Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Important News for You
Tickets on Sale Now!
GKC Inaugural Business Awards Gala
Thursday, November 17, 2022 6:00 pm
Join the Greater Kitsap Chamber for our Inaugural Business Awards Gala celebrating individuals and businesses around the Greater Kitsap region on Thursday, November 17th at 6:00 pm.

Sponsorships are available to elevate your business' presence at this community-wide event. To learn more or to secure your sponsorship or advertising space now, please contact the Chamber!
Chamber News
Check out and like the
Greater Kitsap Chamber Facebook pages!
Columbia Sportswear Factory Store
Friday, October 28, 2022, 9:00 am
Join us as we celebrate the opening of Silverdale's newest addition, Columbia Sportswear Factory Store on Friday, October 28, 2022. Enjoy light refreshments, remarks by the Chamber and Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder, opening weekend specials and more.
Trick or Treat at the Chamber
Monday, October 31, 2022, 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Sign Up to Participate:
Downtown Bremerton's Trick-or-Treat Street
Monday, October 31, 2022, 4:00 - 6:30 pm
The Downtown Bremerton Association and Greater Kitsap Chamber are partnering to present the 24th Annual Trick or Treat Street on October 31st. Parts of 4th and Pacific will be shut down in downtown to create a safe area for all the little ghouls and goblins out for fun this Halloween. Trick-or-Treating will be provided by participating downtown businesses and vendors. Free parking is available at the garage at Washington and 4th.

If your business is located downtown and would like to participate, please contact the Chamber here.
Chamber Seeking Nominations
The Chamber Board of Directors is seeking member input for our monthly selections of Member of the Month. Do you know a business that deserves recognition? Are they involved in the community and active with the Chamber? Nominate a business - it could be your own - and let us know why they should be recognized as a Member of the Month!
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
Bremerton School District Seeks Community Input for Superintendent Search
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity
Come Celebrate with Nothing Bundt Cakes
October 24-29, 2022
CKSD Community Forums
Tuesday, October 25, 2022, 6:00 pm
Wednesday, October 26, 2022, 12:00 pm
Seaport Salon Spa: Holiday Shop & Win
Thursday, November 3, 2022, 5:30 - 8:00 pm
P5 Photography Offers Santa Sessions
Monday, November 14, 2022
1st Security Bank
We're Better Together
Grab a Bite in Downtown Bremerton
Quincy Square's Axe & Arrow Releases Winter Hours
Member Spotlight
Blue Canary
When it comes time for necessary auto service or auto repair in Bainbridge Island or Bremerton, WA, you have some tough choices to make. If you bring your vehicle back to the dealership where you purchased it, you know any service or repair is going to cost a fortune. If you trust your car to one of those chain auto repair shops, there is no way to know if they have technicians on staff with the training to do the job right. Smart drivers in Bainbridge Island or Bremerton, WA, know that when their car is in trouble, they call the experts at Blue Canary.

Why? Because whether you need a routine oil change, a brake inspection, electrical repair, or engine service, the team at Blue Canary has got you covered. Our team of certified technicians can help with whatever your car may need, and we will have you back on the road before you know it. Call, come by, or make an appointment online today!
706 Pacific Avenue | Bremerton, WA 98337 | (360) 743-4074
Advocacy Committee
Election Ballots Arriving Now
Return Your Ballot by November 8, 2022
Kitsap voters receiving ballots beginning last week will find an "I Voted" sticker as part of the ballot packet. The sticker is one of a few changes in ballot packets for General Election 2022.

The Kitsap election itself includes two advisory votes, two federal races, one statewide race, eight legislative races, eight countywide races and eight judicial races and three local measures. Voters can read statements and arguments for each in voters' pamphlets sent by the county and the Washington Secretary of State's Office. Pamphlets were mailed to every residential address and P.O. Box.

Voters can also find the pamphlets online at kitsap.gov/elections and at VoteWA.gov. Information about voter registration and address changes are at the same sites, and most can be performed online through October 31.

