We are delighted to support Rick Hughes for re-election to San Juan County Council, and we’d like to share a story that many may not know because it illustrates just what sort of public servant we’re fortunate to have in him.

This winter, when Covid-19 seemed to be racing through Washington, everyone was searching for hand sanitizer, but there was none to be had – commercial supplies were inadequate and none was making it to the islands. We at San Juan Island Distillery wanted to jump in and join many other distilleries making sanitizer, but we were stymied by not being able to get key ingredients – like finished sanitizer itself, required components like glycerol and hydrogen peroxide weren’t available. Through colleagues at Orcas Island Distillery, we found out that Rick was already helping them distribute hand sanitizer on Orcas. The distillery was distilling surplus beer and such, and Rick was providing the bottles and distributing the sanitizer. A tremendous help for Orcas Islanders and some sanitizer was already making it to San Juan Island to places like health care clinics and the Food Bank.

When Rick heard we were struggling to get ingredients, he immediately volunteered to help. We went to Orcas and Rick gave us a bottle of hydrogen peroxide from his pharmacy and then took us to Lotioncrafter, where they gave me bottles of glycerol. With that and distilling some of our own cider, we were able to get hand sanitizer produced and starting giving it away to anyone who could bring their own container. Rick’s intervention got us helping people about two weeks ahead of when the supplies we ordered finally came in.

The point of this is that this is the sort of person Rick Hughes is. He sees problems people are having and comes up with solutions, including ones that are out of his own pocket. Rick works hard for the betterment of the San Juans, and we’re lucky he wants to keep serving!

Hawkins and Suzanne Pingree

San Juan Island