“It has been different for different generations over the years,” said Executive Director Jim Marsh. “It reflects and is for Vashon.”

While many islanders think of it as a weekend bash, Marsh and others say it is much more than that and provides a benefit to the island months after the last of the crowds have gone home. The festival is the chamber’s largest fundraiser and provides almost half of the chamber’s annual operating budget, he said.

“This really helps us run the chamber and support local businesses year- round,” he added.

Moreover, Marsh said that he believes the event likely brought in $70,000 for island nonprofits this year, taking into account proceeds from the pancake breakfast, Bill Burby Fun Run, booths and the unofficial mayor contest.

In fact, this year’s unofficial mayor contest broke records with both the number of candidates — eight — and the money raised — $34,000.

Colleen Carette, or Tinker Bell, ran to benefit the Interfaith Council to Prevent Homelessness (IFCH) and won this year after receiving a record $20,000 in $1 votes.

Emma Amiad, the president of the IFCH, expressed her gratitude — and amazement — with the amount Carette brought in to the small nonprofit.

“I was absolutely blown away. Everyone on our board was left breathless,” she said. “That is more than we have raised doing anything. That is a huge chunk for us to receive.”

The annual budget for the IFCH is about $50,000, Amiad said, and the organization has been using the mayoral funds as they have come in. Looking ahead, Amiad said they will continue to prioritize the money for rental assistance and medical needs.

Vashon’s rents have increased dramatically in recent years, and demand for assistance from IFCH has risen as well. Along with rental assistance, Amiad said the organization tries to provide for several isolated elderly Vashon residents and people with cancer that need assistance from a variety of nonprofits.

“We are trying as fast and efficiently as possible to help in anyway we can,” she said.

For her part, Carette, an IFCH board member, said she, too, is thrilled with the win and with the money she brought in, but she is not resting on her laurels. She plans to continue to raise funds and awareness about needs on the island in the year ahead as unofficial mayor.

“We have only just begun,” she said, adopting the old Carpenters’ song as one of her new mottoes.

Additionally, she said she is prepared to make her first declaration as unofficial mayor: Jan. 11 will be Jean Bosch day, in honor of Bosch, a real estate agent and community activist, who died early this year. She was known, Carette said, for her broad shoulders and big heart.

While many candidates were visible for their causes in recent months, Carette, by many accounts, outdid them all. She began in March — considered early at the time — and held house parties, gave presentations and set out donation containers. Beyond that, she attended Fairyoke, spoke at two island faith communities, sold mugs online and at the Farmers Market and showed a one-minute film at the Vashon Theatre this last month. She jokes that her wife and campaign manager, Sue Carette, insisted she put on her Tink outfit on First Fridays, stand on the street corner and make some money.

Overall, she said, she is extremely pleased to have run — for the people she has met and the experiences she would not otherwise have had — including the willingness of many people to give.

She recounted how one woman donated to her via PayPal. The donation was so generous — $1,000 — she thought the woman accidentally added an extra zero. When Carette contacted her, the woman said it was intentional and that just three years ago, when she was a struggling single mom, IFCH had helped her. Now, on her feet and successful, the donor said it was time for her pay it forward.

Other island nonprofits also benefitted from the mayoral contest, including Vashon Community Care. Board member Bettie Edwards ran for that organization, bringing in nearly $10,000 — which easily would have won the unofficial mayoral title in earlier years, but brought her second place this year.

Throughout the weekend several other island nonprofits had a presence in the heart of town with booths along the highway.

The Vashon Seals swim team was among them, complete with a dunk tank to raise funds to cover the Vashon Pool. Club President Karin Choo said the weekend brought in $1,540.

“We had a great response from festival goers,” she said. “Many wanted to hear more about the Cover Our Pool campaign and were eager to support the cause. Many wanted to dunk their own friends and relatives, and others just wanted to dunk our volunteers.”

A little bit up the street, Bruce Haulman staffed the Vashon Heritage Museum booth, selling memberships, books and hats. He expected the weekend to bring in $500 to $600.

“You do not do it to raise money, but to get out in the community and get known.” he said. “That’s the key thing for us. It is about building friendships.”

The festival is about far more than serving island nonprofits, of course. But organizers say they try to weave the spirit of community into many facets of the celebration.

Pete Welch, of Vashon Events, which organizes all the festival music, said this year for the first time at the youth stage, high school students both performed — as they have in the past — and did the sound.

“Thane Gill (a VHS graduate and employee) brought in six or seven kids and mentored them on how to run sound on stage,” he said.

“It made sense to us. … It was a great experience all around.”

Welch noted that in all there were some 200 musicians who performed over the weekend and that most things went smoothly. He added that it is an incredible amount of work to get all the details of the festival right

“It takes a village,” he said, crediting all those involved.

Marsh concurred, noting that the chamber had some 30 volunteers who tended to the myriad tasks of the event. He added that this was his fifth Strawberry Festival and that more people are coming to him with ideas they would like to see — and ways to make them happen.

“That to me is inspiring,” he said. “I have always wanted to make the festival reflect Vashon, and to have other people work with us on that is great.”