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The late singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, who gave away half his concert proceeds to fight hunger, once penned a song entitled “Circle.”

Arin Magill can relate.

Magill, who helped launch the La Conner Sunrise Food Bank more than a decade ago, is returning to the pantry on Friday, July 1 as its director.

“I’m coming back full circle,” Magill told the Weekly News June 25 during an outdoor farewell reception for her predecessor, Nicole Barclay-Mosaner. She is going home to her native New Zealand after guiding the food bank over the past year.

“I feel like a proud parent,” Magill added. “This is like my baby. Now it’s grown up.”

Magill was in the delivery room, so to speak, when the food bank here was born.

“Kevin Sunrise was distributing food in the community,” she recalled, “and people in the community came together to support him.”

Magill was among them.

“There was a misconception then,” she recalled, “that there wasn’t a need for a food bank in La Conner because it’s thought of as being affluent.”

Sunrise, Magill, Bob Raymond, Stuart Hutt, Susan and Richard Widdop and others were not blinded by appearances. They knew that beneath the surface there were people struggling to make ends meet in a town where the cost of living is prone to rise faster than wages.

Weekly News general manager Michelle Havist, joined the other former food bank directors to attend Saturday’s gathering on the lawn beside the historic Garfield Masonic Lodge Building at Third and Benton streets. She said the rationale was that if money can be saved in a family’s food budget it can instead go toward any number of other essential items.

“Arin Magill was one of the founders of the La Conner Sunrise Food Bank and the timing of my departure just happened to work out perfectly for Arin to come back to the food bank,” Barclay-Mosaner said. “All of us food bank folk are very excited to welcome her back.”

Food bank board member Pam Fields echoed that sentiment.

“We’re all thankful that Arin wanted to come back,” Fields said.

In the early days of the food bank, Magill was driving her own car to make deliveries to residents. Her zeal to end local food insecurity hasn’t faded.

“The team here is wonderful,” Magill said. “I never thought I’d come back full circle, but it’s great to be here again.”

In literal and figurative terms, Magill inherits a full cupboard from Barclay-Mosaner, who has effectively and passionately coordinated a strong corps of food bank suppliers, donors and volunteers.

“Nicole,” said Fields, “loves the food bank. She’s devoted to the cause.”

Barclay-Mosaner officially turns over the reins on Friday. She hopes to continue serving the food bank remotely.

“It has been an absolute honor to be director for the past year or so,” she said. “I can’t emphasize it enough. I couldn’t be more grateful. The food bank here has shown me what community is. The people here at the food bank is the hardest part of leaving.”

Barclay-Mosaner said Monday distribution day at the food bank has been her favorite day of the week in La Conner. For that she credits the volunteers.

“To put it simply,” she explained, “this past year has shown me what community support feels like and how important it is for overall well-being.”

Barclay-Mosaner will continue helping as best she can from half a world away and like Magill, can see herself returning someday.

“Skagit Valley will always have a special place in my heart and I will be back eventually.”