Editor,

With only six short, frenetic days of planning, The Whidbey Slide Relief Fund Benefit was a great success.

It is amazing to see an entire island come together for a common cause. It takes a whole community to respond to disaster and the needs of our neighbors.

When all segments of a community rally to support victims of disaster it cannot only mitigate unspeakable loss, but it can also strengthen the bonds of the entire community.

When citizens, business owners, inter-faith agencies, and governmental agencies take responsibility and act together, we are all better off. What we have seen over the last 10 days is a shining example of that whole community approach.

Thank you, to Gov. Jay Inslee, Congressman Rick Larsen, state Sen. Barbara Bailey and congressional Rep. Norma Smith, we appreciate your concern and your presence on Saturday and look forward to your continued support.

Thank you to Port of Coupeville Commissioner Marshall Bronson, Island County commissioners Helen Price Johnson, Jill Johnson and Kelly Emerson, Island County Public Works, American Red Cross and Central Whidbey Fire for your responsiveness.

Special thanks to the 50-plus volunteers who made this event happen, especially the hard-working culinary specialists from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station who gave up their day off.

Thank you, Bulldog and the Johnny Bulldog Band, Ciao, Columbia Distributing, Coupeville Chamber of Commerce, Jason Tritt and Flyers Brewery for your amazing beer, 4-H ambassador extraordinaire Elizabeth Bishop, to Greenbank Farm who donated the space and countless hours – our whole community is indebted, Fraser’s Gourmet Hideaway, Freeland Café, Langley Chamber of Commerce, Lions (you are truly fabulous), Mojo Filter for not one but two benefit performances, Matt Nichols and Nichols Brothers Boat Builders, Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Prairie Center Red Apple, Spoiled Dog Winery, Sho-Nuff BBQ for your quick cooking despite the rain, Tara Hizon and The Still Bill Band, Jodi Goetz and Sysco Food Service for you contributions and concern, Dez Rock and Useless Bay Coffee Company for the amazing BBQ and equipment, Whidbey TV, and most special thanks to Jason McFadyen and to Windermere Real Estate and Young’s Market for your generous donation of fine wine.

Thank you to all who turned out to support us on Saturday.

Together we raised more than $10,000, but we did not reached our goal.

This continuing geological event is not over, and you can still make donations to the Whidbey Slide Relief Fund at any Wells Fargo Branch.

Jan Wright

Ledgewood Beach Home Owner’s Association

Mark Laska

Whidbey Slide Relief Fund