Mike Robinson, Candidate

I was SO pleased when I heard that Mike Robinson was running for the school board. At that point, I had no idea who or even if anyone was running against him. Didn’t matter. Mike has my vote. Period.

The thing is, I’ve known Mike in nearly every realm of Life on the Long Beach Peninsula. When I think about it, he represents perfectly the reason I love living in a small community – a community where you know almost everyone and see them wearing hat after hat after hat. In fact, Mike and I recently tried to figure out when or why we met… We have no idea.

It seems logical that it had something to do with being teachers in the Ocean Beach School District. I had been here several years already when Mike arrived on the scene in late 1980 as a substitute. Maybe our paths crossed then.

On the other hand, that was just about the time that the first incarnation of the Peninsula Players was organized under the direction of Lawrence Lessard. I remember Mike’s involvement in “Annie Get Your Gun.” Or do I? I remember clearly that he was at many of the cast parties and that he knew Lawrence from their Community College Days in Longview but I’m not clear as to Mike’s role(s) with the Players. Thirty-five years is a stretch for my personal memory chip these days.

Mike Robinson – Back in the Day

I also remember that Mike sang at more than one of our early Oysterville vesper services with a group organized by Dennis Crabb and that he played recorder (or was it the clarinet?) with the Crabb Consort (was that its name?) and was one of the founding members of the Water Music Festival.

I remember that Mike wore outrageous costumes to our Annual Croquet Galas here in Oysterville and that we often called upon him to be one of the judges. (And that was not ‘in spite of’ the fact that he was known to take bribes. More like ‘because of’… You had to be there…)

But mostly, I remember our years together as teaching colleagues at Ocean Park School – he teaching Special Ed, me teaching first, second, third graders. His was a “pull out” program, so we shared kids and concerns, attended workshops and meetings, and served together on the teachers’ bargaining team. No matter how serious or difficult any aspect of our teaching duties might be, Mike always brought humor and a heart-full of compassion along with him. He was wonderful to work with.

So… it is absolutely without reservation that I say “I Like Mike!” He knows our community from many viewpoints and understands the Ocean Beach School District from the inside out. He has my vote! Period.

P.S. An ‘I Like Mike Fundraiser’ is being held at the Dickerson’s Garden, 1500 186^th Lane, Long Beach, today (July 30^th) 4:00pm – hope to see you there!