Community Volunteers Needed - Registration Deadline is January 16, 2023
For the Count of those living without homes in Kitsap County
A Service Above Self opportunity from the Community Service Committee:

Volunteers will conduct surveys of people living without homes in many different locations. Data collected during the count will inform local, state, and federal funders about the scope of homelessness and will guide funding and resources to local communities. Volunteers from all walks of life are invited to participate. Training will be provided. To sign up online, go to http://kcowa.us/PIT2023.or contact Cory Derenburger of the Kitsap County Department of Human Services Housing and Homelessness Program at cderenbu@kitsap.gov or (360) 337-7287.


Chuck and Julian Need Drivers on January 28-29 for American-hosted Exchange Students - they are hosting 11 District 5020 Rotary Exchange Students at Seabeck. If you have something fun for the group to do, or you want to come out and have dinner with them at Seabeck, contact Chuck Kraining. They are from all over (e.g., Sweden, Czech Republic, Croatia). What fun to hang out with these Exchange Students!

Thought for the Day from Brian Beagle - Dwight D. Eisenhower on Leadership: Pull the string, and it will follow wherever you wish. Push it, and it will go nowhere at all.

Cue the twinkling lights, gold & silver streamers, and balloons big enough to hide the never-ending appetizer spread (well, almost) at the Kitsap Golf & Country Club. In walk the Silverdale Rotarians, kids, and guests in Renaissance-ish or cocktail attire, all relaxed and excited to see each other.

Pictured left to right - Colten and Victoria Nixon, Christie Scheffer, Karen and Mark Timken, Jim Dudley and Jim's daughter Robin

“Who knows the song We Need a Little Christmas?” President Cathy opened after greeting the guests. Matthew Barrett and Jennifer’s daughter, Sam, then spontaneously broke into song.

Pictured left to right: Galina Georgieva and her family Josh Crossen, Vivian Lee, and Danielle Crossen; Matthew and Emily Barrett

Matthew even took the prize for knowing that the tune became famous in the musical Mame. “Well, we need a little Rotary fun and friendship, and thanks to Erin Shannon & Ed Hamilton, tonight we party – Gregorian New Year style!”

Pictured left to right: Rich Arper, Ed and Corey Hamilton

After lots of mingling and trips to the buffet, Master of Ceremonies, Chuck Kraining, enlightened us with new year trivia and then launched what can only be described as an epic White Elephant Gift Exchange. Victoria Nixon’s number was chosen first… we’ll circle back to her in a minute. Cathy was second, and she just had to snag the oddly shaped, 4 foot long…thing! See below.

Was it a steer horn to hang above our Zoom screen in the Community Room? Was it a tree branch that fell during Snowmageddon? As the paper was peeled off, exposed was a hand-carved crocodile with a toothy snout as long as its tail and a mischievous look in its beady eyes. This new Rotarian quickly became the talk of the night, and it ended up living in Erin’s home (she’s SO happy), as her son, Reece, just had to steal it from Cathy.

Rick Soper opened what looked like a bottle of wine, but it turned out to be a Squeeze Me Chicken (see below).

When he followed that direction, it let out a mournful howl that cracked everyone up. Rick was poised to bring it home to entertain his animals, when Citizen of the Year Rich Arper proclaimed that the person that went first should have the right to steal anything in the room. You got it, Victoria ran across the floor and snatched up the screaming chicken!

Pictured left to right: Sam Strong, President Cathy, Reece and Tom Shannon, and Tye Strong

Even a genuine white elephant made an appearance, getting stolen from Debi Brooks-Givens (below) at the end by Sam as a gift for her mom, Jennifer Strong.

The evening wrapped up with a faux New Year’s ball drop and countdown to 2023. With hugs, handshakes, and happiness, we left with warm hearts and new friends - ready to make Rotary style impact for the next twelve months.

What a nice surprise on January 9 when Rotarian Rod Tumalad from the Orion Rotary Club in the Philippines (District 3790) came to our meeting and presented several certificates of appreciation for all the projects that Silverdale Rotary Club has funded for Orion Rotary. We had met Rod several years ago when he came to our Club meeting, which led to a relationship between his club and our International Services Committee. The result: several grants from our Club for Orion Rotary projects in the Philippines.

