LUMMI ISLAND COMMUNITY CLUB
N E W S L E T T E R
A P R I L 1 9 7 5
A P R I L 2 3 , W E D N E S D A Y 6:45 PM G R A N G E H A L L
LUMMI ISLAND COMMUNTY CLUB . . . . . . . . . . POTLUCK DINNER MEETING
PROGRAM will be presented by William A. (Bill) Frye, who is the Assistant Wagon Master for the National Bicentennial Wagon Train which is to leave Blaine Peace Arch June 8th.
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We are not too sure but it could be this newsletter is being written a few degrees east of where the island used to be prior to last Easter Sunday. According to our local climatic authorities and assorted weather sages back in the dingleberries (snowberries to you) that was the worst westerly blow ever. Don’t know about youse guys on the sunrise side, but we over thissa way were completely awed by the power of the storm as our waterfront’s present appearance will attest. There was so much sea water in the air that my breakfast eggs tasted a bit too salty. It cut our beach out some 3 or 4 feet lower than anyone has ever seen it and tossed 5 and 6 ft boulders up like wood chips. Our paths to the beach were demolished and the miscellaneous driftwood logs were totally swept away, most of which are now resting along the Legoe Bay beaches. The islanders collected hundreds of luscious clams which the storm had tossed up, and the seagulls too had a field day. Many islanders were witnesses to the numerous oddities and changes in the island geography caused by the storm, and we presume that it will be a good topic of conversation for some time. The Pabors are negotiating with the owners of the barge that wrecked their dock in hopes that something will be done soon, but the red tape and legal hassles seem to be mounting and are getting to be considerably frustrating. All the islanders are as one in feeling a large amount of sympathy for Art and Helen in their misfortune.
(Arthur Pabor would like to thank those willing hands who came to his assistance on Easter Sunday to help in the recovery of the pier equipment, especially Manly Smith‑, Gary Gaines, Rick Finney, Marion Tuttle and Ray Schuller, and all the others who offered tools, information and general expressions of sympathy.)
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The county engineers office is requesting a restudy of the road names on the island so that their maps can be brought up to date. Several years ago a committee of knowledgeable islanders did just that, but the report was apparently lost in the bureaucratic maze. Presumably another group of islanders in the know will be formed to again advise the county just what the names of the various roads really are according to their historical backgrounds, etc. Seems like it would be nice to rename all the roads after the local flora ‑ such as Symphiocarpus Racemoseum Blvd., or Physocarpus Opulifolia Alley, or perhaps to be a bit more blasé but picturesque, Skunk Cabbage Lane!
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The Community Club’s Cleanup Drive a couple of Saturdays ago brought out a small army of beer can pickers and the like to clean up the roadside, and everyone (nearly) did a noble job of it. Of course there were a few executive types who preferred to eat instead ‑ while the rest of us peasant types labored away. In all seriousness, tho, it was a good effort by reasonable island representation, of kids and adults. We even had the local schoolmarms Patty and Jackie, playing pickup to the tune of louder and louder groans as the day wore on. Several of the more beautiful mature type ladies herein named prepared sandwiches, beans and cake for the working class ‑ but as was said, the executives beat us to it. However, there was more than enough for all, and was it tasty! The culinary artists were as follows: Bess Paine, Libba Johnson, Lou Schuller, Gretelle Rohrbacher, Maurine Melcher and Jeanie Granger. Cele Wright and Jackie Gaines also made cakes.
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At the last club meeting a short resume of the workings of a citizens committee on zoning and shoreline regulations was presented. Presumably at some future date the island residents will have an opportunity to have some input into any ultimate decisions and it most certainly should emanate from all the property owners themselves.
