Tuesday, September 20, 2022 |
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Local Leaders Ask Inslee for Expanded Passenger-Only Ferry Service |
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In a strong united front, leaders from across the peninsula, including Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, Senators Christine Rolfes and Emily Randall, Representatives Tarra Simmons and Drew Hansen, and all three Kitsap County Commissioners, along with Kitsap Transit Executive Director John Clauson, sent an urgent request to Governor Jay Inslee on Friday for a temporary expansion of the Kitsap Transit passenger-only ferry service Bremerton-Seattle route. Ferry service around the state has seen drastic cuts in service throughout the COVID pandemic, with some restorations only begun now. The Bremerton-Seattle ferry has been on a one-boat schedule for the last year or more and full restoration of the route won't be seen until Spring 2023 at the earliest.
"Service cuts to the [Bremerton-Seattle] route have gone beyond a major inconvenience and have rendered the system unusable to numerous residents," the letter reads, "Many have few options to work remotely and must commute to their jobs in health care, construction, equipment repair and other essential employment in the Seattle region. They face increased job losses, financial costs and less time with their families because of time spent in traffic 'driving around' to Seattle or waiting hours in a terminal to get home because of WSF’s current schedule. In addition, medical patients are confronting more travel time and stress to attend appointments or receive treatment."
Photo Credit: Meegan M. Reid/Kitsap Sun
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GKC Board of Directors Unanimously Votes to Support Ask for Expanded Ferry Service
Members Encouraged to Share Their Voices
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In their September board meeting last night, leadership of the Greater Kitsap Chamber, including its Board of Directors and Committee Chairs, unanimously voiced their support of Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler and other local leaders' letter to Governor Jay Inslee, requesting a temporary expansion of the Bremerton-Seattle passenger-only ferry service. In an effort to voice the concerns of local businesses who have felt the squeeze of limited ferry service to our region, the Chamber on Thursday will be asking member businesses to lend their support by adding their names to a Chamber-issued letter to Governor Inslee and WSDOT officials. Be sure to open your Thursday Business Brief for more information on how you and your business can participate.
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Fieldstone Silverdale Open House & Ribbon Tying
Friday, September 23, 2022, 4:00 pm
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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!
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Member of the Month: Kitsap Bank
Here for Your Family Now and In the Future
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Pictured: top, Kim Peterson and team - Cari, Kate, Claire, Beth, Ariel, Cailyn, Sidney; bottom left, Kevan Neill and team - Ken, Jake and Anita; bottom right, Marilu Aganon and team - Kaylyn, Akaliah, Todd, Carry and Emily. |
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Silverdale Branch
10488 Silverdale Way NW
Silverdale, WA 98383
(360) 698-9325
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Commercial Banking Ctr
607 Pacific Ave
Bremerton, WA 98337
(360) 895-5810
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East Bremerton Branch
3425 Wheaton Way
Bremerton, WA 98310
(360) 876-7825
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History Uncorked: Building Bremerton
Thursday, September 22, 2022, 7:00 pm
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Encore Communities: Tour the Community
Tuesday, September 27, 2022, 4:00 pm
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Chicago Title of Washington Presents:
Access 2022 - A Conversation with Our Leadership
Thursday, September 29, 2022, 10:00 am
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Kitsap Bank Shred Events
Saturday, October 1st @ East Bremerton Branch
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Shred to Fed: Bremerton
Need to get rid of sensitive information? Bring your outdated documents for safe destruction and disposal, and help our local food banks at the same time!
Kitsap Bank is pleased to partner with local food banks around the region to host Shred events on Saturdays throughout the months of September and October.
Join us at our East Bremerton Branch on October 1st from 9am to Noon where all donations will benefit Bremerton Foodline.
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City of Bremerton Broadband Cable TV Survey
City Requests Feedback from Businesses & Residents
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Do you have news you'd like to share about your business or organization?
We'd love to share! Please send information to Irene at the Chamber!
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Dramatically sculpted into the Pacific Northwest splendor, the Olympic course has garnered impressive awards and has taken its place as one of America’s finest municipally owned golf courses. Wooded enclaves, rolling terrain and wide fairways are touted by the Cascade Course, with a long history of providing Championship golf in the Northwest.
