Wednesday, January 4, 2023
Important News for You
Greater Kitsap Chamber Opens Grant for
Small Businesses in Central Kitsap
Applications Due January 31st
Chamber News
Check out and like the
Greater Kitsap Chamber Facebook pages!
Bremerton GreenDrinks @ Mise En Place Design
Thursday, January 12, 2023, 5:00 pm
Start the new year with a new chance to network with like minded professionals right here in Bremerton.

Your hosts this month are the Downtown Bremerton Association, Greater Kitsap Chamber and Mise en Place Design.

So get ready to MIX, ENGAGE, REPEAT. But don't forget to bring those business cards and don't forget your glass (we want to be green). This is a 21-and-over event, where we welcome everyone to meet new people and make new connections in Bremerton.

Get your tickets now. Space is limited!

GreenDrinks is a monthly, social networking event for community leaders, concerned citizens, elected officials, business professionals and anyone who wants to make Bremerton a thriving, sustainable community. This event is for adults only (age 21 and older). $10 helps to offset the costs of food and drink.
Advance tickets are available at Event Brite. Tickets at the door are $20.

Don’t forget to keep the green in GreenDrinks by bringing your own cup!
Membership Luncheon
Wednesday, January 25, 2023, 11:00 am
Renew your membership today to ensure your place as a Charter Member of the Greater Kitsap Chamber! Questions about when to renew or how to upgrade your membership? Contact Irene now!
Member News
New Members - Welcome to the Chamber!
New Members & Renewals for December
Thank you for your support of the Chamber!
The Roxy Theatre Enters New Phase
with Purchase of Building
Photo courtesy of the Historic Roxy Theatre
"Mission accomplished," declares Roxy Bremerton Foundation Board President, Steve Sego. "After more than five years of hard work and the support of hundreds of champions, The Roxy enters a new phase and another 80 years serving the community. So many made this happen, beginning with Wes Larson and Mike Brown from Sound West Group, and The Roxy Bremerton Foundation Board. This truly was a community effort supported by hundreds resulting in more than $1 million raised to restore and purchase The Roxy."

Vibe Coworks & Live Well Kitsap
Wellness Wednesday Lunch & Learn
Wednesday, January 11, 2023, 11:30 am
Join Live Well Kitsap's founder, Lesli Dullum Tutterow as she presents "Managing YOU: Simple Steps for Self-Care and Managing Stress." This will be a fun, casual and experiential way of learning how to identify your stress triggers along with some tools and techniques to manage them. We can’t wait to see you there for this one-hour break in your busy day!

Live Well Kitsap, in partnership with Vibe Coworks, is hosts Wellness Wednesdays every month. These presentation/conversations cover a myriad of topics that benefit you - your health, wellbeing and/or your business and work life. Located at Vibe Coworks in Poulsbo in the Centennial Building from 11:30a-12:30p, Wellness Wednesday Lunch and Learns are open to the public and free to all!
Evergreen Offers 1st Time Homebuyer Workshop
Tuesday, January 17, 2023, 5:00-7:00 pm
Sound Publishing Advertising Opportunities
1st Security Bank's New Year's Offering
Member Spotlight
Ben Bridge Jeweler
For 110 years, Ben Bridge Jeweler has been committed to being your Personal Jeweler. We are honored to help celebrate all the moments in your life in a meaningful and lasting way. Providing the highest standard of service with unparalleled knowledge and skills allows us to find the perfect piece for every occasion.

At Ben Bridge, we care deeply about the future and the generations to come. We believe what we sell should create good in the world and make great efforts towards sustainability, protecting both the people and the environment in every stage of the supply chain. We only partner with vendors and manufacturers that adhere to our stringent guidelines for quality control and responsible sourcing.

It is our privilege to serve as your Personal Jeweler selling high quality and beautiful diamonds, natural gemstones, and luxury timepieces. We would be honored to help find the perfect piece for you at any of our 36 locations or on benbridge.com
10315 Silverdale Way NW (Kitsap Mall) | Silverdale, WA 98383 | (360) 698-3055
Education Committee
Member Education & Training Resources
SCORE: Digital Marketing
Using Digital Channels to Reach Consumers
Wednesday, January 5, 2023, 1:00 pm
This workshop will help you, the small business owner, develop a digital marketing strategy along with determining the specific tools you’ll use to make that digital marketing strategy successful. Topics covered in this workshop include:

  • What is Digital Marketing
  • Websites – what makes a great website
  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Use of Video throughout the digital marketing spectrum
  • Paid advertising 
  • Email marketing 
  • Content development, including the effective use of blogs

When you leave this workshop, you’ll have a much better idea of how to build awareness of your product or services among your customers and potential customers. That will increase their interest in what you are selling, moving them to inquiring more. Finally, converting them to paying customers is the ultimate goal of this strategy so that you sell more of your products and services, and drive your business forward!