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The Swap Meet held at The Islander store on Saturday last was a huge success, both from attendance and participants alike. The PTA did real well selling refreshments, and the Fire Auxiliary more than met their anticipated take. Most everyone offering merchandise was reasonably successful exchanging their items for the green stuff. Some of those attending seemed to spend at their neighbors’ booths considerably more than they took in themselves ‑this writer included. Seems like the profit ought to be there somewhere, but at the moment it sorta escapes me. Rich and Lylene were so pleased with the turnout that they intend to sponsor another similar affair the Saturday of the 4th of July weekend. This time, however, they hope it will be expanded and encompass more arts and crafts exhibits. It is hoped that more entertainment types will be willing to present their respective talents. A better facility for these gifted people will be promoted along with a good public address system so they can be heard. The string Blue Grass Band made up of many young people on the island was well received, and it was obvious that everyone enjoyed it..
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C.H.U.R.C.H. B.U.L.L.E.T.I.N.
Church Services 10:30 AM Sunday School 10:15 AM Carl Calhoun, Minister
April 6th a large group attended the service at the Lummi Island church witnessing the baptism of three babies: Sarah Ann and Amy Elizabeth, twin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Joe T. Oates, and granddaughters of Howard and Ruth Davis, were baptized. Travis Lee Ellingboe, child of Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Ellingboe (Marcia McDonald) was baptized. Grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Jerry McDonald and Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Ellingboe. Great‑grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Vern Hawley, Mr. and Mrs. Olof Iverson, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Nolte. Rev. Calhoun, who performed the service, baptized the mother of the Oates twins when she was an infant ‑ Mary Elizabeth Davis.
Easter, March 30th will be remembered as the day of “The Big Wind” by all of us on the island. Some say the pews were moving and the lights swaying in the church. Lilies were given in memory of loved ones and other spring flowers completed the decoration of the church. The Sunday school children sang two beautiful Easter songs ‑ looks like a budding church choir in the future. Speaking of the Easter day wind, in Psalm 104, verse 3, the wind is spoken of as a symbol of God’s spirit, “who maketh the clouds his chariot; who walketh on the wings of the wind.”
Bible study class was held at the church Tuesday, April 15th. Our minister has suggested we read some of the books C. S. Lewis has written. “Mere Christianity” is an excellent published series of lectures. The children will love a series of fantasies, “The Chronicles of Narnia” with such titles as “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” Rev. Calhoun will be gone the next two Tuesdays and this would be interim study.
Sunday, April 20th there will be a special meeting after church. ‘Please, everyone, stay.
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All of the native islanders who knew Thelma Nilsen’s son Stuart were saddened to Learn of his death in a commercial fishing boat accident, and our hearts go out to Thelma and the rest of the family. it seems that the Nilsens have been called upon to bear more than their share of grief in recent years through the loss of a father and two sons. We didn’t know Stuart personally but judging from acquaintance with other members of the family his death would have to be a real loss to everyone. Thank you, Thelma, for raising them on the island.
“The entire Nilsen family would like to express their appreciation to all the many people who extended their expressions of sympathy during the Loss of Stuart Nilsen. Once again the people of the Island have given their kindness and generosity. Our appreciation to all of you cannot easily be expressed in words. A special thank you to Rev. Carl Calhoun for his comforting words. Thank you very much – it was very difficult to put into words exactly how our family feels. I hope this is adequate.
Sincerely, Heather (Nilsen) Larson”
Our sincerest sympathy goes to Charlene Chartier, back from Southern California after being with her brother during the final weeks of his illness. Jack was worried about Charlene’s health under the strain of the long hours with her brother, but she is getting rested up and her voice on the phone again has the Lilt we expect to hear when we talk to her.
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C.L.U.B.N.O.T.E.S Civic Club members journeyed to the Whatcom Museum of History and Art for their April meeting. After dessert served by co‑hostesses Beth Hudson and Agnes Gilfilen in the lovely new lounge, members elected as officers for the next club year: President, Elizabeth Gerritz; Vice President, Gretelle Rohrbacher; Secretary, Libba Johnson; Treasurer, Peggy Aiston. Meeting adjourned for a conducted tour of all three floors of the history and art on display. May meeting will be the annual cleanup day at the church.. …. LISE Project Group elected new officers at their recent meeting: President, Shirley Hodgson; Vice President, Grace Temple; Secretary, Shirley Aiston; Treasurer, Marion Weston. Current project is planning for the lunch to be served at the clubhouse before the Scenic Estates Community Club Annual Meeting May 17th ……. Probably the best attended club on the island on a year round basis is the Mermaids group now under the leadership of Helen Long, president; Marion Weston, vice president; and Donna Granger, secretary‑ treasurer.
