50 years ago

Editor: Lana Townsend

Good Cheer,

Year ‘round

“For the past three and one half years there has been abundance of ‘good cheer’ on South Whidbey, through the year-around efforts of a small group of men and women who are genuinely concerned about their neighbors.

“The story began ten days before Christmas in 1963, when several women voiced the desire to ‘do something’ for someone for Christmas. The Welfare office gave them the name of a family with six children whose sizes in clothing were different from the sizes of the women’s own children. So they asked their friends for donations and everyone gave generously, as is customary at Christmastime.

“Because there was such a lot left over, the women asked for another family, donations kept coming in, and that year, just ten days before Christmas, over 100 children and their parents found that there was a Santa Claus after all.

“This was the beginning of ‘Good Cheer,’ the non-profit organization which boasts a store building, a board of directors and officers, and which takes in an average of $50 a month with which to help South Whidbey neighbors — whether it be for food, clothing, shoes for the kids, furnishing a house, rebuilding a burned-out house, or finding jobs for people.”

25 years ago

Editor: Jim Larsen

Commissioners in line for hefty pay increases by 1993

“It’s only 17 months until 1993, but between now and then the annual salary of an Island County commissioner will increase from $35,342 to $57,900.

“That hefty, 61 percent increase of $22,558 per year is attributable to two factors: A new salary schedule for elected county officials the commissioners adopted last September, and sizeable raises given to Superior Court judges this year by the state Salary Commission.”