Pictured: Immediate Past President Erin Shannon, Past President Rod Tumalad of the Orion Club, International Service Committee Chair Nancy Whitaker, President Cathy Bisaillon

Thanks to the huge support of our Duck Race sponsors and the community who purchases Duck Tickets, Silverdale Rotary has been able to change lives in the Philippines!


Pictured: Vaccination clinic A few years ago an elementary school in the Orion area burned. Our club sent funds for new furniture; printers, paper, and ink for portable lesson plans during the COVID shutdown. (Rotary Area of Focus: Basic Education and Literacy)


In 2022 our Club sent funds to build a hand washing station at the school (Rotary Area of Focus: Water and Sanitation)



In 2022 our Club sent funds to support an Orion Rotary Mangrove Augmentation project (Rotary Area of Focus: the Environment)

Our Club sent funds to help the Orion Club host a mother and baby health clinic for the underserved (Rotary Area of Focus: Maternal and Child Health).


Silverdale Rotarians - People of Action!

Julian would like to earn money doing work for you! He now has a source for taking horseback riding lessons, but needs $60 per lesson. Contact Chuck Kraining if you have work for him.

Please take Julian on an outing! A week ago he attended a Seahawks game with Chuck.

Could you and your family live on $22,000-$26,000 per year with apartment rents costing $1,200-$1,800 per month? That’s what young enlisted personnel face who aren’t living on base.

Linda Disney, Director of Development in the Washington chapter of Support The Enlisted Project (STEP) spoke to our Club on January 12, outlining the amazing support provided to struggling enlisted (or recently separated) military families. https://www.teamstepusa.org/ . Examples: thousands of bundles of diapers, emergency financial assistance, individual counseling and behavior management, gift cards, pre-deployment briefings, career fairs.

Want to get involved? Please see below:

Editor's note: Rich and Carol are still in Washington - it was so good to see Rich at Rotary and the Holiday Party last week!

Rich's daughter Alicia continued infusions appointments last week with the help of neighbors and friends, and Rich heads back to Frisco, TX this weekend.

The Military Affairs Committee of the Greater Kitsap Chamber is proud to announce that the 2023 Military Appreciation Day Carnival and Information Fair has been scheduled for Saturday, March 4, 2023, at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds in the Kitsap Sun Pavilion. Military Appreciation Day (MAD) is an interactive event that highlights the community support for our local military members, including Active Duty, National Guard Reservists, Retirees, and their families. See details at this link: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Sign-Up-Today-for-2023-Military-Appreciation-Day.html?soid=1135409228389&aid=nE5X7xUN9og

“Spray paint isn’t all vandalism!” declared Eric Gonzales, Executive Director of Urbanists Collective, a 501(c)(3) in Washington. https://www.urbanistscollective.com/. He is also a "paid professional graffiti artist."


Pictured: Mural at Camp Pacifica, Mariposa, CA

In a thought provoking presentation with many photos of striking murals and other community art, he describes how the Collective harnesses the creative energy of young people and facilitates “Art Driven Community Wellness.” To watch his presentation, go to minute 23:29 at this link:

Pictured: Unity in the Community - mural on Bainbridge Island

They also train future entrepreneurs in the DSGN Co-Creative Studio - an art-focused environment for youth that offers real-world experience through brand development, marketing, and entrepreneurial training.

Three Ways to Help:

1. Referrals, connections, joint grant partnerships
2. In kind giving – supplies, equipment, volunteer
3. Donate button at https://www.urbanistscollective.com/

In order to make it more fun to give to the Rotary Foundation (which is a very important part of being a Rotarian) we are having another fun way to help! The 2023 Rotary Superbowl Pool!!! We will only be using the semi-finals and the Super Bowl. The prize for the Super Bowl will be bigger than the semi-finals. Size of prizes depends on how many sign up!

Please use either Venmo, Zelle or Paypal to send $50 to me ($25 of that will be sent to the Rotary Foundation in your name and you will receive a receipt in the mail). You can find me by email Kayaknw@yahoo.com or phone number 360-731-0799 or with Venmo as Nancy-Whitaker-7. If you are not inclined to use electronic transfers, please give the money/check to Corey Hamilton and he will get it to me. (checks should be made out to me). Again, $25 will be a charitable donation and you will receive a receipt.)

FYI, Polio Plus donations, while also charitable contributions and very important, do not count as Foundation donations. I found that out after many years in Rotary.

Join in the fun, join the members who have already signed up, help our President, and help the World Rotary Foundation do its important work!