SOME SPRING THOUGHTS AND NEWS ITEMS from Angus McLane ……Tennis anyone? Racquets seem to be falling out of the closets like winter flies. Why, just yesterday I saw Gary McDonald and Clint Bennett chasing balls all helter‑skelter. And a newsletter exclusive: Esther Pierson and Maria Anderson were espied (by whom!) cavorting in a secluded neck of the woods one recent morning like dawn nymphs. It’s spring, they say, and in spring anything is possible. Keep your eyes open …… Last winter a new play opened in New York City for a brief three week run. The play was called “Medea” and had made its premiere here in Bellingham the year before. The author is Gloria Albee, a resident for the past year of Lummi. The New York production was quite successful and now the playwright and her daughter, Anne, have returned to the big smoky city for several months of work with artists of similar talents. No matter how hard you try, you can’t keep the big world away! …. Rebecca Nesbit reports with no great emotion that she doesn’t love anybody…… A tapestry woven by Charlotte Schneider has been accepted for a showing at the Henry Gallery in Seattle. Onwards and upwards …… Spring is a season of most dramatic changes: vegetables grow, trees bud, flowers blossom, whole landscapes seem to change color overnight. But many other changes occur as well, in the people we see around us and even within ourselves. Change is the nature of life. It is our privilege to understand and encompass the differences surrounding us, not to laugh and scorn them. For those who are changing now I offer my best wishes and the knowledge that you are not alone.
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COMING ATTRACTIONS
APRIL 24, Thursday, at 7:30 p.m. the NORUS AND SWING BAND from Mt. Baker High School under the direction of Mr. Gordon Ford.
Please come and enjoy, everyone!! It is traditional that we feed these visiting performers, and since teenagers can be ‘bottomless pits’, if you’d like to help the P.T.A. you could bring some cookies or sandwiches ‘twould be much appreciated.
MAY 3, Saturday, at 6:00 p.m. there will be a WELCOME SPRING POTLUCK at the school. This event is in lieu of the box social and everyone is welcome. Come on out and share some food, singing, dancing, and fun with your family, friends and neighbors. If it rains we’ll eat indoors, if not, we may eat and dance out‑of‑doors.
MAY 13, Tuesday PTA MEETING. Bill Heid in charge of program.
The biggest project finished around school lately was the landscaping of the area around the tennis court. Mike McRory had a work party on Saturday, March 29, that lasted from 7:00 in the a.m. till past 5:00. 1 guess he had people coming and going all day but mostly coming from the looks of it. They disked the ground, raked rocks, seeded and fertilized grass, and planted trees. Ten beautiful trees were donated by Lehr Miller (sugar and spaeth maples, white birch, hackberry, box elder and thorn). Dave Nesbit loaned his tractor and disk, Charlie Baker brought in three loads of fill dirt and then Mike, Angus McLane, Dan Pomeroy, Jean Finney, Archie McMillan, Terry Moore, Kim and Judy Busch, Bill Heid, Jackie Gaines, and Tom McPherson literally worked themselves ragged to get it all over and done with. Indeed, it looks beautiful and the children and teacher were speechless when they saw it. Those kids must have counted those trees fifty times if they counted them once. Now they are beginning to ask, “May we have lunch under our trees?”, and the kindergartners ask, “When will they get fat enough to hide behind?” Thank you, Mike, and everyone … we indeed appreciate your work and kindness.
