Orcas Life: A Blog
Chamber’s 2011 Annual Meeting a Big Success!
October 29th, 2011
Rosario Resort's Beach House was the perfect venue
The October 26th Annual Meeting of the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce featured record attendance, great music, and reports about Chamber projects.
Those who were unable to attend might be interested to learn that the Chamber’s current priorities are building “shoulder season” tourism, “Business Essentials” classes for members, promoting Washington Business Week, and helping coordinate the Fourth of July activities in Eastsound.
Guest speakers included Orcas Island High School student Garett Pietsch, whom Chamber members sponsored to attend Washington Business Week last summer at the Western Washington University campus. The Executive Director of the State WBW program, Steve Hyer, outlined the history and evolution of this 35-year old program, and its goal of helping high school students learn more about business. School Superintendent Barbara Kline thanked the business community for supporting this program.
Robin Jacobson, Deborah Hopkins and Jim Hooper
Deborah Hopkins of the San Juan County Visitors and Convention Bureau reported that guest occupancy in the County has been running about 10% above last year. Media Manager Robin Jacobson commented on 2011′s national media exposure for the islands. Jim Hooper, Chair of the Economic Development Council reported on its activities.
Orcas Islander (and avid runner) Pete Moe reported on the success of the Adventure Sports organization in promoting 25K and 50K races in Moran State Park, which have brought hundreds of runners to the island in recent years. More than 800 are already registered for next February’s races, and this sort of outdoor sports activity has great potential for expansion. Pete feels there is a natural opportunity for nonprofit organizations to partner with businesses to sponsor these sorts of events.
The Chamber announced we will sponsor a new event with great potential to become a regular “shoulder season” event for Orcas Island, in partnership with the Seattle Shakespeare Company. Look for an event here next May. We also hope to continue last year’s efforts to attract visitors through targeted radio ads in the Seattle market.
Award Recipient Janet Brownell
This year saw an expanded Fourth of July Festival. Mary Pugh, Susan Gudgell, and Michael Rivkin received special recognition for helping bring together that day’s events.
Honors for 2011 went to Janet Brownell, who received the Chamber’s Community Service Award, to Tom Averna of Deer Harbor Charters for the Chamber’s Environmental Excellence Award, and Cindy Morgan of Nest for the Customer Service Award.
Special Thanks to Rosario for hosting the event and providing great food, and to the Whisky Snickers band for entertaining us all. And thanks to all those businesses, organizations and individuals who invest in the Chamber, and those who volunteer their time and donate funds to make the Chamber activities possible!
Sincerely,
Michell Marshall
Chamber Board President
Photos courtesy Colleen Armstrong, Islands Sounder
Activities, Blog, Events, Rosario Resort
Turtleback Mountain Preserve’s New Trail
July 12th, 2011
Over the last several months, San Juan County Land Bank staff, volunteers and members of the Washington Conservation Corps completed a new section of trail on the south side of Turtleback Mountain Preserve.
At just under ¾ mile, the Lost Oak Trail connects to the existing South Trail, allowing hikers the opportunity to make a circuit that includes Ship Peak Overlook as the highest point.
“The new trail gives hikers the option to make a loop, or connect with the Ridge Trail,” explains the Land Bank’s Orcas Preserve Steward, Ruthie Dougherty. “More importantly, the trail helps tell another story of the mountain as it meanders through transitional forest, small meadows, and rock outcrops. The remains of an old fence line and silvered trunks of long-fallen oak trees are clues to the dynamic cultural and natural history contained within this landscape.”
With an elevation gain of 530 feet, the Lost Oak Trail is moderately strenuous, but the effort is rewarded with framed views to the west and shaded forest meanders. This addition brings the total miles of trail in the Turtleback Mountain Preserve to just under seven.
Lost Oak is a Pedestrian Only trail. Hikers are reminded to stay on designated trails, always leash dogs, and “leave no trace” when visiting Land Bank preserve lands.