Workshop Fee: $40
Military Relations Committee
Reserve Your Sponsorship & Booth Space Now
Advertising Deadline is January 31, 2023
Business News & Resources
New Job Posting Requirements Now in Effect
Make sure your business knows the new rules
Beginning on Sunday, January 1, 2023, employers with 15 or more employees are required to include salary and benefits information in external and internal job postings. These recent amendments to the Equal Pay and Opportunities act can mean big fines for employers not meeting these requirements.

Additional resources:


L&I is also hosting several webinars on this topic:

Equal Pay & Opportunities Act Webinars
Thursday, January 5, 2023, 9:00 am (sign up here)
Thursday, January 19, 2023, 2:00 pm (sign up here)

This is an educational webinar to inform employers about new job posting requirements effective Jan. 1, 2023. Employers with 15 or more employees must provide information on wage or salary ranges, benefits, and other compensation in their job postings, due to the passage of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5761.

The webinar will be a 60-minute presentation by an Equal Pay specialist from L&I’s Employment Standards program and includes the opportunity to ask questions during the presentation.

The webinar will cover:

  • An overview of employee and job applicant protections under the law
  • Employer requirements for job postings that take effect Jan. 1
  • L&I’s enforcement and investigation process, including changes to the complaint form
  • Employer resources

Still have questions? Contact local HR expert Monica Blackwood at West Sound Workforce at (360) 394-1882 or monica@westsoundworkforce.com.
State of American Business 2023
Thursday, January 12, 2023, 8:00 am
Join business leaders from across the country and around the world for the U.S. Chamber’s premier annual event where we will explore the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in 2023, and beyond. 

During this high-level virtual dialogue, U.S. Chamber President and CEO Suzanne Clark will outline the Chamber’s priorities, discuss the role of government in advancing smart policy, and highlight the role of business-led innovation to chart a bright path forward for our nation and its people. In addition, the event will feature dynamic conversations with a range of American business leaders from small business owners to Fortune 500 executives. 
Parking Lot Safety Tips for Darker Winter Months

Reduced daylight in the winter requires extra vigilance in parking lots to mitigate common hazards such as ice, moving cars, and encountering criminals with ill intent. Ensuring safe practices is especially relevant to staff who open or close and they should take extra precautions. Employers must encourage their teams to use safe practices, such as:

  • Ensuring the parking lot has bright lights installed
  • Staying alert and aware of their surroundings, keeping an eye out for potential hazards such as potholes, ice, or other obstacles
  • Directing closing-shift workers to move their vehicles closer to well-lit parking spots before darkness falls
  • Keeping keys and other personal items in hand and ready to use
  • Backing into parking spots, enabling a quick departure if necessary
  • Avoiding shortcuts through dark or isolated areas and stick to routes that are more visible to others
  • Avoiding parking their cars next to large vehicles that can obstruct views and provide hiding spots for potential attackers
  • Not lingering outside their vehicle and immediately locking all doors after entering

If employees would feel safer by being escorted to their car by a coworker, their supervisors should trust their employees’ instincts and respond accordingly. Supervisors should call the police if an employee suspects a threat is present in the parking lot.

More information can be found here:
Nonprofit News & Resources
The Greater Kitsap Chamber is proud to be one of only five Chambers statewide selected to partner with the Nonprofit Association of Washington (NAWA) to bring education and resources to nonprofits in Western Washington. Stay tuned to this section of our weekly newsletter for education, resources and more for our nonprofit community. To learn more about NAWA, please visit their website here.
NAWA Online Legislative Session Kick-Off
Monday, January 9, 2023, 1:00 pm
Come meet our new Policy Director, Tiffany, on January 9, the first day of the legislative session for 2023!

