Maritime students show work

Seventh-grade students from Port Townsend and Chimacum who are participating in the eighth annual Maritime Discovery Program are celebrating their achievements and showing their work at two upcoming presentations.

Chimacum Middle School hosts a presentation of work by Chimacum students from 8 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 1, followed a presentation of Blue Heron Middle School students work from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 14 at the Northwest Maritime Center.

Nearly 150 students participated in the program provided by the partnership between the maritime center and the school districts. Classes, including mathematics, language, arts, science and more are taught through a maritime lens. Students also got to sail and row on the Port Townsend Bay, and build a skiff to be launched on last day of the program.

Tour food bank gardens around the county

Food Bank Farm & Gardens of Jefferson County is sponsoring a garden tours from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 3.

The tour begins at the Port Townsend High School Garden, located behind the school district offices in the Gael Stuart Building at 1610 Blaine St.

The 10,000-square-foot cultivation space provides fruit and vegetables to school cafeterias during the school year. Any excess produce is delivered to the Port Townsend Food Bank, especially during summer months.

The tour is to continue with visits to the food bank garden at Quimper Grange, a new large garden site on Hancock Street and a new food bank garden in development in the county at Woodland Hills.

Maps and directions to the other gardens are to be provided at the first site, and carpooling is available. Refreshments featuring garden produce and other goodies are to be served at the last garden. For more information, visit ptfoodbankgarden.com or call 301-0982.

Students make little libraries

Second- and third-grade students have been working with Grant Street Elementary teacher and librarian Joy Wentzel to create, curate and promote two little free libraries that would serve families and neighbors. Libraries are located at the elementary and preschool campuses.

A grand opening/ribbon cutting is set for 5:15 p.m., Friday, June 2 on the front lawn of Grant Street Elementary School. The community is invited to attend and bring a book to donate and to take a book home.

This project is designed to help promote literacy in the community and create a gathering place where parents, teachers, students and children of all ages can access an ever-changing collection of books, and share and encourage a love of reading, Wentzel said.

Rain garden work parties held June 6

Learn about rain gardens firsthand at a work party Tuesday, June 6, held at at locations around Port Townsend.

Staff from Washington State University Extension are to be leading the work at the rain gardens, which collect, absorb and filter stormwater runoff from roof downspouts, driveways, roads and patios.

Work parties are 9-10:30 a.m. at the Jefferson County Courthouse rain garden; 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Garfield and Adams streets rain garden; and 1:30-3 p.m. at the Point Hudson rain garden.

Attendees should dress for the weather and bring gloves and a water bottle. Tools and snacks are to be provided. RSVP with Bob Simmons at 379-5610 ext. 207 or at simmons@wsu.edu.

“To Infinity and Beyond” with math professor

Mathematics professor Mike Hitchman is to discuss how math can be a creative endeavor to discover beauty in the universe at a talk set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7 at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave, Port Hadlock.

Leave your assumptions about math at the door on the way in and listen as Hitchman discusses the concept of infinity, which comes in all different sizes.

Hitchman earned his doctorate from the University of Oregon and has taught at Linfield College since 2009.

Parade celebrates 1792 Vancouver expedition

In honor of the 225th anniversary of George Vancouver’s historic exploring expedition, which this year happens to coincide with the 2017 Festival of Sail in Tacoma, a grand fleet of tall ships is to sail into Admiralty Inlet en route to Tacoma on June 13.

The flotilla of tall ships is to leave McCurdy Point, east of Protection Island, at around 2 p.m., and will sail by Point Wilson, Admiralty Head, and Marrowstone Point before continuing on toward Tacoma.

The fleet can be viewed between 2:20 and 3 p.m. at Fort Worden State Park at Point Wilson, between 2:45 and 3:30 p.m. at Fort Casey State Park at Admiralty Head (Whidbey Island) and between 3:20 and 4 p.m. at Fort Flagler State Park at Marrowstone Point. All times are dependent on conditions. A Discovery Pass is required for vehicles in Washington State Parks. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/sajh.

Conserve energy with native plant gardens

Jefferson County Master Gardner Sarah Fairbank leads a workshop on how to build a garden that uses less water, increases insect and bird diversity, and requires less maintenance at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14 at the Jefferson County Library, 620 Cedar Ave., Port Hadlock.

Fairbank, who has been a Master Gardener for 28 years, is to explain the benefits of using native plants for landscaping and which native plants are suited for this area.

Senior Singles meet June 13

Senior Singles meet noon on Tuesday, June 13 at Snug Harbor Cafe, 9526 Oak Bay Road, Port Ludlow. To reserve a spot, call Peggy at 437-9935 no later than June 6. The July lunch is set for July 10 in Port Gamble. Call Peggy by July 3 to reserve a spot.

(Compiled by Leader staff writer Katie Kowalski.)