Try to sneak into a grocery store on an island without meeting someone you know. No way. You are stranded, and out of gas on the road. Not for long. Islanders are there to greet you and help you, no matter what the situation.
There is a certain familiarity that comes with island life that can be comforting, but also takes some getting accustomed to. Yes, there are times when there are visitors on the island and you don't see friends and neighbors quite as quickly, but when you need them they are there.
A great example of this is the local food bank on Whidbey Island http://www.goodcheer.org/ This year they have added a garden. More than 4,000 pounds of fresh, healthy produce were harvested and delivered steps away to the Food Bank this first year of Good Cheer's on-site garden! This takes volunteers, and islands have great volunteers, committed and energetic.
On San Juan Island there is the http://www.hometrust.org/about.html Community Home Trust. The mission of The San Juan Community Home Trust is to make home ownership possible for working people on San Juan Island. In recent years the gap between earned wages and housing prices has increased so much that it is now almost impossible for wage-earning residents to purchase a home on San Juan Island.
So now you have it. Live here, make friends, do good for others and get more in return. See you at the grocery store.
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