Islands' Sounder, October 01, 2014

Page 1

SOUNDER THE ISLANDS’

Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County

WEDNESDAY, October 1, 2014  VOL. 47, NO. 40  75¢  islandssounder.comS

Creating our future leaders

by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONG Editor/Publisher

John Quincy Adams said if your “actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more,” then you are a leader. The teens of Orcas High School’s first leadership class hope their efforts will do just that for their fellow students. “We want to motivate them to join in school spirit activities,” said senior Melanie Flint, who is also Co-President of the Associated Student Body. The class, which is the “action arm” of the ASB, will cover topics like communication skills, group processes, managerial skills, selfawareness, human relations and Robert’s Rules of Order as developed by the Washington Student Leadership program. But leadership instructor Mike Buckner says the main focus right now is encouraging school unity

and organizing assemblies – a task that has typically been handled by a small group of students on their own time. “Now we have regular time to get things done,” said Buckner, who is the ASB advisor as well as a math and OASIS teacher. A few weeks after school started, the class led its first assembly with music, games and skits that demonstrated rules from the school’s handbook. Buckner dressed in what not to wear (like crop tops and Speedos) and modeled outfits over his regular clothes. They also addressed speeding, theft, cellphone usage and fighting. “The students’ response was really positive,” said ASB Co-President Hannah BrunnerGaydos. Next up is homecoming the second week of October. There will be school spirit events every day and an assembly at 1:15 p.m. in the gym on Oct. 10. The commu-

Inside this edition • Middle section •

The 7th Annual Savor the San Juans: A Month-long Medley of Food, Farms & Art promises farm tours, a new Bite of the San Juan Islands, wine dinners, and more

an Juan Islands, WA … A farm dinner in a bounteous garden, a tasting of fresh sourdough bread pulled straight from an outdoor bakehouse, a farm-to-table food and wine event in a historical brick factory. These are just a few of the signature harvest events unfolding this October during Savor the San Juans: A Monthlong Medley of Food, Farms & Art. Farmers, winemakers, distillers, brewers and chefs from around the San Juan Islands will come together for a range of offerings including a harvest dinner held in a garden, meet-the-producer farm tours, wine tastings in a vineyard, a harvest happy hour, a chili cook-off and more. On San Juan Island, ARTSTOCK welcomes visitors to wander Friday Harbor galleries lit up for the evening with an amber glow, enjoying local art and nibbles on October 4th & 5th. The San Juan Island Farmers’ Market and the Farm Parade will keep the streets of Friday Harbor and the new historic Brickworks community center buzzing on Saturday, October 4. The annual Oktoberfest held at the fairgrounds that evening will have the whole family dancing to oomph music. On October 26th

"Savor" these events: Lopez Island Vineyards Harvest Party, Lopez Island, TBD San Juan Vineyards Harvest Festival, San Juan Island, October 4 Doe Bay Garden Harvest Happy Hour, Orcas Island, October 4 Friday Harbor Fall Farm Parade, San Juan Island, October 4 Lopez Island Three Farms Tour, Lopez Island, October 4 Heritage Harvest Feast, Orcas Island, October 4 ARTSTOCK, Friday Harbor/San Juan Island, October 4-5 Farmers' Markets on Orcas & San Juan Islands, Saturdays, October 4, 11, 18 & 25 Pelindaba Lavender Farm - Farm Tour & Distillation Demo, Friday Harbor/San Juan Island, Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 Jones Family Farm Community Pig Roast, Lopez Island, October 5 Orcas Island Farm Tour, Orcas Island, October 5 Harvest Chili Cook-off, Friday Harbor, October 11

Oktoberfest, Friday Harbor/San Juan Island, October 11 Red Rabbit Farm-to-Table Cooking Class & Dinner, Orcas Island, October 11 Bite of San Juan Islands, San Juan Island Cheese & Island Grown, San Juan Island, October 26 "Savor" these restaurant offerings in Friday Harbor • Coho Restaurant - German Beer & Wine Dinner, Oct. 3 • The Bluff Restaurant at Friday Harbor House - Savor Blackberry Dinner, Oct. 4 • Coho Restaurant - San Juan Vineyards Winemaker's Savor the San Juans Dinner, Oct. 17 • The Bluff Restaurant at Friday Harbor House - San Juan Island Farm Dinner with Blue Moon Farm Oct. 18 • Coho Restaurant - Sparkman Cellars Winemaker Savor Dinner, Oct. 24 Lodging specials and packages on all three islands are an important part of Savor the San Juans and can be browsed online. Check out the special “Savor”page of the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau website (www.VisitSanJuans.com/ savor) for links to participating restaurants, B&Bs, inns and hotels plus new additions to the calendar and details on all events. The online calendar is being updated almost daily as events and specials are added.