Voter registration and address changes can be performed in person at the Auditor's Office at 619 Division Street in Port Orchard through Election Day, November 8, 2022. They can also be made the Saturday and Monday before Election Day and on Election Day at three vote centers, one in the Commissioners' Chambers of the County Administration Building at 619 Division Street in Port Orchard. The other vote centers are at the Marvin Williams Recreation Center at 725 Park Avenue in Bremerton and the Poulsbo Fire Station at 911 NE Liberty Road in Poulsbo.

Besides the "I Voted" sticker in the ballot packet, voters will notice a few other changes. The ballot insert with instructions and other information is the same size as the ballot and the two are folded together. The ballot secrecy sleeve opens at the top and one side.

Kitsap County has 25 ballot drop boxes. Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day, November 8. More information is available at kitsap.gov/elections.
Eggs & Issues: Sheriff & District Judge
Tuesday, November 1, 2022, 8:00 am
RECAP: Eggs & Issues
County Commissioner & County Auditor
Published in the Kitsap Sun, October 19, 2022

The future of Silverdale was largely the focus of a debate between Kitsap County Commissioner candidates Josh Hinman and Katie Walters on [last] Tuesday morning. 

The two candidates, survivors of a five-person August primary, cast different visions for the area that encompasses the largest unincorporated population on the peninsula, as well as how they would govern if elected to the three-person board. The District 3 commissioner, who represents Central Kitsap, is an open seat with two-term incumbent Ed Wolfe's retirement in December.  


Photo: L to R - County Auditor Paul Andrews and challenger Mike Simpson; and candidates for county commissioner, Josh Hinman and Katie Walters. JOSH FARLEY/KITSAP SUN
Recordings can be viewed on BKAT (Channel 12 Comcast/Channel 3 Astound)
and concurrently on BKAT's live stream at www.bkat.org.

EGGS-ISSUES-26-35-SENATE
Saturdays at 9:30pm 10/8, 10/15, 10/22 and 10/26
Sundays at 4:30pm 10/9, 10/16, 10/23 and 10/30
 
EGGS-ISSUES-WA-REP-23-26-35
Sundays at 7:00pm Oct 16, Oct 23, Oct 30, and Nov 6 
AWB/Workforce Network: Childcare Issues
Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 2:00 pm
The Association of Washington Business (AWB) and the AWB Institute have partnered to address a critical need within most communities, specifically, workforce development challenges which are hindering business growth and opportunities throughout the state. To address this, we have created the AWB/Workforce NET (network). The group will be led by Amy Anderson, AWB Government Affairs Director for Education, Workforce, Health Care and Federal Issues and by Erika Borg, AWB Institute Strategic Advisor. 

For this first quarterly meeting, the topic will be childcare challenges in Washington state and the impact it has on our economy.
Education Committee
RECAP: October Membership Luncheon
Thank you to our October sponsors:
Member Education & Training Resources
GSBA Power Connect: Women in Business
Tuesday, October 25, 2022, 10:00 am
In honor of National Women's Small Business Month, GSBA is proud to welcome guest speaker Janice R. Greene, PHD President & CEO of Women Business Enterprise Council Pacific, to its Power Connect Women In Business series.

Greene’s organization offers certification, opportunities, resources, and engagement to advance women in business. 
Cyber Security Awareness Workshop
Tuesday, November 8, 2022, 1:00 pm
WSHRMA Fall Fast Forward Conference
Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 7:30 am - 1:00 pm
Washington Retail Releases Updated Guide
for Public Safety & Retail Crime
Washington Retail's newly updated resource, the Guide to Navigating Public Safety & Retail Crime, is now available on WR’s free resources page.

With more than double the content, this guide provides retailers with urgent and timely advice on addressing retail thefts, organized retail crime, and safety for retail customers and employees.

This guide is packed with vital information to help businesses plan, prevent, protect , and navigate in the aftermath of post-crime events.

