Clean up after your pooch

Most of us are deeply fond of our dogs. Most of us are also deeply appreciative of the parks and public lands available to us on Orcas, where we choose to walk with our leashed dogs. But a problem has arisen. Although most dog-walkers carefully pick up after their pooches and place the poop in mutt mitts, the mitts are then all too often left beside the trail or in parking areas, apparently in the belief (or hope) that someone else will dispose of them. Collection and disposal of this waste is the responsibility of the dog’s owner, not the job of rangers, stewards or volunteers who maintain places like Turtleback Mountain Preserve, Moran State Park, Eastsound Waterfront Park and Obstruction Pass. Servicing trailside mutt mitts is a way for dog owners to help care for the special natural areas in our community. We can all be courteous and leave only footprints.

Anne Hay

Turtleback Docent

Thanks for attending Food for Thought

The Orcas Island Education Foundation wants to thank all who attended our 8th Annual Food for Thought! Your generosity, and some after-event donations, helped bring the evenings net proceeds to $20,000. That is $20,000 that will go to fund such enriching school programs such as the sixth grade trip to the Olympic Park Institute, the Farm to Cafeteria program, the Arts Initiative project, senior scholarships and to maintain the dynamic curriculum already in place in our award-winning schools. The evening would not have been possible without the incredible generosity of all the artists who made boxes, the hardworking volunteers, and the chefs from Red Rabbit Farm, Doe Bay, erbs, Ship Bay, along with amateur chefs Art Lange, Cathy Ferran, Kyle Freeman and Camp Orkila’s Kim Klein-Toombs. We send a special thanks to our Live Auction supporters, Scott and Therese Lancaster of Ace Hardware and Michelle and Drew Reed of The Counter. Also a HUGE thank you to Camp Orkila for the use of their beautiful facilities for the evening. It is because of the incredible generosity of our community and the amazing talent of our local artists that we were able to raise that money! So, again, on behalf of the Orcas Island Education Foundation, thank you so much for your generous contribution to our public schools. If you had a great time this year … just wait until 2010!

With heartfelt gratitude.

The Orcas Island Education Foundation Board

Michelle Reed

Janet Brownell

Madie Murray

Barb Skotte

Terri Gilliland

and Kim Freeman

Embracing and celebrating being elders

There are, of course, difficult and demanding aspects of aging. Yet if we remained eternally youthful, we and the world would miss out on the rich gifts we become and thus have to offer. As we mature, we develop the courage to be authentically ourselves in the world, throwing off the shackles of youthful need for approval. Thus, one’s character opens, deepens, and paradoxically, softens as it strengthens. Knowing ourselves better, and able to tolerate greater emotional intimacy, we have the capacity to deepen our relationships. As we emerge as elders, we grow into the embodiment of wholeness, wisdom, insight, and truth. Mastering the lessons life has taught us, we harvest the meaning and purpose of our lives, crossing the threshold into our spiritual maturity. In this state of dignity and grace, we elders are living treasures. We can harness our creativity to enhance our lives, contribute to our communities, and leave lasting legacies from the depths of our humanity. Please join me, Dr. Virginia Erhardt, a clinical psychologist and new Orcas resident, at the Orcas Senior Center at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8 for a discussion about these positive aspects of becoming elders. There is no charge for the program, but donations to the senior center are welcome.

Virginia Erhardt, Ph.D.

Orcas Island

Thank you to a great coach

As the saga of Viking football was unfolded in last week’s Sounder, there is someone who gave a great gift to those young men that this community should also remember at this time. For 10 years in the 1990s and with great success, coach Denny Rancourt taught the sport of football to the 11- through 14-year-old youth of Orcas. They were the Orcas Island Kings youth football team. Most went on to great high school careers having been prepared by a superb teacher and fantastic coach. A number went on to play college football. Coach Denny taught each youngster a reverence and respect for the game of football and for themselves. Each learned that in the same way they learned to reach a football goal was the exact same way to reach a goal in life. How to be a good teammate was the same way to be a good member of a family and community. Boys who are now men, often stop by and tell Coach what those years with him have meant in their lives now. Coach’s last game was the great and memorable Seniors Youth Football Championship in 2000. The opponent was the perennial champions, the undefeated Oak Harbor team. They had over 40 players. Denny took the rain-soaked field with only 14 well-conditioned and well-trained Orcas boys. With incredible coaching and superb strategy, Denny guided the Orcas Kings’ offense to not only the scoring of 62 points, but their defense shut out this powerful team. This great 62-0 victory is still talked about today by coaches in the youth football league. Over the years, Kings’ players came to the Vikings team with three or four years of Denny’s football teaching and game coaching experience. Almost all of the Viking starters were Kings. Those were some of the Vikings best years including going far into the playoffs as well as a making it to the State Championship game. And now, Coach Rancourt is back coaching the 2008 and 2009 Kings football team benefitting the youth of Orcas. Our thanks to you, Denny, on behalf of all the Orcas boys who lives you touched and bettered over your many years of dedication, and from we parents of players who are indebted to you for all you gave to our sons. And to all the assistant coaches and parents who made your program possible.

Dubi Izakson

Orcas Island