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Letters to the Editor
To the Editor:
On behalf of the flora, fauna and Friends of Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens, I send this bouquet of thanks.
The outpouring support of the Gardens is growing, thanks to islanders visiting the Gardens, purchasing rhodies and joining the Friends of Meerkerk.
This year Meerkerk Gardens is one of the beneficiaries of the Whidbey Island Garden Tour. This first time spring Garden Tour will introduce garden enthusiasts to fine private gardens on Whidbey, including Meerkerk Gardens. We are grateful for this fantastic opportunity. On April 30, ticket holders for the WI Garden Tour will also receive free admission to Meerkerk Gardens, to enjoy the peak blooming season. Visitors are welcome to bring their lunch to the Gardens and shop in the Meerkerk nursery.
A new feature for 2005, in concert with peak bloom, is the Blue Bell Wood. Thousands of delicate bluebells planted throughout the Meerkerk’s ‘Secret Garden’ enhance the original Meerkerk plantings in this jewel box of an arboretum. This is made possible thanks to a generous gift from the Greenbank Garden Club.
Additionally, visitors will experience the newly designed front entry landscape, created and contributed by Maureen Rowley of Bayview Farm and Garden. Drought and deer resistant plantings accent the spring bloom while broadening the seasonal interest of the Gardens.
Several local businesses are joining the Meerkerk team in supporting this island treasure. We thank Beachfire Grill, Gemkow Construction, Whidbey Properties Inc., Ace Hardware & Garden and Home Comfort Technologies/The Gas Man for their support.
The most beautiful garland of appreciation goes to our dedicated volunteers! Members of the Whidbey Island chapter of the American Rhododendron Society, Island County Master Gardeners, Greenbank Garden Club members and garden loving islanders come each week to care for and enhance the Gardens.
We are showered with a bounty of blessings and blossoms, indeed.
Thank you, Marketplace, for the opportunity to share this great news with our readers, our neighbors.
Thank you Ann and Max Meerkerk for such a wondrous gift.
With best spring wishes,
Kristi O’Donnell, Executive Director
Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens
Bits 'N' Pieces
Environmental Study Degrees to Be Offered
Skagit Valley College may potentially be offering two Environmental Studies Degrees at the Whidbey Island Campus in Oak Harbor. The degrees are through Western Washington University. There will be an information session on Tuesday, May 17, at 5:30pm in Room 306 on the Oak Hall. For more information call (360)679-5332.
[Submitted by Skagit Valley College]
Poet Membership and Burning Word Ticket Packages Available
The Washington Poets Association (WPA) is offering the following membership and ticket special: two tickets to Burning Word 2005, $28 value, Membership to WPA, $15 value, and one copy of Mute Note Earthward Anthology, $10 value, for the special price of $45 (total value $53.) You can also order additional Burning Word 2005 for $12 (regular price $14 adults, $7 students) or anthologies for $7.50. Send check or money order to John Burgess, 9716 Fremont Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98103 and must be post marked no later than April 22. Include the following identification: Burning Word 2005 - Special April Package (BW4SPECIAL). Also available is a WPA membership and anthology package (no Burning Word Tickets) for $22, mark you payment with WPAMEMONLY.
Burning Word 2005 will be held at the Greenbank Farm on Saturday, April 30 [For more information see WHATS GOING ON.]
[Submitted by the Washington Poets Association]
AAUW Honors High School Scholars
American Association of University Women (AAUW) will honor the achievements of nine island high school girls at the April 12 meeting at the Coupeville Methodist Church at 7:00pm. These girls from North Whidbey High School, Coupeville High School and South Whidbey High School have been chosen by their faculties as outstanding scholars in the areas of technology, science and mathematics. This program is in its 5th year as the Whidbey Island Branch of AAUW seeks to encourage outstanding girls to be interested in careers where women have been underrepresented. The girls’ teachers, principals, counselors and parents and friends are all invited to join the AAUW members to honor their outstanding effort and achievement. The public is invited to come also. The girl’s names will be publicized after the event. A short annual business meeting will also be held.
[Submitted by the AAUW]
Tickets Still Available for Girls! Girls! Girls Night Out
There are tickets still available for the “ Girls! Girls! Girls! Night Out: An Afternoon & Evening Delight” at the Elks Lodge in Oak Harbor on May 14, from 5:00pm to 10:00pm but are expected to sell out soon. The event, for women ages 18 and over, will showcase the award-winning Danny Vernon in his tribute “The Illusion of Elvis,” debut Oak Harbor’s Guyz 2 Girlz, serve up an Italian dinner buffet, and have lots of door and raffle prizes. And surprises galore! Plus, it all starts off with 16 “Pamper & Please” booths. All proceeds benefit IDIPIC’s youth drug prevention programs. (www.idipic.org) Call JoAnn for questions or tickets at (360)675-8397.
[Submitted by IDIPIC]
Southend Coffee Businesses Co-operate
In the spirit of community in downtown Clinton, the owners of the new RockHopper Coffee Roasters and Wi-Fi CoffeeHouse coordinate their hours and offerings with Whidbey Waffles, and Southern Cross Coffee, to complement and support each other’s businesses.