Colleen Smith Armstrong/staff photo

Left to right: Members of the Orcas High School leadership class. Jay Zier (kneeling), Mikaela Hansen, Ray Doss, Gage Harlow, Taj Howe, Javier Orantes, Melanie Flint, Clair Orser (in back) Anneke Ivans, Hannah BrunnerGaydos, William Coe, Demitri Pence, Luke Bronn and teacher Mike Buckner. nity is invited to attend. At 2:50 p.m., a homecoming parade will make its way through Eastsound. Buckner and five students went to a week-long leadership camp this summer near Mount St. Helens. The trip was funded by a grant through the Orcas Island Education Foundation. “It was incredible,” said Buckner. “Every student who went loved it.”

After its success, High School Principal Kyle Freeman asked Buckner to lead the school’s first leadership course. “I thought it was a great idea and I wanted to be more involved in the school,” Buckner said. “I want to help students boost their morale and school spirit.” Under Buckner’s guidance, the ASB is also gaining new momen-

business administration and finance at the University of Southern California. Before living on Orcas, Foster was in southFor eight years, Foster Hildreth has been preparing for his new role as general man- ern California working as the executive manager of OPALCO. Now as he officially takes the ager for several high profile public and private helm, he looks to the community to help him enterprises. He oversaw the City of Pasadena’s $117 million seismic retrofit and rehabilitation with the future. “I am focusing on what the membership of the 1927 historic City Hall Building. He also wants to see and how to provide the best ser- managed significant projects for the Disney Development Company and the Robert Mayer vice we can,” he said. At OPALCO’s 77th Annual Meeting last May, Corporation. According to an OPALCO press release, it was announced that Hildreth would become general manager when Randy Cornelius retires. “Foster has put these skills to work for our “I was groomed by Randy,” said Hildreth. co-op by improving our processes for budgeting, scheduling, financial tracking and project “His mentorship really helped me.” Hildreth started out at OPALCO in the management.” finances and member services department in 2006. He was named assistant manager in 2011. While not at the office, Hildreth said most of Cornelius said in a press release that his time is devoted to family, especially playing “Hildreth is fully up to speed and very knowlwith his two kids, Stormy, 12, and Burly, 10. edgeable about all aspects of our co-op busiHis daughter Stormy is a frequent performer ness – in fact, his contributions to date have at community events and Hildreth can be seen placed us in the impeccable financial position at every show in the front row recording each that we enjoy today. The membership is in moment. good hands.” “Watching Stormy sing is amazing,” said Hildreth earned his Bachelor of Science in finance and real estate and a Master’s in SEE OPALCO, PAGE 6 by CALI BAGBY Assistant Editor

Life on an island

Cali Bagby/Staff photo

the Bite of the San Juan Islands (sponsored by a new cheese and wine shop, San Juan Island Cheese) will bring farmers and chefs from all three islands together at Brickworks, a new gathering space in a historical brick factory in Friday Harbor. On Orcas and Lopez Islands events include: the Orcas Island Farm Tour – brunch and a self-guided farm tour to Maple Rock Farm, Black Dog Farm, West Sound Farm and Coffelt Farm on October 5. The Lopez Island Farm Tour invites you to visit three farms and includes cheese sampling and goodies from an outdoor wood-fired baking house, on October 4th. Orcas Island’s Doe Bay Café will host a Harvest Happy Hour in the Doe Bay Garden on October 4. Grab your spirit of adventure and discover a month-long movable feast for the senses on all three main San Juan Islands – Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Island. Savor the San Juans pulls together all the elements of a memorable post-summer vacation getaway, including harvest festivals, art festival, music events and lodging specials at the island’s inns.

Check out these Savor the San Juans events, with updates at www.visitsanjuans.com/savor

Foster Hildreth leading OPALCO

At OPALCO’s 77th Annual Meeting in May, it was announced that Hildreth would become general manager.

Photo by Mark Gardner

October is Time to Savor the “Gourmet Archipelago”

tum. Three clubs have launched this year through the program: Blue Crew Cheering Club, Debate Club, Newspaper Club and Gender Issues. While Buckner’s leadership class includes the ASB studentelected executive council, which consists of Flint, Brunner-Gaydos, Taj Howe, Mikaela Hansen and Daria Stankevich, the course is open to any high school student. The teens say leaders they look up to are teacher Corey Wiscomb and coaches Dennis Dahl and Scott Harris. As role models they are “spirited, funny, lead by example, are serious but not too serious and motivate you to be better.”

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