Port Townsend Community Read to feature local athlete
Published 1:30 am Saturday, February 28, 2026
PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend Public Library will host its annual community read starting Sunday.
The read will feature 14 free events throughout March, centering around coming together and this year’s book, “Ian’s Ride: A Long-Distance Journey to Joy” by Karen Polinsky.
The library has purchased 500 copies, which are already circulating.
The biography is Ian Mackay’s story of overcoming adversity through perseverance, library manager Keith Darrock said. It focuses on the life and recovery of Mackay, a Peninsula resident who was paralyzed from the neck down following a biking accident.
“He was living in Santa Cruz, bombing down a hill on his mountain bike as a college student. And then he wakes up paralyzed,” Darrock said. “Your life is just completely turned upside down. It’s his story about that, about what happened next. And the amazing support from his family and the community, and how he’s really managed to unite a lot of people that were connected around him.”
Following his accident, Mackay moved to the Peninsula. The book catalogues his recovery, with daily use of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) featuring prominently, Darrock said.
People are encouraged to join whether or not they plan to read the book, said Melody Sky Weaver, Port Townsend’s community services director.
“At the end of the day, the read is the catalyst to get people together,” Sky Weaver added.
Programming includes ongoing month-long activities, book discussions, outdoor programs, educational talks and cultural events held across multiple community locations.
Darrock highlighted some of the 14 events happening in March.
The Community Read Kickoff Pancake Breakfast, part of Soundcheck Festival Art & Music Festival, will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday at Fort Worden Commons, 200 Battery Way.
A presentation featuring Todd “The Quadfather” Stabelfeldt will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Carnegie Reading Room, 1220 Lawrence St.
The talk will focus on how technology is improving accessibility.
Stabelfeldt, a good friend of Mackay’s, also is a quadriplegic. He is featured in the book.
“Technology has been integrated into their lives and really has made them be able to live pretty independently,” Darrock said. “I thought that was really a fascinating component of it.”
A presentation on the city’s ADA Accessibility and Active Transportation Plan, featuring assistant city engineer Jeff Kostechka and Disability Awareness Starts Here! (DASH), will be held at 6 p.m. March 12 in the Carnegie Reading Room.
A guided birding walk with Rainshadow Bird Alliance will take place at 9 a.m. March 22 in Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park. The all-ages, family-focused accessible walk will be led by experienced birders, with youth participation helping guide activities for children.
“It’s actually really cool because it’s a state-recognized accessible park,” Darrock said.
The Olympic Discovery Trail talk with the Peninsula Trails Coalition (PTC) will take place at 6 p.m. March 19 in the Carnegie Reading Room, covering the trail’s history, recent upgrades and future plans.
In early days of Mackay’s recovery, he discovered that the ODT trail was located near his home.
“He started getting out on the trail and just being outside, hearing birds and looking at the world around (him),” Darrock said. “It was a huge turning point in his life and his recovery.”
The event has expanded into a multi-jurisdictional panel, Darrock said. In addition to PTC leadership, Port Townsend Public Works Director Steve King, Jefferson County Public Works Director Eric Kuzma, Port of Port Townsend Executive Director Eron Berg and Jefferson County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour will discuss the trail, Darrock said.
A meet-the-author event at 6 p.m. March 26 will feature Karen Polinsky and Mackay. The event will be at Northwest Maritime, 431 Water St., and will feature a presentation, reading and book signing, with books available for purchase.
A full list of events, along with information about the book and author, can be found at tinyurl.com/3v3fnasw.
Aside from the book being inspiring, it was chosen through the lens of the city’s new community services department, Sky Weaver said. It’s about trails and parks and accessibility and how important it is to get out in nature, she added.
“(The month’s programming is) very focused on trails and getting outside,” Sky Weaver said. “We have this whole initiative about, ‘Walk, rock, stroll, roll.’ Just get outside. That’s what Ian does every day. No excuse. He goes out for an hour on the Olympic Discovery Trail.”
Focusing on the themes of the book also was a natural opportunity to highlight the work the city is doing to make more accessible routes and connected routes in its Active Transportation Plan.
In addition to the programming the library plans, Mackay planned his own event, a ride followed by pizza and beer at Social Fabric Brewing, 948 E. Park Ave., Port Townsend. The ride will start at 2 p.m. at Milo Curry trailhead, 144 Milo Curry Road, and proceed to the Boat Haven Marina, 2790 Washington St.
Shuttle services will be available at Cape George trailhead, which will have an aid station, and at the end of the ride, according to Mackay’s event page.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@peninsuladailynews.com.
