Whether you like the election results or not, there are other ways to serve your community — and it doesn’t involve running for office.

San Juan County advisory boards and commissions have 33 vacancies, many of them for positions representing each and every island.

The town of Friday Harbor has two – the planning commission and the lodging tax advisory committee.

County vacancies include the Fair Board, the Parks & Recreation Board, the Ferry Advisory Committee, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and 29 others. Check out http://sanjuanco.com/council/CommitteeVacancies.aspx for a complete list.

Whether you have a specific interest in a subject, just want to work on something productive for your community or start building a knowledge base and a network of potential supporters for a future race for public office, participation in the public process on one of the committees can be personally rewarding, educational and sometimes fun as you work with county or town professionals in your chosen field.

The duties are serious, but the time commitment is usually minimal — once a month, maybe a little more if you’re working on a special project, and some homework.

But you’ll make new friends and maybe some future political allies. Whether you want to get rid of noxious weeds, plan for future park improvements, recommend lodging tax disbursements, or even get elected to public office, serving on a board or commission has one undeniable benefit: doing your part to help your community govern itself.

Helping is a reward in itself. Take the plunge.