Tiffany will discuss how NAWA put together our annual policy agenda and what the priorities are for this year. Come to learn about the issues that are most affecting Washington nonprofits and discover ways for you and your organization to be involved in advocating for change.
What You Need to Know to Serve on a Board
Tuesday, January 10, 2023, 12:00 pm
Have you been recruited to join a nonprofit board and are now wondering what the job is? Have you been on a board for a while and want to look at your role with fresh eyes? Executive Directors, do you have board members who you would like to orient to their new role? You joined a board to make a difference. You care about its mission, you have skills to offer, and you want to make the most of your time. Now all you need is a clear sense of what the job is and how you can best fulfill it. If you are looking to be an effective board member, this call is for you.

Nonprofit Association of Washington and the Office of the Secretary of State are partnering to bring this low-tech training to your phone so that anyone anywhere in the state can learn how to be an effective board member ready to deliver on your organization’s mission. Led by nonprofit expert Pamela Oakes, you will gain a deeper understand for the five elements of effective board service:

  • Connecting your mission to a larger cause
  • Legal and fiduciary responsibilities
  • How to build a great board
  • Sustain a great board
  • Engage your board in fundraising.
  • You will learn about a larger set of free resources ready to be brought into the life of your organization.

You will have a chance to ask questions during registration and during the conversation.
Greater Kitsap News
Kitsap Welcomes New Elected Officials
Pictured above from left to right: Auditor Paul Andrews, Sheriff John Gese, outgoing Treasurer Meredith Green who served as emcee for the swearing-in ceremony, Assessor Phil Cook, Judge Jeffrey Bassett, Commissioner Katie Walters, Clerk David Lewis, Public Utility District Commissioner Debra Ann Lester. (Not pictured Treasurer Pete Boissonneau and Prosecutor Chad Enright.)
Kitsap County's newly elected officials were officially sworn in on Thursday, Dec. 22 by Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Bassett at the Kitsap County Administration Building in Port Orchard. Elected officials beginning their terms in January 2023 are:

  • Kitsap County Assessor Philip C. Cook III
  • Kitsap County Auditor Paul Andrews
  • Kitsap County Clerk David T. Lewis III
  • Kitsap County Treasurer Peter Boissonneau
  • Kitsap County Prosecutor Chad M. Enright
  • Kitsap County Sheriff John Gese
  • Kitsap County Commissioner District 3 Katherine T. Walters
  • Kitsap County Public Utility District Commissioner No. 1 Debra Ann Lester.

Learn about all Kitsap County elected positions and view district maps at the County Elected Officials website.
COVID-19 Updates & Resources
COVID-19 Support & Resources
Kitsap County Health District is now posting a regularly updated list of COVID-19 vaccine providers in Kitsap County. This list can be found here.

Masks & COVID Testing Kits Available
Free at the Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center
The Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management provides local businesses with free KN95 masks and COVID testing kits. Pick up your supply at both Greater Kitsap Chamber locations today. If you are in need of larger quantities, contact Stephanie Byrd at KPHD directly (see below).
Community Information
Silverdale GreenDrinks @ Maynard's
Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Tourism Information
Admiral Theatre Presents:
Stand-Up Comedian Bob Zany
Friday, January 6, 2023, 7:30 pm
Live Standup Comedy is back at Bremerton's Admiral Theatre with an all-new series produced in coordination with and hosted by Bremerton Comedy Legend, The Great Cris! Celebrate the first big laughs of the New Year with Comedian Bob Zany.

Bob has appeared on over a thousand national TV shows, from The Tonight Show to a seventeen-year stint appearing on and co-hosting The Jerry Lewis Telethon. Zany can be seen on Showtime in Billy Gardell's Road Dogs. His numerous film credits include Joe Dirt with David Spade, Steven Soderberg's Informant playing Matt Damon's attorney and 23 Minutes to Sunrise.
Mochi Tsuki @ Woodward Middle School
Saturday, January 7, 2023, 12:00pm & 2:00 pm
For more than 30 years the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community has hosted Mochi Tsuki, a celebration to ring in the New Year.

Watch Seattle Kokon Taiko make mochi in the traditional way–steaming sweet rice over an open fire, followed by pounding the rice by hand with traditional, handcrafted cherry wood mallets (kine) in a granite bowl (usu).

Come early and grab your free ticket when you arrive, a maximum of 700 guests per show. 
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David Emmons
President/CEO
Irene Moyer
VP, Membership & Strategic Communications
Joe Barboza
Operations Manager
Brenda Kelley
Tourism Coordinator
Bremerton Office (360) 479-3579 | 4th & Pacific Downtown Bremerton
Silverdale Office (360) 692-6800 | Kitsap Mall next to Macy's
PO Box 1218 Silverdale WA 98383
If you need assistance, please contact us directly.