Stunning views and delicious cuisine combine to offer relaxation and great memories under the roof of Gold Mountain’s clubhouse, as well as the ability to host 300 guests for special events.
Gold Mountain Golf Club is owned by the City of Bremerton and operated by Columbia Hospitality. Host to the Chamber's annual Heroes Golf Tournament, Gold Mountain has enjoyed membership with the Chamber for nearly a decade. Join us on Friday, September 30th for a day of golf and support of local businesses around Central Kitsap at the Heroes Golf Tournament, presented by Kitsap Credit Union.
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Gold Mountain Golf Club
7263 W. Belfair Valley Road
PO Box 4130
Bremerton, WA 98312
(360) 415-5432
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Save-the-Date: Eggs & Issues
General Election Forums
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Community Relations Committee
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Heroes Golf Tournament
Friday, September 30, 2022, 9:00 am
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Thank you to our sponsors - join them today! |
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Registration is still open for foursomes - lace up those golf shoes and dust off your clubs for a fun day out on the course! Can't make it for a day of golf? Support this event through sponsorship and make sure everyone on the course leaves the day with your business top of mind.
Contact the Chamber to secure your sponsorship today!
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RESERVE YOUR SEAT: September Luncheon
Wednesday, September 28, 2022, 11:30 am
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Member Education & Training Resources |
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7 Tips for Creating (and Maintaining)
a Small Business Privacy Policy
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Courtesy of Help Desk Cavalry
A privacy policy for small businesses is a legal requirement—that’s very true—but more than that, it’s a tool to help earn your customers’ trust and to protect yourself. Since everything in business changes from operational processes to the plugins on your website, it’s important to keep your privacy policy up to date so you stay in compliance.
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Western States
Organized Retail Crime Alliance Conference
September 28 & 29, 2022
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Event Agenda
Sept 28
9am - Countering Transnational Organized Crime – HSI Supervisory Special Agent Michael Adams
10am - Creating Cases for Federal Prosecution - Assistance U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol
11am - Organized Retail Crime in E-Commerce
12pm - Organized Retail Crime Case Study - Jerry Lerum - ORC Investigator Home Depot
Sept 29
9am - LPR Technology and ORC - Kyle Hoertsch - Vigilant
10am - Prosecutor Partnerships - King county prosecutor building partnerships - Prosecutor Ann Davison - King County
11am - Inform Act/Online Sales Panel - Lisa Labruno - RILAm * Christian Hardman - eBay, * Special Agent Chris Kohler - New Mexico Office of the Attorney General and * Moderator - Alexander Snyder
12pm - ORC Task Force - Special Agent Chris Kohler, California Highway Patrol
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E-Mail Marketing Essentials for Business
Tuesday, September 20, 2022, 1:00 pm
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Research says that for every $1 spent on email marketing, there is an average $44 return on investment. To generate such positive outcomes, businesses have to reach the right customers with targeted campaigns. If you feel your email efforts don't pay off, this workshop will show you the basic and advanced techniques to propel your email efforts.
In this high-powered and exciting workshop, you will learn:
- The 5 C’s of email marketing basics
- How to create a content calendar with a complimentary digital version sent to all students
- How to pick the email platform right for your business
- Anatomy of email design
- Subject lines
- Best times and days to send emails
- Why list segmentation is important (case study provided)
- Basic automations
- How to create email graphics using Canva
- How to set up Google analytic tracking links
- A/B Testing Tips
Workshop Fee: $35
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Buying or Selling an Existing Business
Friday, September 23, 2022, 9:00 am
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You want to buy a business and become a small business owner. Great!! But how do you find one to buy? How do you avoid paying too much for the business? Where can you get financing? How do you finalize the deal? If these questions are those that are on your mind, then you need to take this workshop which has the answers to all of them!!
This 3-hour workshop is designed to give you plenty of practical exercises to give you, the future business owner, real steps to take away and the skills and know-how that you’ll need for:
- Finding a business to buy
- Evaluating an offer to sell a business
- Performing the necessary review and due diligence on the business you want to buy
- Determining a fair purchase price and negotiating the deal
- Understanding the various financing options available to you
- Bringing the purchase of the business to a win-win conclusion
This workshop is also suitable for existing small business owners who are contemplating selling their business in the future. It will help you understand the process the potential buyer will go through to evaluate your business so that you’re better prepared.
