— from Barbara Marrett for the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau —
San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau Board President, Carl Silvernail, thanked Susan Fletcher for her over 30 years of service to Orcas Island’s tourism industry and ten years on the Visitors Bureau Board of Directors, at its annual spring meeting and luncheon on Orcas Island, Thursday, May 11.
Susan and husband Bill Fletcher have been innkeepers at Turtleback Farm Inn, an eight-room, 80-acre pastoral paradise in Crow Valley, since 1985. Originally purchased as a second home getaway from the Bay Area, Turtleback Farm has become an acclaimed Inn. Susan’s breakfasts are famous.* She co-wrote and published a highly praised cookbook, “Turtleback Farm Inn Cookbook,” in 1990, containing some of her prize-winning breakfast recipes.
The Inn has received high ratings in many guidebooks, magazine and newspaper articles. In the book “1,000 Places to See Before You Die” author Patricia Schultz writes, “Turtleback Farm Inn strikes a balance between refinement and rustic charm. The Inn, a working farm, offers lodging in both a beautifully restored 19th century green-clapboard Farmhouse and the Orchard House …”
Before joining the Visitors Bureau Board in 2006, Susan was instrumental on the Board of the V.I.S.—Visitor Information Services—which, according to legend, was formed after the “Free Willy” movie created lots of interest and phone calls to San Juan County.
For the last 10 years Susan has been one of Orcas Island’s invaluable representatives to the Visitors Bureau Board. Her candor and experience were very important organizational assets. She stepped down from the Board in June after last year’s annual spring meeting. The meeting on Thursday was the first official opportunity to thank her for her service to the industry.
* Fun statistics from Turtleback’s website:
- 2,201 Breakfast served
- 632 Thread count of their sheets
- 28 Trees in the orchard
The San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for San Juan County and Town of Friday Harbor. It represents over 300 island businesses representing local history, arts, outdoor recreation, agri-tourism, lodging, dining, retail, and visitor education. Mostly funded by lodging tax paid by visitors, it also receives business membership dues.
Susan set the bar for hospitality on Orcas island. A Treasure on the Island indeed.
So many island kids, including my iwn, learned the “art of hospitality ” and how to clean rooms from their days with Susan. The Turtleback Inn is the height of OI charm and Susan & Bill are consummate hosts. Kudos!!!!!
Visitors’ Bureau, welcome aboard; Orcas Island has known for decades that Turtleback Farm is the gold standard here.
Thank you Susan and Bill for all you have done to support the Orcas Community.