New guidance content includes:
  • Training employees
  • Robbery prevention
  • Identifying counterfeit cash
  • Issuing Notices of Trespass
  • Planning for crimes-in-progress
  • Witness statements
  • Helping prosecutors make ORC/theft charges stick
  • Employee care

This brand-new Key Links and Resources Companion Guide and other support content are available on WR's Public Safety and Retail Theft Resources page.
Business News & Resources
WA Workforce Portal Officially Launched
Connecting Students to Jobs and Internships

The AWB Institute and partners launched the Washington Workforce Portal in the PAC Mountain Region last Wednesday. Partners include the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce, South Puget Sound Community College, Saint Martin’s University, Olympic College, Grays Harbor College, Centralia College and The Evergreen State College.

This statewide platform serves to connect students across Washington with opportunities to apply for work-based learning jobs and internships. The program allows students to gain invaluable real-world learning experiences towards building a future career, while also building our local talent and workforce.

These opportunities both help students navigate real-world experience in the workplace and aid them in making informed decisions about which career they choose to pursue. When a student has a clearly defined pathway to a career, it can dramatically affect their future earnings and impact our local economic growth.

For more information on the portal, contact Thomas Gill.
New SOC Code Reporting Required

In 2020, the Legislature enacted Substitute House Bill 2308, which requires employers to include the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code of each worker in their quarterly tax reports to the Employment Security Department.

SOC code reporting becomes mandatory for employers starting in the fourth quarter 2022. SOC stands for Standard Occupational Classification, a federal coding system that helps government agencies and private businesses compare occupational data.

Additional information on all of ESD’s rulemaking activities can be found on their agency rulemaking homepage.

Important links:
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.
5 Governance Tips for Nonprofit Directors
Courtesy of NonProfit PRO

Nonprofit directors play a vital role in making sure a nonprofit’s governance structure is functioning and healthy. Here are five tips for contributing to a healthy governance structure.

Where Your Nonprofit Should Focus
Its Attention Before December
Courtesy of NonProfit PRO

“How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”
-Dr. Seuss

Are you feeling like Dr. Seuss this month? Year-end is looming, next year’s events need to have details nailed down, and donor visits need to be scheduled. It’s a crazy busy time of the year, and you’re sandwiched in between the last of 2022 and the first of 2023.

It’s easy to feel so overwhelmed that everything seems like it has to be the priority, but when you boil fundraising down to the bare bones, our jobs are simple: Give donors a reason to give to our organization again and again. So, for the next several weeks, here are things to work on to impact your income positively before Dec. 31.

Photo Credits: Getty Images
Kitsap County News
Central Kitsap Community Council
Wednesday, November 2, 2022, 5:00 pm
Everyone is invited to join the Central Kitsap Community Council at its next meeting to hear from Central Kitsap Fire & Rescue Chief Jason Christian who will give an update on emergency medical services. Immediately following this discussion, Chad Melton, President of St. Michael Medical Center, will address ongoing issues and challenges. There will be opportunities for public comment and questions,

The meeting begins at 5 p.m. Wed., Nov. 2 at Ridgetop Middle School Cafeteria, 10600 Hillsboro Dr. NW, Silverdale. The council moved its regular monthly meeting to this new location for October only, to accommodate the anticipated larger attendance.

View the meeting agenda and find information about the Central Kitsap Community Council at www.kitsapgov.com/BOC_p/Pages/CKCC.aspx.

The Central Kitsap Community Council currently has a vacancy for a local college student. For details and an online application, visit kcowa.us/advisorygroups.

For more information, contact Alex Jarrett in the Kitsap County Commissioners' Office at [email protected].
Route 221–Perry Avenue – Detour
Roadwork on Perry Avenue

Effective through March 31, 2023

Starting on Oct. 20, 2022, Kitsap Transit will not serve a portion of Perry Avenue during a road improvement project. Construction is scheduled to last through the end of March 2023.

Route 221–Perry Avenue will detour to Trenton Avenue and will not serve Perry Avenue between 11th Street and 17th Street (see map).
Seven bus stops on Perry Avenue will be temporarily closed and five temporary stops will be added.
Trainings Offered for Kitsap Severe
Weather Shelter Volunteers
Interested in helping those who need safe shelter from hazardous weather conditions? Learn more about volunteering at one of Kitsap County’s severe weather shelters during orientation and training courses that will cover shelter operations, safety and security. Multiple training sessions are scheduled. 