To research more about Turtleback Mountain Preserve, visit the Islands Sounder newspaper, or OrcasIssues.com.
Food For Thought Benefit Dinner & Art Auction
May 11th, 2011
Food For Thought Benefit Dinner & Auction
Orcas Island is home to two things, if nothing else. Amazing artists of all types, and non-profit organizations supporting various aspects of the community. And here’s an example where the two are melded as one. The Orcas Island Education Foundation’s 8th Annual ‘Food For Thought’ Benefit Dinner & Auction for our Public Schools is coming up on Thursday, May 19 at Discovery House at Rosario Resort. This year, in the spirit of Spring and new beginnings, OIEF has asked our talented Island artists to craft an original piece of art from an egg, and you will have a chance to own one if you bid right.
Island artists and several public school classrooms quickly picked up their choice of the two different egg shapes OIEF provided – one of solid wood, the other of maché which opened to a hollow inside. These creations are so beautiful, unusual and creative that those who come this year will have trouble deciding which one to bid on in the silent and live auction. Eggs will be in various businesses on the Island for all to see as of May 10.
Todd Spalti's "Egg Plant"
Oh yes, Orcas Island also likes to eat. If the auction isn’t enough, there will be lots of delicious food provided by professional chefs (Geddes Martin of Ship Bay, Christina Orchid of Red Rabbit Farm, and Bobby and Bev from Cafe Olga) and winners of the 2011 Student Chef Competition.
This truly unusual event is OIEF’s primary fundraiser to help support public school programs such as the Arts Education Initiative, wood shop, all-day kindergarten, several advanced Placement programs and numerous other classes not funded by other sources. This is the most important fundraiser for our public schools. Great art, great food and a great cause. What better way to spend and evening. Tickets are $65 per person, on sale now at the Elementary School office, Darvill’s Bookstore and the Chamber of Commerce office. Free childcare will be provided.
Uncategorized
First Annual Cider & Mead Festival Next Week
May 6th, 2011
Orcas Island First Annual Cider & Mead Festival
Up to ten Northwest hard cider and mead producers including Finnriver, Wescott Bay, Red Barn, Sky River, Alpenfire, Adytum, Crispin and Tieton Cider Works will be gathering together at the first Orcas Island Cider and Mead Festival at Farmer’s Market on Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Also, several Orcas homebrews will be judged by the professionals and crowned “Island Best of the Fest,” perhaps the first of its kind.
The event will be held under a large tent near the Village stage. Island musicians, Bruce Harvey and the Calvados Brothers, Gene Nery and Martin Lund, and “This is Lizzard” with Lizanne Hennessey and Roland Stolk will be entertaining the throng all day long. Everyone can talk with processors and see their products free of charge. Anyone over 21 will be able to taste the ciders and meads for a $5 to $20 donation benefiting the Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Program.
During the week before the event, the cider and mead makers will have food pairings and products featured at Allium and Ship Bay. The Lower Tavern will be featuring a producer or two on their wine list, and The Kitchen will be cooking up a lunch on the Friday before using ciders in several of its dishes.
Sponsors of the event are Ray’s Pharmacy, Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce, Permit Resources, The Nest, San Juan Insurance, Crow Valley Pottery, Bay Head Marina, The Gudgell Group, Allium, Inn at Ship Bay, Chimayo’s, The Kitchen, and The Lower Tavern. The Chamber of Commerce thanks Rick Hughes of Ray’s Pharmacy, and Madie Murray – on behalf of the Farm to Cafeteria program – for their hard work in arranging and promoting this event.
Education, Events, Food, Fundraiser, Music
Blue Heron Bed & Breakfast on Orcas Island
April 2nd, 2011
Blue Heron B&B in West Sound
Orcas Island is made up of interesting characters, and interesting places. From time to time, the Chamber of Commerce shares the stories and details surrounding our membership, and our island.
