POWER WITH A STICK Vashon boys lacrosse racks up another win. Page 18
JAZZ GIANT VISITS Internationally acclaimed jazz musician plays Vashon. Page 10
Island Childd Find this speciall supplement — listing summer dayy camps and more — inside this week’ss issue..
BEACHCOMBER VASHON-MAURY ISLAND
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2012
Vol. 57, No. 14
www.vashonbeachcomber.com
75¢
Silverwood’s closure marks the end of an era Agency battling
domestic violence hopes to grow
By LESLIE BROWN Staff Writer
The Silverwood Gallery is known for its vibrant oil paintings, whimsical ceramic tiles and curvaceous copper sculptures. But as Eric and Margaret Heffelfinger shutter a business they’ve spent 17 years cultivating, they say they’ll miss the people who walked through their glass-fronted doors the most. Couples, they noted, got engaged right there in the middle of their bright and Burton inn gets a airy gallery, after new owner, but discussing with drops the idea of Eric, a goldsmith, a restaurant. See the kind of ring story, page 22. they wanted. A member of the Masonic Temple, housed upstairs, routinely brought them small packages of smelt, delivered up with a flourish and a grin. Donald “Doc” Eastly once placed a huge, black-smithed candelabra on their counter, curious to know what they’d give him in trade. And every year, they’d have shows — invitationals or artist openings — that
By SUSAN RIEMER Staff Writer
Eric recalled. Last week, they closed their gallery’s doors for good — a surprise to many, as the Heffelfingers kept their decision largely to themselves and a handful of close friends. Many will miss the gallery,
In the year since The DoVE Project opened, the small nonprofit has served nearly 50 Islanders dealing with domestic violence and has made considerable plans to grow beyond what it offers now. Housed at Vashon Youth & Family Services (VYFS), DoVE offers a weekly support group and advocacy services, including helping people obtain protection orders and linking them to a range of needed resources on and off Vashon, according to program manager Tavi Black. “It’s absolutely a valuable service on the Island, said Ken Maaz, executive director at VYFS. “(Domestic violence) is a very real issue. It’s definitely here on the Island, and we need to pay attention to it.” The DoVE Project, a shortened name for Domestic Violence Ending, opened last April after a group of Islanders determined that
SEE SILVERWOOD, 22
SEE DOVE, 24
Leslie Brown/Staff Photo
Margaret and Eric Heffelfinger say they’re looking forward to new adventures. would pack the gallery so full of people many would spill onto the wide front porch. Their annual exhibits featuring Ted Kutscher’s evocative paintings of Vashon scenes were particularly spirited affairs, the Heffelfingers said. “They were huge celebrations — not just of his work but of life on the Island,”
Wreaking havoc
Raccoon Island: Vashon struggles with its cute but pesky neighbors By NATALIE JOHNSON Staff Writer
One sunny afternoon last fall Islander Martin Halliwell was pruning trees at a rental home near Tramp Harbor when he sat down for a lunch break. He had barely begun to eat when he turned to find eight little faces, just feet away, staring curiously at him. Halliwell, an avid photographer, happened to have his camera nearby and snapped a shot of the fearless raccoons. “They’re almost as cute as baby pigs,” he said with a laugh. Since then Halliwell, who often works
Martin Halliwell Photo
Raccoons thrive in large numbers on Vashon. This group of raccoons sneaked up on Islander Martin Halliwell near Tramp Harbor last fall. outside on Vashon, has seen even larger groups of raccoons. “I’ve seen as many as 15 or 16 together,” he said. “It’s bizarre.” Wildlife experts say that raccoons, intelligent and highly adaptable scavengers, are found in large numbers all around the
Seattle area and aren’t necessarily more abundant on Vashon. But while the cute and pesky creatures knock over trash cans and pick fights with dogs in the city, on Vashon raccoons — who frequently raid gardens and massacre flocks of chickens — seem to have earned a special place of
wonder, amusement and disdain among Islanders. “If you’re ever lacking something to talk about on Vashon, just bring up chickens or raccoons,” said Will Forrester, who owns SEE RACCOONS, 21