Workshop Fee: $55
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Business News & Resources |
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Verizon's Small Business Survey
Identifies Top Business Concerns
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Verizon released its “State of Small Business” report last week, which provides some helpful insight into what most concerns small businesses across the country. Key findings from the 600 small and midsize business respondents include inflation, supply chain, and cybersecurity continuing as top concerns. Specifically, more than half point to spam, viruses, and password theft as the most significant cybersecurity threats.
Sixty-one percent of small businesses have adopted new tools and technologies over the past two years intended to improve customer experiences, and 68% of those surveyed expect their business to improve in 2022.
“While there has been a tightening of the belt by businesses of all sizes, they have also seen the benefit of continued innovation and technology investment to drive sales, employee engagement, and improved customer experience,” said Aparna Khurjekar, Chief Revenue Officer, Business Markets and SaaS, at Verizon Business.
Inflation and supply chain issues remain top concerns. Nearly half (44%) of small and midsize business decision makers are concerned about supply chain issues affecting holiday season sales. Approximately one in three (35%) worries about economic hardships and inflation impacting their sales.
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Washington Bizfair - Hybrid Event
Saturday, September 24, 2022, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Each fall, the small business ecosystem in WA comes together to put on BizFair, the longest running all government and non-profit run free small business fair in Washington state. BizFair 2022 will be a hybrid event with both in-person and virtual attendees having the same event experience. Join us online or in-person at Renton Technical College on Sept. 24, 2022 from 8am-5pm.
Hosted by SCORE, the event:
- Features speakers that have successfully blazed the small business path
- Connects you with mentors, advisors and trainers
- Creates connections to business experts and federal, state, and local government agencies for assistance and contract opportunities
- Supports meetings with nonprofits that can guide you to funding, legal support, and more
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M-Commerce is on the Rise |
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There has recently been a significant shift in consumer habits, with more shoppers making purchases using the mobile apps on their phones. M-commerce (mobile commerce) is quickly replacing E-commerce (electronic commerce) as the preferred method for customers on the go. Retailers need to understand the distinctions between these terms to market their brand better and gain customer loyalty.
Shopping over the internet is known as e-commerce, short for electronic commerce. Usually, e-commerce activities involve the use of PCs and laptop computers which a person would use to access a website to make their purchase transactions. M-commerce involves shopping with mobile devices, allowing customers to conduct business transactions from anywhere with internet access. With a web-connected smartphone or pad, transactions can be made with just a few taps on the screen.
M-commerce offers retailers certain advantages such as reachability, offering more convenience to customers, and tracking consumer habits for better promotional opportunities. Shoppers no longer distinguish between retail channels. Whether they’re shopping via mobile, in-store, or another channel, they expect products to be available and want a seamless experience. Retailers must deliver a unified experience with little margin for out-of-stock, errors, delays, or poor customer service. Their mobile ordering fulfillment must be as strong as the other channels of their business.
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Greater Kitsap Chamber
to Sponsor KEDA 2022 Fall Forum
Level Up The Future of Kitsap's Economy
Thursday, October 20, 2022, 1:00 pm
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Warning Issued for Kitsap Lake Due to Potentially Toxic Cyanobacteria |
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Today the Kitsap Public Health District issued a cyanobacteria warning for Kitsap Lake. The public should to avoid all contact with water in Kitsap Lake due to the presence of potentially toxic cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.
There are many different types of cyanobacteria and not all blooms are toxic. The cyanobacteria present in Kitsap and Long lakes are known to produce toxins.
Because toxic cyanobacteria can make people sick, and can kill pets, fish, waterfowl and livestock, the public is advised to:
- Avoid all contact with the lake water until further notice. This means no swimming, wading, or types of water play where water could be swallowed or get in the mouth, nose or eyes (especially in areas where blooms are concentrated).
- Avoid ingesting lake or stream water. If a resident draws lake water for drinking purposes, they are encouraged to drink bottled water until further notice.
- Limit access of pets and livestock to the lake.
- Avoid eating fish caught during the algae bloom.
- Rinse boats and trailers thoroughly before going to another lake.
No illnesses have been reported to Kitsap Public Health at this time. Advisory signs will be posted at public access areas and roadsides around the lake. The Health District will continue to monitor for cyanobacteria post updates as conditions change.