If you are planning a trip to the island, and perchance, have your pet with you, you may not find a more hospitable home than the Blue Heron Bed & Breakfast. Located in West Sound (about 10 minutes from the ferry landing), the Blue Heron is a charming Victorian-style B&B, with a rich history.
I took a few minutes to chat with the owners, Carol & Bogdan Kulminski.
Chamber: How did you happen to discover Orcas Island?
Carol: The honest answer – by way of a haphazard search involving a motivated Realtor from Seattle. After making the decision to retire from teaching, and Bogdan making the decision to humor me, I bought a book called, “How to Run a Bed and Breakfast” and I began to search online. We narrowed the search to Oregon and Washington, but traveling to see potential B&B’s for sale resulted in properties that didn’t look anything like the description or was “pending sale”. We enlisted a Realtor in Oregon and one in Washington. It was the call from an agent in Seattle to see some properties in Eastsound (which I thought was near Seattle) that prompted a trip to first, San Juan, and then Orcas. My husband wasn’t on this particular trip (which later he says he should have been after he saw what we bought). The Blue Heron was the last property I saw that day. The Realtor and I ran out of time, so I had to make the trip the next day by myself and meet the listing agent, Wally Gudgell, who showed me the property and sold me on every wonderful historical feature of this 100 year old house. My husband didn’t see the house until the day we arrived from San Diego with all of our possessions in a U-Haul truck. He likes to share with our guests that we would never have purchased it, but then we all agree that it was good he wasn’t there because owning the Blue Heron Bed and Breakfast is awesome and we love it!
Chamber: Tell us a little about you and your business.
Dr. Rosie Kuhn presents Business Essentials Class – Grow Your Business
March 23rd, 2011
A Chamber of Commerce ‘Business Essentials’ Presentation
(Thursday, March 24 @ Outlook Inn)
Coffee & pastries 7:45 am; Presentation 8 am – 9 am
Dr. Rosie Kuhn
Ask yourself the question: To what degree are you growing, killing or letting your business die. All of us are making choices that contribute to having our business turn out the way it does and perhaps not the way we want it to. The questions is: What is the choice-making process that is currently in place that is creating the level of growth or lack of growth in your business?
Join local author Dr. Rosie Kuhn in exploring what has you choose to choose what you choose in service to having the business you say you want to have. This will be an informative and dynamic process in support of recognizing and acknowledging the choice-making processes that are working for you in growing, killing or letting your business die. Chamber members and the public are invited. Chamber members by donation; $5 for non-members.
RESERVATIONS: Call the Chamber of Commerce to RSVP (376-2273) or email info@orcasislandchamber.com
Class, Events
Orcas Artist Brook Meinhardt Art Opening
March 5th, 2011
Painter and illustrator Brook Meinhardt, an Orcas Island resident for the past five years, was featured in her first solo show at the Orcas Center last evening, Friday, March 4. On a chilly evening in Eastsound, Orcas Islanders – young and old – turned out to show their support for one of the island’s creative forces. The moment you entered the Orcas Center gallery one was taken by the number of images Brook had assembled for the show. Ranging from her unique cardboard ‘art scenes’ to drawing and paintings, it was an impressive lineup.
Margie Doyle’s OrcasIssues blog recently had a wonderful overview of Brook’s background. A few of the highlights are found here:
Brook was born and raised in New York City, and studied art at The School of Visual Arts, and Cooper Union. Growing up in Manhattan the daughter of two architects, Meinhardt grew up surrounded by art. Her Harvard-trained father worked for Richard Meier, and a Frank Stella hung in their living room. Her father took her to see Claus Oldenburg, James Rosenquist, Louise Nevelson, and Louise Bourgeois shows in SOHO when she was a child. She has always been surrounded and inspired by structure, form and function. Her paintings, drawings and portraits, some 3-D constructions made from cardboard, have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, TIME magazine, and The Wall Street Journal amongst many others. She’s also done commercial illustration work for companies like The Gap, MTV, Pottery Barn, Old Navy, Barney’s New York, and Sephora.