Before Whidbey Waffles planned to open last October, the owner Dan Traylor, met with the owner of Southern Cross Coffee, Jill Scheler, the local espresso drive-thru across the street, and worked out a hot drink menu that would not compete with Southern Cross. Whidbey Waffles would open at 7:00am until 12:00pm and would only serve brewed coffee and tea. In the same spirit, before Dan and Brenda Cole open their new RockHopper Coffee Roasters & Coffeehouse in Clinton on State Route 525 located on the same side of the road as Whidbey Waffles, they met with Dan to discuss a complementary strategy for operating hours. The Coles modified their hours so as not to compete for Whidbey Waffles’ weekday morning customers. “We believe in structuring our business in a manner that contributes to our sense of place and spirit of community” notes Dan Cole, co-owner of the Coffeehouse. “As an experiment, RockHopper Coffee House will be open from 11:30am until 10:00pm. Yes, that’s right! Downtown Clinton has a new daytime and late night, smoke-free, venue to meet with clients, or for relaxing after breakfast, lunch or dinner, after meetings, after the show or after the game. The RockHopper Coffee House menu includes a variety of fine coffee and other non-alcoholic beverages, pasties, bagels and desserts. We invite customers to bring their laptop and enjoy wireless access too! According to Brenda “The goal is to offer a place for locals and visitors to sit down and have a pleasant experience and a delicious treat any time of the day or night. Thanks to the Whidbey Island Small Business Alliance (WISBA) for initiating the communication and encouraging all of us to collaborate with each other.”
[Submitted by the Whidbey Island Small Business Alliance and Clinton Forum Activities]
Home School?
Do you home school? Would you like to start home schooling? Would you like access to kindergarten through 12th grade specialty classes, multi-age block classes and curriculum materials that are free and close by? Are you interested in having your child learn creative problem skills that promote life-long learning by engaging all your child’s abilities: head, hands and heart? Do you want a nuturing educational environment that respects and supports each child’s individual progress? Do you want block and specialty classes that incorporate Art, Music, Handwork, Nature Walks, Piano, Violin, Sign Language, Spanish, Math, Science, or any other subject that you think is important? Do you, or others you know about, have specialty and teaching skills that can be employed part-time? Would you like the option of being able to leave your child with a certified teacher, AND the option of being welcome to stay and be involved in any class?
Please come and help form a parent group interested in making the best educational opportunities for our children right here on South Whidbey: Tuesday April 19, 6:00pm at Whidbey Island Academy located behind the South Whidbey High School, located at 5675 Maxwelton Road in Langley. If you are unable to attend the evening meeting please call in advance and a 10:00am meeting the same day will be added. Child care will be available for both. Call Christyn (360)341-8625 for more information or to express your ideas and needs if you are unable to attend at either meeting times.
[Submitted by the Whidbey Island Academy]
Raffle for Orca Photograph by local Photographer
Beach Watchers is delighted to announce that Bart Rulon, internationally acclaimed painter and photographer, has donated one of his Orca photographs for a raffle at the April 22 showing of “Why the Orcas are Dying” at the Bayview Cash store (Bayview Road and State Route 525). Not only will you have the opportunity to view this outstanding film and become the proud owner of Rulon’s work, you’ll be able to view his other work on display that night. Bart Rulon is the author and illustrator of several books on painting and photography. His work has been exhibited around the world and has received many awards.
The evening begins at 7:00pm with the showing of “Why the Orcas are Dying,” an Emmy nominated documentary. After this fifty-minute film, Linda Jones from the NW Fisheries Science Center will address the audience and lead general discussion.
Please join your friends and neighbors at this second film in the WSU Beach Watcher’s series of films about our area. Hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic drinks will be available. Admission is free although donations are welcomed and will support other Washington State University Extension educational events, including the Beach Watcher’s Sound Waters one-day university.
[Submitted by the WSU Beach watchers]
Youth Service Day Projects
In celebration of the 17th Annual National Youth Service Day on April 16, the South Whidbey Community Engagement Center and the South Whidbey School District are offering several projects to enhance and beautify our community.
Volunteers will conduct four projects on the morning of Saturday, April 16. Projects will include painting a ‘diversity mural’ on the wall of the old Langley Middle School bus barn, landscaping at Brookhaven Apartments, trail restoration behind the middle school, and a multi-generational video interview and editing project.
Volunteers will meet at 8:30am at Langley Middle School. Coffee, tea, bagels and muffins will be served. From there, we will disperse to project sites around Langley. At noon, we will reconvene for a celebration of community, lunch and live music.