Shelters rely solely on volunteers for staffing and more are needed at all locations for the upcoming severe weather shelter season from Nov. 1 through March 31. Volunteers fill five-hour shifts in the evening and overnight, with multiple volunteers during each shift. Training is required. Previous volunteers who are already trained do not need to attend but may want to join a session as a refresher. 

Sign up to attend one session at the location you'd like to volunteer. Walk-ins are welcome at the sessions and applications will be available on site. 

  • Kingston Village Green Community Center, 26159 Dulay Road NE
  • 6:30-8 P.M. Tues., Oct. 25 or Nov. 3
  • Poulsbo Gateway Fellowship Church, 18901 8th Avenue NE, West Wing 272, 6-8 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 27
  • Silverdale United Methodist Church, 9982 Silverdale Way NW
  • Time and date to be determined. Please email if you are interested.
  • Port Orchard United Methodist Church, 725 Kitsap Street, 6-8 p.m. Wed, Nov. 2

The severe weather shelters are activated when:

  • temperatures are expected to be at or below 32 degrees for four or more hours and one or more successive days and/or
  • snow accumulation is expected to exceed one inch or more for more than two days and/or
  • there are two or more successive days of one inch or more of rain.
  • Shelters may also activate when high wind warnings are issued.

Register online for volunteer training at kcowa.us/SWS-2022 or call 360-979-6358. Learn about the severe weather shelter program at kcowa.us/kcsws.

For more information, contact Virginia McCaslin, Kitsap County Department of Human Services Housing & Homelessness Division, [email protected] or call (360) 979-6358.6358.
COVID-19 Updates & Resources
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 either Greater Kitsap Chamber's offices today.
COVID-19 Vaccine & Testing 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.

Community Information
Clean Up Kitsap
Saturday, October 29, 2022, 9:00 am
Abandoned shopping carts have become an ever-growing problem on the Clear Creek Trail. This is an immediate need we can address until a long-term solution is reached.

  • All volunteers will need to sign a Kitsap County Volunteer Release Form.
  • Carts will be rounded up and returned to their original store owners.

Thank you to the Greater Kitsap Chamber for coordinating with store owners and arranging a moving truck.

Thank you to the Clear Creek Task Force for their continual work to preserve, protect, and restore the Clear Creek ecosystem.
Try-a-Trade Day @ Fairgrounds
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Kitsap Employers Veterans Day Job Fair
Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
WorkSource Kitsap is inviting the community to join them for a job fair on November 9th at their location on Randall Way in Silverdale. The event will exclusively exhibit Kitsap County's small and medium-sized businesses, with the first hour reserved for veterans, active-duty military job seekers and their families.
3120 NW Randall Way
Silverdale, WA 98383
(360) 516-1001
Tourism Information
Admiral Theatre Presents:
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Saturday, October 29, 2022, 9:00 pm
Give yourself over to absolute pleasure when the mother of all cult classics hits the Admiral Theatre’s 50' big screen with our brand new DLP projector donated by the Bremerton Central Lions Club. Pull up your fishnets, starch your gold shorts, and become a creature of the night at the strangest, sexiest film of all ages! (Rated R. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian).
Day Trip from Central Kitsap:
Dia de los Muertos Community Celebration
Saturday, October 29, 2022, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art's annual Día de los Muertos celebration, brought to you by the greater Kitsap Community, features an ofrenda, art kits, music, and shared stories about the history and traditions of this festival, which originated in Mexico.

9:00 – Monarch butterfly wing-making art activity at KiDiMu
10:50 – Processional from KiDiMu to BIMA
11:00-12:00 – Community Celebration: presentation, public remembrances, and live music

Plus:
  • Día de los Muertos art kits
  • Free tastings of pan de muerto and Mexican hot chocolate (while supplies last)
  • Live Music
  • Looping films in Auditorium
Witch Perfect at The Roxy Theatre
Saturday, October 29, 2022, 7:00 pm
Lyle Lovett & John Hiatt @ The Admiral
Sunday, October 30, 2022, 7:30 pm
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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.