Sometimes you have to cut trees down

I prefer my trees leafy and fragrant, but I have to say there's a rush in chopping one down.  Or chainsawing one down, to be more exact.  I'd never used a chainsaw before, but it turns out we need a fourth parking spot, and the only place we could possibly squeeze one in was occupied by one of our friends of the deciduous variety.

I knew Jim had plans for cutting down the tree, but I wasn't sure when he was planning on doing it.  I was working behind the counter and the door was slightly ajar because it was one of those nice days we had earlier in the week; Jim didn't come in or say hello or anything, but I quickly realized he was around.  You see, when Jim is around, things start moving.  Ceilings get patched.  Windows spontaneously wash themselves and hammers spring up and drive nails in perfectly ordered lines - and Jim doesn't even take a cup of coffee before getting started.

So anyways, I knew Jim was around because, after the windows and hammers and all that did their thing, Duke, his pug, ran in the door just as this huge engine roar came from the back lot.  I came outside and Jim - who looks and acts like he's about 27 but is really a touch over 80 (I still want to see a birth certificate) - was about 6 feet up a ladder, sawing at a precise downward angle into the tree.  Gena was standing below with a slightly terrified look while maintaining her omnipresent smile.

Anyways, we chopped that baby down and Jim even let me use a chainsaw for the first time.  As a side note, I'd never truly understood the magnetic attraction between men and machinery until that day.  At one point, I looked up and there were three or four men just standing in the parking lot watching me cut the trunk into firewood.  One had apparently stopped mid stride, his right foot just an inch off the ground. 

But moving on, Gena and Clyde helped me load the branches into a truck, and that brings me to my real point.  We've got a huge project on our hands here, but as the Haitian proverb says, "Many hands lighten the load."  Jim, Clyde, and Gena, among others, each have about ten hands themselves, so I think we're going to be okay.  But, any of you out there that might read this and be in possession of a pair of hands yourselves (or legs, or even just a truck or check book) could have a huge impact with just a little effort.  And if you're short of inspiration just come talk to Jim or Jo or plop down a lawn chair in our yard and watch them go to work.

Community Connections

I've been feeling a need to stretch myself creatively lately. What better way then to add my voice to the blog? Why let Rosie and Justin have all the fun? For those of you who don't know me, my name is Caitlin Goldbaum and I am the AmeriCorps volunteer coordinator. As many of you know, beginning February 1st, the Island Coffeehouse and Books will be closing for a remodel. This upcoming close has prompted me to consider why the Island Coffeehouse and Books and the South Whidbey Commons are so important to our community.

In my short six months here as an AmeriCorps member, I have been consistently impressed by the way this community cares for its own. There are several incredible non-profit organizations in the community that work tirelessly to ensure that basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter are available to everyone. However, there is a fourth fundamental need that often gets overlooked: the need to build relationships with other people. The South Whidbey Commons is a non-profit that is dedicated to providing a safe, comfortable place where members of the community of all ages can build connections.

We offer a wide variety of programs that serve as opportunities for interaction with the community. Our free PlayScape program allows children age birth through kindergarten to play together, while caregivers can visit and share experiences. The Island Coffeehouse and Books is a welcoming communal space and also serves as a training facility for volunteer youth baristas who go out in the community with outstanding customer service and business skills. Every Friday night at 7pm, the coffeehouse offers free music performances where local and national musicians can connect with an audience in an intimate setting.

Having a free space where people of all ages can engage in conversation and build relationships is vital to a healthy community. Unfortunately, our organization cannot continue to provide this service without your help. Beginning February 1st, the Island Coffeehouse and Books will be closed for two months as we undergo an extensive remodel to make our building safe. The timing of this remodel comes not out of choice, but necessity. Our floor is rotting and if we do not take immediate action, we face the collapse of our floor. We are moving forward with this remodel, but we do not currently have the funds to pay for it. Over the next two months, we are calling on you to help us revitalize our community space.

On February 13th, Mukilteo Coffee will be hosting our "Fix the Floor" Fundraiser event. The event, which costs $20 per person, will feature incredible food by Chef Jess and music by Western Heroes. Tickets can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com (under Fix the Floor). We are also selling $5 raffle tickets for artwork by Callahan McVay, Georgia Gerber, and Rie Munoz and garden design by Cathy Waymire-Rooks. We invite you to come take part in this opportunity to help keep a community space open. Help us continue our mission to provide spaces for the community to gather, learn and grow together!

Hands On

The weeks have been flying by lately at the Coffeehouse and Books. We are preparing for the upcoming renovation and there is excitement in the air. Oh, to have a floor that is not sinking!

I've been thinking about hands and how everyone has been very hands on at the Coffeehouse these days. We've had lively, productive meetings, great work days, planning parties...And then we had an awesome partnership event with Good Cheer on Martin Luther King Jr. Day! The goal was to raise a ton (as in 2000 pounds!) of food and books combined. We also had many hands helping over in the Good Cheer Garden and the day was a celebration of service. Many volunteers were on hand to help sort through the books. We raised over 1200 pounds of books and food and decided to keep going!

All this week, our tips will go towards relief in Haiti. Our intrepid Youth Engagement Squad or Y.E.S. have organized this and are planning many more exciting programs.

This Saturday I am proud to announce a evening musical event: Passing of the Peace organized by the South Whidbey High School Peace Club. The proceeds will benefit "Change For Tibet" as well as the Good Cheer Food Bank. A multitude of performers will enchant and delight you with an open mike evening.

In such a hands on community, it is no small surprise that all of us at the Coffeehouse are joining hands as we move enthusiastically into 2010.