Over Town

Over Town is a list of organizations of interest to Guemes Islanders. If you'd like to suggest an organization to be included here, let us know. [Going] Over Town is an old island expression that refers to the larger community off-island of which we are a part.

Skagit Beat The Heat

Anacortes Now Community Web Site

Beach Watchers • www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu

The WSU Beach Watchers Program / Skagit and Snohomish Counties is sponsoring a Community Seminar Series in Skagit County to promote education and stewardship of our local marine resources.

Events are free to the public and open to all ages.

2007 Beach Watchers Seminar Series

Island Hospital • www.islandhospital.org

Island Hospital is located in Anacortes and is known for its
big-hospital range of services in a small acute-care facility. The hospital also manages Anacortes Family Medicine, a primary care clinic that is open for patients. All are under the auspices of Skagit County Public Hospital District No. 2, which comprises Fidalgo, Guemes, Cypress and Sinclair islands and serves western Skagit County, north Whidbey Island and the San Juan Islands. Need a doctor? Well, our website holds "virtually" all you need to know about Island Hospital -- our medical staff, health services, community programs and general information.

Click on the link "Find a Doctor" and you can search for a physician to meet your personal needs and preferences. By clicking on the "Jobs" link at top, you will see the positions that are currently open at Island Hospital; even file an application online! Should you need more details about any related subject than is available on our website, please click on the "Contact Us" link at the top of each page. Our staff is happy to help you with any question or inquiry you may have.

Dennis Richards
Island Hospital

Evergreen Islands • www.evergreenislands.org

First organized back in 1971 to oppose putting an aluminum smelter on Guemes Island, the group reorganized in 1976 and was renamed "Evergreen Islands." Our focus since then has been to try to help assure the environmentally sensitive development of Fidalgo Island. The threat faced back in 1976 was the proposed clearcutting of lovely Hoypus Hill, at the northern end of Whidbey Island. Evergreen Islands successfully met that challenge and went on from there.

Save South Fidalgo • www.savesouthfidalgo.com

Unless we work together, the character of South Fidalgo Island is about to dramatically change. Despite overwhelming public opposition in two public forums (83 percent opposed in a January survey conducted by county staff) a subarea plan "Citizens' Advisory Committee" - dominated by development and property rights advocates, thanks to county commissioners Don Munks and Ted Anderson - has voted to recommend changing the island's "rural reserve" zoning of 10-acre minimum lot sizes to what would effectively become city lot sizes.

Shore Stewards • www.shorestewards.org

Shore Stewards is a free, voluntary program in Skagit County that helps shoreline landowners better understand how their decisions affect the long-term value of their property as well as Puget Sound.

Protecting Your Shoreline Property Benefits Everyone

Futurewise • www.futurewise.org

Futurewise is a statewide public interest group working to promote healthy communities and cities while protecting farmland, forests and shorelines today and for future generations.

We are the only statewide group in Washington working to ensure that local governments manage growth responsibly. Founded in 1990, Futurewise has established an impressive track record on growth management issues as the state's primary advocate for smart growth policies.

Futurewise's organizing and advocacy work, public education and legal program, and the technical support that we provide local groups have become the foundation of good growth management in Washington.

In 2005, the organization changed its name from 1000 Friends of Washington to Futurewise to better represent the work that we stand for.

Friends of Skagit County • www.friendsofskagitcounty.org

Through grassroots organizing and advocacy we work to protect our open spaces, farms, forests, and natural heritage, and to support compact, "walkable" neighborhoods in our towns.

San Juan Preservation Trust • www.sanjuanpreservationtrust.org

The mission of the San Juan Preservation Trust is to preserve and protect open spaces, scenic views, forests, agricultural lands, habitats, watersheds, riparian corridors, wetlands and shorelines in the San Juan Archipelago.

Skagit Land Trust • www.skagitlandtrust.org

Skagit Land Trust was founded in March 1992 by three visionary leaders and 31 Charter Members to help protect the natural lands, open space and wildlife habitat of Skagit County for the benefit of this and future generations. The Trust has grown steadily to become a respected grassroots organization with strong local support and is recognized as an innovative leader in conservation. The four staff, 14 board members and 35 active volunteers are joined by over 470 members to protect the most important and beloved land and landscapes in the county. The amount of land and habitat protected by the Trust has quadrupled in the past four years to over 3600 acres including over 16 miles of shoreline. The Trust is currently working on a dozen new projects under the guidance of a Conservation Strategy that helps protect the best, most at-risk lands first.

People for Puget Sound • www.pugetsound.org

People For Puget Sound is a citizens' group working to protect and restore the health of Puget Sound and the Northwest Straits through education and action. Our vision is a clean and healthy Sound, teeming with fish and wildlife, cared for by people who live here.