Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor (SI-Fri) assists San Juan Island residents who have cancer that requires treatment on the mainland. We improve access to healthcare by offering ferry tickets and car transportation, as well as coordination with the San Juan Eagles, a local flying club created to provide air transportation to these cancer patients.
The program has reduced the stress caused by the distance and cost involved in obtaining cancer treatment for people who live on San Juan Island. Publicity about the project has increased public awareness of health challenges facing islanders. In addition, the project has highlighted Soroptimist leadership in the community, reflecting a standard of responsiveness to community need and excellence in creative collaboration. In keeping with the mission of Soroptimist International, the project also spotlights positive role models of women pilots.
Project Beginnings
At the start of 2001, Jude Marraci gathered information about resources and services in San Juan County concerning women’s health and cancer treatment through the Susan G. Komen Foundation, focusing on breast cancer. She provided this information to the Friday Harbor Soroptimist health committee. Vicky Thalacker was joined by other Soroptimist members (Jackie Armstrong, Emily Reed, Gloria Ridge, Bette Cantrell, Kathy Guy, Kathleen Moss, Joyce Johnson and Widget Webert) in working to establish a program that would lighten the hardship of travel for cancer patients who must go to the mainland for treatment.
Faye, a friend of Vicky’s who had been fighting breast cancer for 25 years, also inspired this project. Two Soroptimists and several friends took time to be on the ferry and drive her to her appointments. Faye lost her battle in November of 2002.
Jackie Armstrong, as chair of the health committee, sent an outreach letter written by Jude Marraci to all churches, the local service groups and other groups that we could approach to get volunteers for the “need a ride” part of our program. Jackie also spoke to members of the Burlington and Anacortes Soroptimist groups. Community support was positive and the program was soon well underway.
At the same time, the Susan G. Komen Foundation began providing funding for services for breast cancer patients through the San Juan County Health and Community Services department. (Note: this funding ceased in 2010.)
The San Juan Eagles
Vicky Thalacker, who is a private pilot, invited 16 other pilots to her home in November of 2001 to discuss the possibility of creating a group of private pilots who would fly patients to and from the mainland for radiation and chemotherapy. They all said “Yes” and the San Juan Eagles were born.
Vicky continued the effort by going to the San Juan Pilots Association meeting in 2002 to ask for their help. She then sent out letters to all pilots who parked their airplanes at the Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor airports. The result was 40 pilots who have volunteered their time and talents to this project, with the mission of “helping patients with cancer deal with the burdens of treatment and improve their quality of life over the course of their treatments.”
The first year, 2002, the Eagles provided 70 flights, and in 2003 they donated over 200 flights. Their donations include all of their expenses, such as gas, time and airplane expenses. Each year the Eagles continue their good work and have provided an average of 200 flights annually to Skagit, Anacortes and Bellingham. Sometimes they fly three patients at a time to these three airports. Cars are provided at no cost at Skagit airport by Foothills Pontiac Buick Toyota in Burlington and at Bellingham Aviation Services.
On April 14, 2004, the San Juan Eagles became a separate non-profit organization. The pilots are not able to receive funds to offset costs because of the FAA ruling stating that because they are private pilots, they cannot be reimbursed. They have also raised money to pay for commercial flights when weather and other considerations have prevented volunteer pilots from flying.
Project Funding
Since SI-Fri is a non-profit organization, we depend on the generosity of the public. We are very fortunate to have received many gifts from the wonderful folks of San Juan Island as well as friends and relatives of those patients who have passed on. We have also grown the cancer relief fund with grant writing and fundraisers.
SI-Fri received a Soroptimist Club Grant for Women and Girls in June of 2004 in the amount of $10,000 from Soroptimist International of the Americas. The grant was proposed by SI Friday Harbor Founder Pat Hansen and prepared by members Liz Illg and Joyce Sobel. The grant was to pay for ferry vouchers, a bowling alley fundraising event, an agreement with Corporate Air to lease a car for transporting patients once they got to Skagit airport, and reimbursement for mileage when patients had to drive instead of fly. In addition, the money was to be used for seed money for a signature fundraising event.
In August of 2006, the American Cancer Society gave us a grant of $4000 to be used for ferry tickets and for commercial flights to Seattle. We also received $250 from the San Juan Island Community Foundation to use for car transportation.
Our fundraising efforts started with the Bowl-A-Thon in 2005 and raffle ticket sales. This effort was very successful and continued annually through 2009, usually grossing between $5000 and $10,000 each event. During 2009-2010, SI-Fri decided to have multiple fund-raising projects beginning with bunko “Girls Night Out” events. Each of these quarterly events in 2009, 2010 and 2011 raised approximately $3500.
Ferry Ticket Program
SI-Fri started the ferry ticket program in late 2004, by creating a policy for the provision of free batches of ferry tickets for people receiving cancer treatment. In 2005, $10,013 was spent on ferry tickets and commercial flights for several patients. In 2006, 26 ferry ticket books were supplied to 13 patients at a cost of $6,300. Eighteen new patients were added in 2007 at a total cost of $8,163. In 2008 an additional seven patients were added and a total of $10,255 was spent. Increased publicity in 2009 brought in 21 new patients at a project cost of $12,382. In 2010 an additional 17 patients brought project costs to $15,679. Over 70 island patients and their families have benefitted from this program to date.
The job of coordinating the Cancer Treatment Transportation Project was held by Vicky Thalacker from its inception until 2006. Mary Kate Panero managed the project from 2006 until 2009, developing the first written procedures and information for posting on the SI-Fri website. Liz Illg took over the project in 2009. She and Ellen Roberts added the task of Ticket Tracker to the procedures in 2010 (to ensure that all tickets are used before their expiration). and they drafted updated policies and procedures which were adopted by the Board in 2011.
Publicity and Recognition
The project is known nationwide. SI-Fri and the San Juan Eagles were featured in the May 2004 issue of the Smithsonian’s Air & Space magazine (see http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/harbor.html), and are also highlighted in the Roy Franklin exhibit at the Friday Harbor airport. Each year the Journal of the San Juans has done an article about the Eagles, and letters from grateful recipients are often found on the editorial page. The program gets good press as well on several local internet news sources, as well as in the At Home magazine.
We have displayed our information cards at Skagit Hospital in Mount Vernon, St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, Island Hospital in Anacortes, both Friday Harbor clinics and the Mullis Senior Center in Friday Harbor.
To help support this valuable community resource, mail your donation to Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor (with “cancer transportation” specified on your check), P.O. Box 2856, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
For more information on the San Juan Eagles, contact Vicky Thalacker at 360-378-4578.
If you are a cancer patient in need of transportation to and from the mainland for treatment, contact Liz Illg at 317-4010.