Brook’s website can be found at www.BrookMeinhardt.com. Orcas Island is lucky to have her artistic talents.
Arts, Events, Orcas Center, Uncategorized
Knoxville, Tennessee finds Country Wisdom on Orcas Island
March 1st, 2011
Ida Hughs call Knoville home
Ina Hughs owns Knoxville. According to KnoxNews.com, Ina spent 30 years as a newspaper columnist, focusing on issues involving human rights, children, women’s concerns, religion and the environment. She now lives in a cabin on a cove off of the Tennessee River, and says her real success comes from making readers think or laugh or to have something to discuss at the dinner table.
Her blog posting about a recent visit to Orcas Island reveals a bit about Ms. Hughs. As she notes,
“I’ve just gotten back from a three-week vacation on Orcas Island off the coast of Washington. The very first day I went to the delightful library there and got a visitors’ card. I stopped counting at 13 books I read cover to cover between walks along the blustery coastline and forages into the chowder bars and pottery studios on the island.”
Islanders know we have an amazing library. Oh yes, we also have pottery studios and art galleries galore. Artists seem to be attracted to islands … or, at least, our island. Phil H. and his staff at the library cater to islanders, but visitors from Tennessee also appreciate it.
And did Orcas Island provide Ina anything else? Yes it did. A skill she perfected during her visit is one we all practice, especially during winter. She enjoys practicing her skills at fire building. It’s not easy. Orcas Island has a winter season, and islanders love building fires. Small fires. Wood stoves and fireplaces. We practice during January and February, much like Ina did…
“One of the skills I practiced out on Orcas Island was building fires. We never turned on the heat, but lived by the light – and heat – of a wood stove. I am at heart a pyromaniac. Not seriously, but I pride myself on expertise in campfires, wood stove fires, fireplace fires and small carefully tended s’more fires, for which I am famous as a grandmother.”
A final note to Ina Hughs: Thank you for visiting Orcas Island. Come back. Read more. Light more fires.
Blog
Seattle blogger falls in love with Orcas Island!
February 26th, 2011
Walk With Me: Orcas Island
Being a Chamber of Commerce, it’s only natural that we love hearing about folks who enjoy their visits to the island. And with search engines constantly looking for “Orcas” topics, we run across a great many. But this one really stood out!
Shoni writes her Walk With Me blog as a young mother and wife living in Seattle. A recent blog update lovingly tells of a visit to Orcas Island in February, and the happiness — she calls it Her Slice of Heaven – she found exploring the island. Summer can be a tad hectic for visitors and islanders alike, but Shoni loves the natural beauty of the winter months, from Moran State Park, to the serenity of a nearby beach.
She actually describes the island better than we can: “I can easily imagine a retreat to the island where I get a room with a view, take lots of books to read, go on walks, write, and just relax. But if you need a bit more excitement on your vacations, there are whale watching expeditions, kayak tours, trails for hiking and bicycling, lakes for fishing and other recreational activities, and dinner cruises.”
Shoni, we are glad you and your family discovered Orcas Island. Please come back and enjoy it whenever you want!
Pottery goes round ‘n round on Orcas Island
February 26th, 2011
Orcas Island (and all the San Juan Islands) are known for their wealth of artists. From painters to potters, and everything in-between, the island life seems to lend itself to creative people doing creative things. When you visit the island, you will soon find yourself running into a multitude of shops and galleries, each with a slightly unique set of artistic offerings.
Although islanders know all about this, we sometimes wonder if others on the mainland appreciate it. It was with great glee that I spotted a terrific Seattle Times article online about Syd Exton and her Orcas Island Pottery this morning. Writer Alan Berner’s piece is appropriately titled, “Life is a whirl for Orcas glaze queen.” As the article notes, Syd (in this case, a female Syd) has been around clay and pottery her whole life, learning when she was very young from her mother, Trudy Erwin (owner of nearby Right Place Pottery). Syd may get dirty with all that clay, but Orcas Island is the better for it!
Arts