At our 6/22 meeting, Mike Cook was inspired by the opening of the Obama Library and quoted from a speech given by President Obama in 2015:
“You are America. Unconstrained by habit and convention. Unencumbered by what is, ready to seize what ought to be. For everywhere I this country, there are first steps to be taken, there is new ground to cover, there are more bridges to be crossed. America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.’ ‘We The People.’ We Shall Overcome.’ ‘Yes We Can.” That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone. Oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.”
Also inspiring: Mike and his wife have tickets to visit the Obama Library in October!
Executive Director Carrie Omdahl and Conductor Michael Wheatly
not only verbally highlighted the Skagit Symphony, they gave us a flavor of the symphony with Michael on the violin, Carrie on the clarinet, playing Mozart duets.
Symphony highlights include growing to 80 musicians and:
Art in the Garden Bash and Garden Tour on June 28th https://www.skagitsymphony.com/garden-bash-2026
Fifth- grade orchestra concert for all Skagit County fifth graders in January, which our club supports. This year it will be The British Are Coming!
The 2026-2027 Concert Season: https://www.skagitsymphony.com/
Faces of America
American Reflection
Christmas Past (with our friend Al Call reciting The Night Before Christmas)
The British are Coming-Children’s Concert Dave Johnson will narrate
Mother of Exiles
Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite
Critical Hits-Pops Concert
Stringed instrument instruction in the libraries, including La Conner/Swinomish, to get kids playing since strings are no longer taught in the schools
Adult strings instruction at the La Conner/Swinomish library too!
Scholarship Recipient Isabelle Villard
Isabelle inspired us with her public speaking, leadership, academics, and sports. She was ASB Executive Vice President and participated in leadership all four years. She played volleyball, basketball, and threw discus, javelin, and as part of the state winning La Conner track team. She is executive vice-president of the Associated Student Body and participated in leadership all four years. After high school, she will attend Western Washington University to study early childhood education. Her parents, Shaye Villard and Lucas Villard, attended our meeting.