National Youth Service Day is a public education campaign highlighting the contribution young people make to their communities 365 days a year. Across the country, young people will design and lead service projects in areas ranging from literacy to hunger to help for the elderly. National Youth Service Day is coordinated by Youth Service America, in partnership with the National Youth Leadership Council and Parade Magazine. For more information about the local projects and how to get involved, please contact:
Diversity mural: Jillian Lao, email to jlao@sw.wednet.edu
Brookhaven Apartments: Brittany Gallagher, email to bgallagher@sw.wednet.edu
Trail Restoration: Laura Pedlar, email to lpedlar@sw.wednet.edu
Video Project: Victoria Santos, email to vsantos@sw.wednet.edu
[Submitted by the South Whidbey Community Engagement Center]
Race the Rock, Heating Up
The Whidbey Island Triathlon- Race the Rock will be on August 6, and we have started accepting participant registrations at www.active.com or download a mail-in registration at www.swparks.org. We are also looking and accepting sponsorship for the event. Proceeds of this event go to South Whidbey Park and Recreation program scholarships for kids. Sponsorship requests need to be received by June 30, 2005 for consideration.
Levels of sponsorships include:
T-shirt Sponsor- $150 gets your name on the official Whidbey Island Triathlon T-shirt for 400+ participants and volunteers. A link on our web site, and a banner you provide put up at the finish line, as well as advertisement in our participant packets.
Product Sponsor- Providing food, beverage or your product, to athletes gets your name on the official Whidbey Island Triathlon T-shirt and link on our web site.
Door Prize Sponsor- Provide a product or service to be given out at athlete awards and drawing. Link on our web site and advertising in participant information.
Also needed for the event:
Lodging: up to 500+ triathlete and spectators come to this event each year and are looking for places to stay. Get your name out there! By being a sponsor we will promote your business to our participants and volunteers.
Volunteers: We are highly dependent on volunteers to make this a safe and successful race for 300+ competitors. If you are interested in being a volunteer in this popular race that the whole community can be proud of, please call or email our office in advance of the race to make arrangements, (360)221-5484, sports@whidbey.com. It’s a great way to get involved and have a fun and rewarding day.
Course information: Start with a half mile swim in Lone Lake on South Whidbey Island. Leaving Lone Lake on your bike, begin the 19.5 mile ride through paved county roads. The bike course is hilly with views of Saratoga Passage and the North Cascades. Finish with a 3.8 mile run on trails at Community Park and county roads.
[Submitted by the South Whidbey Park and Recreation]
Coupeville Farmers Market Opens in New Location
The Coupeville Farmers Market has opened for the 2005 season in a new location behind the Coupeville Town Library. The market will be open Saturdays, 10:00am to 2:00pm, through October 8 (with the exception of August 13, the weekend of the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival). The new site for the Coupeville Farmers Market is off Alexander Street in a town-owned grassy field behind the Coupeville Town Library, approximately two blocks from its former home on Main Street.
The move was prompted by a number of factors, including Main Street renovation and a growing need for more space. The Coupeville Town Council approved a one-year trial use of the site by the farmers market at their February council meeting.
“The new location gives the market many exciting prospects,” Market Manager Peg Tennant said. Space for more vendors, a new open layout, and an adjacent, easily accessible parking lot for customers as well as new opportunities for community collaboration. “Already many new vendors have signed up for the season,” Tennant said, “including several new produce vendors. Hot food vendors will also be on site.”
“It’s a beautiful location and we’re really looking forward to it,” Tennant said. “We hope our old friends will come back and new friends will come and find us.” The 2005 season is the markets 26th consecutive season.
For more information regarding the Coupeville Farmers Market or to inquire about becoming a vendor, contact Market Manager Peg Tennant at CoupevilleMarket@aol.com or (360)678-4288.
[Submitted by the Coupeville Farmers Market]
NW Language Academy Spring Session Starting
NW Language Academy (NWLA) is now accepting registrations for spring session. NWLA offers quality, conversation-based language instruction for adults and children of all ages in French, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish, as well as ESL classes. Classes are taught by native speakers, in a relaxed, supportive learning environment. Most classes are offered in 10-week sessions, and take place in Bayview, on South Whidbey Island and Oak Harbor. Spring Session begins April 18. Pre-registration is required. Contact NWLA at (360)579-2416, (360)914-0391 or on the web at www.nwlanguageacademy.com for a complete list of language programs, cultural events and travel opportunities.
[Submitted by the NW Language Academy]
Brenda Peterson to appear at Welcome the Whales Day
Orca Network is honored to have a very special guest join us for this year’s Welcome the Whales Day in Langley at 3:00pm, Saturday April 16, at the Clyde Theater. Brenda Peterson, a favorite northwest author of nature books, essays and novels, will be reading from her book Sightings: The Gray Whale’s Mysterious Journey, which she co-authored with Native author Linda Hogan. Brenda will also share her experiences visiting the friendly gray whales of Baja, showing video of her adventures with these friendly whales who approach boats seeking human contact. [For more information on Welcome the Whales Day, go to WHAT’S GOING ON]
[Submitted by the Orca Network]
Enter The City Planter Contest
There is still time to share your community spirit and show off your gardening talents by entering the 2nd Annual “Visions of a More Beautiful Oak Harbor” City Planter Contest. The deadline is April 15 and any individual, business, or organization can enter. For more information on how you can become a part of Oak Harbor in Bloom call Helen (360)679-9139, Karla at (360)679-9478, or the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce (360)675-3755.
[Submitted Oak Harbor Garden Club]
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