News Roundup — Local anti-war vigil to be held/Toes tapping to folk music/Dillon featured at Seabold/Cancer event in the works/Islander to face Woods

Published 6:00 pm Saturday, March 4, 2006

Local anti-war vigil to be held

Bainbridge Island Women in Black will join Women Say No to War in a special vigil to bring an end to the war in Iraq.

Community residents are invited to stand with Women in Black from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. March 8 at Highway 305 and Winslow Way.

The day marks International Women’s Day and the fourth anniversary of Bainbridge Island Women in Black.

Women Say No to War is an international campaign promoting the Women’s Call for Peace petition. Organizers hope to get at least 100,000 signatures by March 8, when U.S. and Iraqi women will deliver the signatures to the White House and women around the world will deliver them to U.S. embassies.

The goal is to pressure the international community to help negotiate a political settlement.

To sign the petition, see womensaynotowar.org.

Toes tapping to folk music

Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen will blend their repertoires for a night of contemporary and traditional folk music from the United States, Ireland and Scandinavia at 7 p.m. March 5 at the Island Music Guild Hall.

Together, they craft arrangements of traditional Irish music and perform Scandinavian fiddle duets and old-time fiddle and guitar tunes.

Larsen sings and plays numerous instruments, including Irish flute, tin whistle and concertina. He has recorded 11 CDs and written two books on the Irish flute and tin whistle. Guitarist and songwriter Kallet has five albums to her credit.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and students.

For information contact 780-6911 or see www.islandmusic.org. For more on Larsen and Kallet see www.greylarsen.com and www.overallmusic.com.

Dillon featured at Seabold

Seabold Second Saturday presents an acoustic evening of open mic fun followed by guitarist/singer Nancy D. Dillon March 11 at Seabold Community Hall.

Musicians of all ages and talent levels are invited to sign up for the open mic is from 6:30 to 7 p.m. The music starts at 7:30.

Dillon’s roots are in bluegrass, folk and country. She’ll take the stage at about 9:30 p.m., performing songs from her debut CD, “Just Let Me Dream,” which recounts her personal and literal passage from Oklahoma to the western U.S.

Admission is $5. Kids and performers get in free. For directions see www.geocities.com/seabold2ndsat. For more about Dillon, see www.nancykdillon.net.

Cancer event in the works

In the fight against cancer, a few good volunteers are needed to carry the baton.

The Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature event, a 24-hour fund-raising running event, with about 4,200 relays taking place each summer nationwide.

“It’s a 24-hour event because cancer never sleeps,” said Karin Emery, ACS’s local community relationship manager.

The ACS has seen about 500 island residents participate in or donate to Relay for Life events in Poulsbo and Seattle and would like to get a Bainbridge Island event started. If ACS can find 10 to 15 committee members willing to organize the event, it can become a reality.

The relays provide for nearly half the ACS budget which goes toward research projects, education and services to cancer patients. Just 5 percent of funds go to overhead and 15 percent to out-of-pocket expenses to host the events.

The events feature teams of 12 to 15 people, which take turns running around a track, usually at the local high school. ACS’s Leslie Jones says the atmosphere is festive with a lot of kids.

“It is kind of like a big party. People put up campsites and there’s a theme. People wear costumes and decorate tents,” Jones said. “My family has been touched by cancer many times, so I do it for family.”

A survivors kicks off the event with an opening lap around the track. At around 10 p.m., when it is dark, the ceremony with luminaria – small lights in paper sacks – are lit to symbolize people who have been struck by cancer.

“It symbolizes the hope that cancer will no longer be here,” Emery said.

To help organize a Relay for Life on Bainbridge, contact Emery at (800) 729-3880 or email karin.emery@cancer.org.

– Tina Lieu

Islander to face Woods

Only months after leaving her seat on the City Council, Christine Rolfes has set her sights on Rep. Beverly Woods’ seat in the state Legislature.

Rolfes recently filed her intention to run for the 23rd Legislative District position with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission.

Woods, a Kingston Republican, has represented the district, which encompasses Bainbridge Island, East Bremerton and North Kitsap, for three terms.

Rolfes served six years on the City Council.

The mother of two young daughters declined to run again for council in 2005, citing her commitments to family.