Another work party was busy on April 4 and again … what changes have been wrought! Si Eldred and his crew of Les Shanahan and Rich Hudson installed the tennis net and all four backstops and basketball hoops and nets. Si and Dave Greeley have done a lot of behind the scenes shopping around and comparing prices and ‘twisting arms’ (?) to come up with all the things we needed at rock bottom prices or have even had them donated. Our backstops are fiberglass, no less, and were donated to us by Uniflite. The metal standards and welding work were done by Robert Reid and donated by Reid Boiler Works. How in the world can we ever thank these people and organizations enough? After Si and the buys were done that day…… a person was overheard to say as they surveyed our grounds…”Now this is a playground that’s got class!” I’d say we all agree to that!
After the all island cleanup on April 4, there were lots of sandwiches and cakes left over… sooo, the Grange and Community Club ladies in charge of the lunch donated the extras y to the school and on Monday the children had lunch at school. Judy Eldred got busy and made a jello salad‑dessert, and the mothers came and served. Those salmon sandwiches were the best ever!
April 8 saw a pretty good turnout for the community goals setting session at the school. Our superintendent, Dr. James Norris, attended along with two school board members, Mrs. Flint and Mrs. Sigurdson. It was indeed interesting to hear what various members of the community felt should be the priorities and goals of our schools. Our ideas have been forwarded to the district office to be tallied with those of other schools.
Another little work party on April 12 saw Jean Finney, Sally Hudson, Maurine Melcher and Maria Anderson selling hot dogs, etc., at the Swap Shop Meet. They put in a good day and I guess the P.T.A. realized a good profit. It’s a good thing people think up these projects and are willing to work… some even more than their share. That same afternoon Mike McRory was down at school planting 25 more trees, this time firs. Stuart Paxton helped a lot and Patty Gregory a little. It’s kind of strange …. there were six teenagers there playing around on the tennis court and when they were invited to help, each girl planted one tree but the boys were ‘just too tired’, I guess …. anyway … they took off shortly after being asked to help. I wonder who they think this is all for, anyway? I’d be willing to bet they’ll be back another time though, asking what they can do. Hope so.
Other thank‑yous this time go to Edith Granger for the big box of pictures and clippings she gave us for bulletin boards and making teaching aids. Dr. Jim Stewart has given us teaching supplies and books for parents’ library in our kitchen. Peter Anderson gave us his ping pong net for keeps! And of course, Mr. Lloyd Davis … we have received a wonderful shuffleboard game and the kids are becoming quite expert at it. We also were gifted with many books, fiction as well as a six volume set of Audubon books on Mammals and Birds of the U.S. and world. Thank you so much, all of Lummi Island… for always thinking of Beach School.
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F.I.R.E. D.E.P.A.R.T.M.E.N.T . F.L.I.C.K.E.R.I.N.G.S. . .’Since we last reported, your volunteer firemen have responded to three calls for the rescue rig and have put out three fires; a brush fire at Bud Jewell’s on Centerview Rd., a chimney fire at Irene Granger’s home and a brush fire behind the Beach Grocery All of the volunteers are renewing their first aid training. Seven sessions will be necessary to bring them up‑to‑date on new methods and to review the basic first aid course. Two of the volunteers, Mike Moye and Kim Bush, have completed EMT courses, a very valuable addition to the basic first aid course. These EMT courses include 90 hours of training in classroom, lectures and emergency room, a prerequisite to paramedic ….. Thru contributions from several Island groups, your department has purchased a total of eight plectron units to date with one more promised for the near future. These units give the firemen direct radio communication with the Bellingham emergency dispatcher who activates our fire siren and directs needed equipment to the scene of a fire or emergency aid call. It is hoped in time that all of the firemen will be equipped with this service …… Looks like the Ladies Auxiliary will not be holding their usual strawberry festival this year. That is, not unless a supply of strawberries suddenly appears. All of the previous sources report none on hand. The ladies wish to thank all the contributors of goods which were either auctioned or sold at last Saturday’s swap meet at The Islander and report a very successful day.