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Kitsap Community Needs Assessment Survey
Survey Open Until September 30, 2022
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COVID-19 Updates & Resources |
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Masks & COVID Testing Kits Available
Free at the Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center
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The Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management is providing free KN95 masks and COVID testing kits to local businesses. Pick up your supply at the Greater Kitsap Chamber's Silverdale office today. |
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COVID-19 Vaccine & Testing Resources |
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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.
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Blood Donations Urgently Needed
Back-to-School Season is a Critical Time
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As summer ends and the school year begins, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Northwest Blood Coalition urge eligible blood donors to schedule donations.
According to the Northwest Blood Coalition, high school and college students make up almost 25 percent of blood donations. “High schoolers and college-age youth are critically important members of our donor base,” shared Vitalant Regional Director Jennifer Hawkins.
The Northwest Blood Coalition is formed by four blood donation centers currently serving Washington state: Vitalant, Cascade Regional Blood Centers, BloodworksNW, and the American Red Cross Northwest Region. As Red Cross Regional Services Executive Angel Montes describes, “The Northwest Blood Coalition’s primary focus is to ensure a safe, reliable blood supply for our community.” DOH collaborates with the coalition to support this vital work.
“Blood centers enthusiastically welcome students back to school,” said Curt Bailey, President and CEO at BloodworksNW. “We want to engage those interested in the rewarding, lifesaving act of donating blood—whether they’ve done it before or it’s their first time.”
“We know that people want to help. Donations tend to slow when school is on break and summer activities are happening,” added Christine Swinehart, President and CEO at Cascade Regional Blood Centers. “As we look toward fall, we want to remind folks that now is a great time to donate!”
To learn more and schedule an appointment, please visit the blood center websites linked above.
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Kitsap Regional Library Celebrates
National Hispanic Heritage Month
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From September 15 to October 15, we celebrate the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. Explore our collection of books, audiobooks and resources highlighting their cultures, stories and achievements. |
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Kitsap Area Veterans Alliance
2022 Fall Stand Down for Veterans
Saturday, September 24, 2022, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
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Comedy Show Benefitting Marine Toys for Tots
Friday, September 30, 2022, 7:00 pm
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Miss PKS Scholarship Organization
Seeks 2023 Candidates
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From Drives to Hikes: Best Places to
Find Fall Foliage in Washington
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Although Washington is known for its rain forests and deep green wilderness areas, come autumn trees such as larches, maples, and aspens explode into fiery canopies of crimson, yellows, and bright oranges across the state. |
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Admiral Theatre Presents:
The Concert - A Tribute to ABBA
Thursday, September 22, 2022, 7:30 pm
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Port Gamble Theater: The Tempest
September 23 - October 9, 2022
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A ship is caught in a powerful storm. There is terror and confusion on board, and the ship is shipwrecked. The storm is a magical creation carried out by spirit Ariel, and caused by the magic of Prospero. Laughter and magic is on the menu in this Shakespearean classic!
Friday & Saturday - 7:00 pm
Sundays - 2:00 pm
Saturday Matinee on Oct. 1st - 2:00 pm
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Kitsap Opera Presents: Gounod's Faust
Friday, September 30th & Sunday, October 2nd, 2022
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Kitsap Opera is back with its biggest production yet - Gounod's Faust at Bremerton's Admiral Theatre for two performances Friday, September 30 @ 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 2 @ 3 p.m. Experience the exhilaration of live opera and witness Faust's deal with the devil!
Founded in 1992 by Leone Cottrell-Atkins, Kitsap Opera is one of the leading artistic organizations of West Sound. Its 1992 fully-staged production of I Pagliacci has been followed by ambitions undertaking including La Boheme, the Barber of Seville, Daughter of the Regiment, the Magic Flute, The Merry Widow, Cosi Fan Tutte, and the Merry Wives of Windsor.
The Kitsap Opera is an opera group in the European tradition in that we offer an intermediate step for singers between college training and major American opera companies.
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Stay in the know with what's happening for events
in Central Kitsap by checking out and liking the
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Have something to share? CLICK HERE to submit stories and
events for Tuesday's Community Connections!
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David Emmons
President/CEO
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Irene Moyer
VP, Membership & Strategic Communications
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Joe Barboza
Operations Manager
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Brenda Kelley
Tourism Coordinator
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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.
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