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' Shelton-Mason County Journal
By NATALIE JOHNSON
BiffMoss plays the ukele-
le (pronounced ooh-ku-lay-
lee if you're in the know) so
well people often ask him
which island he's from.
"I say the island of Is-
saquah," Moss said.
Moss' background is any-
thing but Hawaiian, but to-
day he's spent his last six
summers at the Alderbrook
Resort jamming out tunes
on his trusty ukelele. Years
earlier, Moss spent eight
years at a similar gig at the
Rosario Resort on Orcas Is-
land.
On sunny beautiful days
on Hood Canal, which have
been pitifully few so far
this summer, Moss grabs
his uke, some sound gear
and hacking tracks to fill
out the set and plays for a
few hours each night on the
Alderbrook's beachfront
deck.
"When they hear that I
play the uke they go 'Oh,
ukelele.., oh," Moss said.
"Then they realize I ap-
proach it: from a different
standpoint,"
Moss began as a ukelele
player as a child, but driR-
ed to guitar as he got older.
Now he's right back to the
uke.
dad plays guitar and
I wanted to play guitar but
my hands were too small,"
he said. "He showed me to
play a few chords on the
uke."
Soon, Moss grew big
enough to handle a large
guitar and had his first rock
band by the fifl grade.
In a few more years, he
majored in music and in-
dustrial design at Western
Washington University.
Moss said he studied design
because he had little inter-
est in someday becoming a
music teacher.
After some time pldying
in the Pacific Northwest,
Moss said he was looking
for a change. Picking up the
ukelele again gave him that
change and made his act
unique.
"Just playing throughout
the greater Pacific North-
west ... as a guitarist you're
a minnow in the ocean," he
said. "The uke was a fun
Biff Moss plays his ukelele on one of the Alderbrook's
beachfront decks.
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
transition. It was something several ways. ing "island" flairs like congo ... it's a different flavor."
to broaden my horizons and "Its purity, its tone, it just drums. Moss said that the uke,
"get back to basics in music." has a light-hearted happy "I like taking old tunes which is actually native to
But he said that the feel to it and it's relaxing," and adding island beats and Portugal, not Hawaii, is a
uke offers more than just he said. rhythms," he said. ~Like fairly easy instrument to
a change from the guitar. Moss said while he plays ~VIake the world go away,' pick up. One of those rea-
Moss said that the ukelele some original songs on the it's an old county tune, but sons, Moss said, is because
is a completely different uke, he likes playing covers when you add uke and con-
animal than the guitar in and classic songs and add- gos and a background singer See Hawaii on page B-5
SLAND
COOK N"
i
Barbara Stormo's famous cinnamon rolls,
Church about $1 00 every Allyn Days.
Cinnamon roll
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
combined with a bake sale, earn the Ailyn Historic
draw a crowd at Allyn Days
By NATALIE JOHNSON so much so I thought, let's try that."
In 1955 Stormo moved into a house
As a founding member of the Al- across the road from the Allyn Histori-
lyn Historical Church Board, Barbara ca/church and to this day loves look-
Stormo may be a part of the longest- iv~ down at the 1909 building.
running set of bake sales in Mason That same year, however, the
County. church faced some peril when the cur-
Since 1965, she and Dorothy Griffey, rent occupants moved out.
two original members and several oth- ~The church had a loan against it
ers who founded the board, have been when it was built in 1909," Stormo
funding repairs and maintenance of said. "Phe congregational council of
the church through yearly bake sales: churches were going to sell the build-
one, which is combined with a plant ing, and we wanted to keep it in the
sale before Mother's Day, and their community as a church."
sale during Allyn Days. Stormo said that the community
"We wanted to improve (the church), rallied to pay off the loan and keep the
We had to figure out ways of raising church standing. In 1965, the church
funds and we came up with a bakeboard was formed, and since then Stor-
sale," Stormo said. mo and many other community mem-
The Allyn Days bake sale is well- bets have worked to keep the church
known throughout the county and be- standing and occupied.
yond, primarily because of Stormo's Each year the bake sale at Allyn
famous cinnamon rolls. Days, including the famous cinnamon
"I got the idea from Cinnabon-ev- rolls, earn the board up to $1,200 to
erybody talks about Cinnabons and I put toward the church. On Saturday
wanted to make mine different," she morning alone they sold 268 fresh
said. "My family loves cinnamon rolls rolls.
That money in the past has gone
toward painting and re-roofing the
church and finishing a previously open
basement.
Preparing for Allyn Days has be-
come a family affair, Stormo said.
"I have two granddaughters who'd
stay overnight and in the morning
would help me. My granddaughter
started helping me when she was five
and she just turned 21," she said. "I
couldn't do it without the family. My
kids all support it because they know
how much I love this little church."
Although the rolls have always been
a small family venture, Stormo said
that their popularity stretches across
the Sound.
"We even had someone come over
from Seattle who said 'I came over and
had one last year and I had to have an-
other,~ she said. "It floors me."
Stormo said that despite the fact
that she is not a regular church-goer,
she has worked with several local
See Bake on page B-5
Thursday,
Even though the weather was a little wet and
overcast, this turned out to be a great week-
end. The Turning Pointe golf tournament was held
out at Lake Limerick and it turned out to be a
great success. I know Judy is very thankful for all
who helped and donated. The course was in great
shape, and the staff at the Country Club put on a
wonderful lunch. Then on Sunday we made it to
Allyn Days. There must have been some 40 ven-
dors there. The main reason we
went was for their salmon and
oysters. The way they cook it is
just the best.
The senior lunch bunch
will be cooking up a storm
on Wednesday, July
27. They will be serving a salad
trio of chicken, pasta and fruit
salads, and you can pick one
MIKE or all three. You can also get a
CALLAGHAN croissant with a little butter to
go along with those salads. For
d0ss0rt, th0 cooks going to
come up with a delicious cake. The doors will open
at noon. If you are an islander, 50 and over, get
there a little early, bring along $3 and a good ap-
, petite.
A little community club news: They are looking
for a few volunteers. Pare Wood, who has taken
care of the calendar and hall schedule for a zillion
years, says she is ready to retire. They need some-
one who can take over that job. Pain's hard work
over the years has been one of the main reasons
the hall has had money in its coffers. She will be
greatly missed.
Another volunteer, Sandy Murphy, was rec-
ognized at the Community Club meeting for her
volunteer spirit. She not only thought up the Rally
Round the Flagpole project, but also led the ef-
fort to complete it. Sandy was presented with a
plaque, but the real reward will be the continued
observance of her efforts by looking at the bricks
that surround the flagpole. Those volunteers who
helped her were also recognized and a plaque is
now hanging on the Community Club wail telling
of all the spirit and giving attitude.
Here is just a reminder of who the present of-
ricers of the Community Club are: president - Jeff
Roberge, vice president- Ken and Sandy Kramer,
secretary - April Hanson and treasurer - Jim Ir-
ving. If you see them around the island, let them
know what a great job they are doing.
See Callaghan on page B-5
July 21,2011 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page B-1