The following letter was sent to us with the request to print it, and it points up a question that seems to be forever with us ‑ that of serious competition ‑ just where does it stand in our society? Anybody want to offer a rebuttal or clarification????
Hello good people,
I especially appreciate our Thursday night gatherings of volleyball players. We at least can visit with each other for awhile, and I always enjoy visiting with you. I very much like the early part of the evenings when we chatter encouragement to each other and laugh with (not at) each other…. I noticed, too, that about midway through each evening, heavy feelings of competition take over, our faces begin reflecting grim passages, and the whole tone of the players changes to one of deadly seriousness. At this point I believe that the continual renewal of directed (at each other) “war‑game” feelings really causes more anxieties and lessens the encouragement of community spirit …. Why do we gather each Thursday, if not to encourage that spirit? …. I would like to know us determining our teams in some random way, perhaps by drawing numbers between games. This would encourage continual shuffling and mingling and cooperation …. Also, this short break between games would allow us to relieve some buildup of the grimness and feelings of self-unworthiness which I see slowing down our natural attempts to like each other.
Your friendly neighbor, Bob Galford
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Got a gripe. What’s with all you pretty cooks? How come at the last potluck dinner most everyone seemed to bring assorted varieties of bean salads? Don’t get me wrong, I like bean salad, but, please, in moderation only. It also seems somebody is sure promoting sprout dishes, and we agree that they are delectable and we understand nutritious, but couldn’t some of you sorta sneak in a few nice looking necessary items, like cakes and pies? Wonder if we’ll ever get that deputy back? …. Understand Gary McDonald has arrived home from Governors’ Island, New York after two weeks of Coast Guard School studying aids to navigation. Gary is stationed aboard the bu6y tender “Fir” based in Seattle and really likes his work.
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W H 0 A M I ?
I was born in 1908 during a January northeaster at Nooksack, Washington, with the help of a midwife. Was the first of 8 children, all presently living. My mother was the daughter of a Kansas homesteader and father was a shoemaker from Texas and part time logger. I attended Nooksack, Hopewell and Everson schools. I worked for the Bloedel Donovan sawmill as tallyman, also as a faller during the days of springboards, caulk boots, crosscut saws, timber bind, pitch and sweat, all on piecework. Later I owned a trailer court and motel. Have travelled extensively to foreign ports and throughout the U.S. Married a daughter of a European immigrant who as a child lived in a sod house. Have been active in the political arena for some time, particularly in the field of natural resources and human rights. I also have a speaking acquaintance with a foreign language. I also like to harmonize ‑ usually under the influence.
(Last month’s “Who Am I?” ‑ Harold Long)
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Fat Sale 1969 FORD DIESEL TRACTOR MODEL 3000, REBUILT NEW CONDITION, WITH LOADER $4,300.00 TERMS. JOHN BROWN
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WHATCOM COUNTY FERRY M/V WHATCOM CHIEF
U.S. COAST GUARD DRYDOCK INSPECTION
1. Last run of Whatcom Chief before dry docking shall be at 10:10 P.M,, June 8, 1975.
2. No other service except emergency standby passenger service will be available until 6:50 A.M., June 9, 1975.
3. Then limited hourly passenger service only from 6:50A.M. through 10:10 A.M., and 3:00 P.M. through 10:10 P.M. daily, June 9, 1975 through and including June 13, 1975. Passenger vessel is limited to 28 passengers Ferndale school students shall have priority on 7:10 A.M. trip leaving Lummi Island on June 9, 10 and 11. Commuters having to be to work by 8:00 A.M. those dates should catch 6:50 A.M. trip.
4. The Whatcom Chief will be back on the regular run no later than 7:00 A.M., Saturday, June 14, 1975.
5. Parking will be available on the north side of the county road ONLY at Gooseberry Point for Island commuters leaving their vehicles on ‑the mainland.
6. A night guard will be provided for vehicles left overnight at Gooseberry Point.