Nikko's Notes

Building Community with Hilary Canty

Have you used the new school track? Do you ever visit or donate to the Food Bank? Have you ever needed housing assistance? Have you taken classes in the elementary school about emotional awareness? Hilary Canty, the Executive Director of the Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF), is a BIG part of making all these amazing things happen. She is also a dedicated volunteer EMT at Orcas Island Fire and Rescue.

Hilary’s early life had a big impact on the way she lives her life now. She lived with seven brothers and sisters, and in her neighborhood, some families had ten or more kids. There were approximately seventy kids in their neighborhood in Washington, DC. Sometimes they stayed up until midnight with fun and games then managed to sneak out again for another hour of fun. Being around so many people helped her learn about big groups and be comfortable surrounded by many people.

She learned her biggest lesson about people at a young age when...

It was Friday. I was feeling good about my vocabulary and multiplication tests. My younger brother Orion and I were good all week so my parents brought us to Clever Cow, our local ice cream parlor. We always enjoy playing our made-up game on the way, changing “Clever Cow” to “Carniverous Cow”, “Cretaceous Cow” and other crazy “C” adjectives. We had lots of fun. 

April Pollock, the charming mastermind behind Clever Cow Creamery, made her business in 2015 because Orcas was a tourist destination with no ice cream parlor. Clever Cow scoops unique ice cream flavors with fun names while also offering soups and sandwiches during colder months. She calls her shop Clever Cow because the milk comes from local Holstein cows on a family-owned farm, called Edaleen. Sourcing locally is clever and beneficial for all!

As a lifetime vegan, I am so grateful that April serves yummy vegan options. I like to order a cake cone...

It was a crisp autumn day when I walked into our local grocery store. I smelled ginger, cinnamon and cloves. 

Holly Dennis, creator of Harmony Chai was handing out free steaming hot cups of her vegan chai with a warm smile!

The chai is unique because it’s not over-sweet like other chai. My taste buds lit up after I tasted it. 

Holly started her business in 1993 in Homer, Alaska. She was inspired by somebody who was brewing chai. So, after many years of experimenting with recipes, she started selling her chai during festivals and gatherings. Loads of customers loved her tea, so she made Harmony Chai, a yummy chai tea company we like.

Authors Note

The reason I made this article is because I thought you would like Harmony Chai tea. 

Holly Dennis was so happy to get my interview, she let me take a picture with her. She also sells our favorite falafel pita sandwiches at our Sunday Farmers Market. Her website is: www.harmonychai.com. Order some yummy...