When Shirley Ferris was recovering from surgery last October, her neighbor Mary Shackelford often stopped by to check in on her. It was a typical Vashon story of caring for others and in the idle hours of companionship, the two longtime islanders reminisced about working on a literary arts project at the Blue Heron in the 1980s. Before long they were envisioning a new series, only this time the subject would be Vashon, and the authors would be the island’s citizens. The idea caught fire with organizations such as Vashon Allied Arts, Voice of Vashon, All Island Forum and the heritage association, who each agreed to co-sponsor Ferris and Shackelford’s project, “Heart of Vashon: Telling Our Story.”

In true island style, Ferris said that as the ball got rolling, the project took on a life of its own. Some aspects are still to be determined, but for now, the project is set to begin on April 15 with a call for stories from any and all islanders.

“We are reaching out for a wide range of personal stories, written and spoken, about what it means to live on Vashon Island,” Ferris said.

In the project proposal, Ferris and Shackelford outlined their vision to create a narrative that celebrates the spirit of the island and the character of the community. They are looking for stories that “illuminate the spirit of this place and that speak to our sense of belonging and connection: human, nature, spirit.”

Ferris said she and Shackelford expect that a collective story will emerge from the individual tales.

“Sometimes we lose sight of our interconnectedness,” Ferris said. “We hope the collective story will rekindle what it means to live here. Belonging, reciprocity and community are so rare in the world right now. Those qualities help us when we are beset by a challenge that feels overwhelming, that taps our courage and sense of who we are.”

Shackelford and Ferris will select excerpts to create scripts for performance readings, which may be held up to four times a year. The first will be in January at the Blue Heron in conjunction with VAA’s 50th anniversary.

Ferris and Shackelford have been involved with VAA for many years, and each has deep roots on Vashon.

Ferris first visited the island in 1966 for a leadership retreat. She said she remembers little from the retreat but recalls fondly swimming in a pond, running through fields and harvesting food from a garden. She felt she’d found her true home. In 1971, she returned to Vashon and stayed. Ferris is a teacher, school counselor, writer and editor.

Shackelford landed on Vashon in the 1980s, having driven across the country from Virginia. She first lived on Governor’s Row before moving an old fishing cabin from the beach to her current property to use as a writing studio. Shackelford is a writer, storyteller and back porch musician. She also worked for many years supporting the performing arts at VAA.

“Our hope is these stories will express our deepest values,” Ferris said, “and reflect a sense of belonging and resilience.”

Story submission guidelines:

Stories should be short, specific, honest and heartfelt. Topics to consider: the land, seasonal activities, family rituals, special places, personal experiences, the spirit of place and experiences of connection and community. Stories can be written or spoken and submitted electronically, in writing or as an MP3. Spoken stories should be no more than 5 minutes, written stories from 750 to 1,000 words.

Submission deadline: Sept 30.

For more information email, heartofvashon@gmail.com.