Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | |
GKC to Honor Judy Eagleson with Hyas Tyee at
Annual Business Awards Gala
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The Greater Kitsap Chamber Board of Directors is honored to announce Judy Eagleson as the recipient of this year’s Hyas Tyee Award, one of the Chamber’s highest distinctions.
Judy has dedicated decades to strengthening Kitsap County through an extraordinary breadth of volunteer service, philanthropy, and civic leadership. A longtime business owner, Judy has consistently invested her time and talents well beyond her professional responsibilities, supporting organizations focused on healthcare, education, youth development, economic opportunity, and community well-being. Her extensive service includes the Harrison Medical Center Foundation's Mathis Guild, Olympic College Foundation, Central Kitsap High School Alumni Association, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, youth scouting and sports programs, and numerous charitable and community initiatives.
The Chamber's Hyas Tyee Award seeks to recognize individuals for significant leadership positions, contributions to the community and for serving as an exemplary role model for others. Judy will be honored at the 5th Annual Business Awards Gala on December 11th at the Kitsap Conference Center in Downtown Bremerton.
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Don't Forget to Vote: Ballots Due Nov. 3
Ballot boxes open 24-hours daily until 8pm Election Day
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Vote Centers open the Saturday and Monday before the Primary and General Election Day and on Election Day for Special Elections.
The centers are designed primarily for new voters needing to register, voters who lost or did not receive their ballots in the mail, voters needing to change their addresses, and voters wishing to vote using the Accessible Voting Unit.
Voters who want to vote in a voting location are also welcome. A ballot from the vote center is the same as the one you receive in the mail. If you receive a ballot in the mail but want to vote in the vote center, bring that ballot and step into one of the voting partition spaces. This will help keep the line short for voters who need to register or receive a replacement ballot.
Beginning 18 days before each election, ballot drop boxes remain open 24 hours a day until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
There are 27 ballot drop boxes located throughout Kitsap County. Ballot drops provide a safe, secure way for voters to deposit their ballots. No postage is required.
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October Membership Luncheon
Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 11:00am
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Bring your business cards and get ready to network - you won't want to miss!
Paid parking is available on the Green Level underneath
the Kitsap Conference Center.
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2026 Business Awards Gala
Tickets Available Now!
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GKC Business Awards Gala
Sponsorship Opportunities Available!
| | Help us celebrate the northern lights of our local business community and be a sponsor at the Chamber's 2026 Business Awards Gala! For sponsorship information contact us at (360) 692-6800 or hello@greaterkitsapchamber.com. | |
Chamber: Off the Clock
Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 5:05pm
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Secure You Spot in the Greater Kitsap
Chamber's Destination Guide
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It's not too late to reserve your spot in the 2027 Greater Kitsap Destination Guide!
Put your business in front of visitors and locals alike with advertising opportunities in both the printed guide and the digital GoGuide®.
With the digital GoGuide®, your ad links directly to your website, giving potential customers one-click access to learn more about your business. It's an easy way to expand your reach and connect with thousands of potential customers throughout the year.
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2027 Jumpstart Business Success Workshop
Thursday, October 29, 2026, 9:00am
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To succeed in the coming year, you must differentiate. Your product, pricing, and process can all be copied. The one thing that can't? Your culture.
This workshop delivers the simple four-part formula to create a highly engaging culture that attracts your best customers like a magnet. Don't miss out, seating is very limited.
*Registration is free for Greater Kitsap Chamber members.
| | GKC Giving Away UW Men's Soccer Tickets | |
The GKC is giving away 10 tickets for the UW Men's Soccer game on Friday,
October 30 at 5:00pm against Maryland. Tickets are awarded on a first come first served based with priority given to GKC members. Email us here for a chance to get a ticket!
| RECAP: October Off the Clock | | |
Chamber: Off the Clock is more than just a networking event. It's an opportunity to connect with fellow professionals, explore local businesses, and get a behind-the-scenes look at what makes our business community so special.
Last week, we had the opportunity to do just that at Pickleball Kingdom - Poulsbo! It was so much fun learning about their facility and even playing a few games on the courts.
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Accessible Healthcare with NICE
Business Health Trust Has You Covered
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Need a Health Benefits Quote but Don’t Have a Broker?
Maybe you handle payroll, hiring, and benefits for your business. When the renewal arrives, you need to compare plans while answering every other question on your desk. You don’t need to sort through all the options alone.
Through our chamber’s partnership with Business Health Trust (BHT), members can request quotes for medical plans from major carriers, consider dental and vision, and get help with enrollment and billing. If you have a broker, bring them in. If you don’t, BHT can help connect you with one.
🔗 Webpage Link: https://businesshealthtrust.com/products/nice-healthcare/
Questions? Contact BHT!
(425) 201-1972
nice@businesshealthtrust.com
Not a BHT member? Are you ready to build a better benefits package?
Visit bhtquote.com to learn more and get a free quote.
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Renew your membership today to ensure your benefits as a member of the Greater Kitsap Chamber! Questions about when to renew or how to upgrade your membership? Need a new membership window cling or digital badge? Contact us now!
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Missed a previous edition of the Chamber's Community Connections?
View all the past issues on our website HERE.
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Changing Faces, Changing Places
Share your business news today
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Business & Professional Development Committee | | Member Education & Training Resources | | |
SCORE: Get Your Local Business on
Google Search and Maps
Thursday, October 29, 2026, 10:00am
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Showing up when someone nearby searches for what you sell is not luck, it is a profile you control. In the working time at the end, I help your members create or claim their Google Business Profile and start verification right there in the room.
You'll learn:
• How to create or claim your Google Business Profile
• How to manage your business information across Google Search and Maps
• How to use your profile to connect with customers who are already looking
Registration Fee: FREE
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SCORE: QuickBooks Online Basics
Friday, November 6, 2026, 9:00am
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Are you an aspiring or established business owner looking to get started with QuickBooks? Are you trying to figure out what you’re doing but keep getting lost? Do you like bagels? Well, then this is the workshop for you!
Who You Are: Although anyone interested in QuickBooks is welcome to take this workshop, it is designed for aspiring and established business owners looking to learn the basics.
What To Have When You Sign onto Zoom: You will need your laptop and possibly power cable. We will be performing exercises together using a sample QuickBooks Online data file.
What You Will Learn: In this SCORE workshop, you will learn how to use QuickBooks Online to record your daily business transactions.
(No QuickBooks signup required!) Subjects covered include:
· Customer sales and payments
· Supplier purchases and payments
· Banking and Chart of Accounts
· Reporting from QuickBooks Online
· Best practices and common mistakes
Please note that this workshop is only training on QuickBooks Online and not QuickBooks Desktop.
Registration Fee: $10
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Business News & Resources | | WA Budget Outlook Remains Challenging Despite Revenue Increase | |
Published by the Washington Retail Association, October 14, 2026
Photo courtesy of the Washington Retail Association
Washington’s latest state revenue forecast shows modestly higher tax collections, but lawmakers are still facing significant budget challenges heading into the 2027 legislative session.
The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council’s September forecast projects tax receipts will be $22 million higher for the current two-year budget and $430 million higher for the 2027-29 budget cycle than estimates released in June. The increases are not enough to eliminate a projected shortfall in the 2028 fiscal year or address a multibillion-dollar gap expected in the following budget cycle.
The forecast also projects substantially higher revenue from a new tax on high-income earners. The 9.9% tax on individual and household wage income above $1 million was approved by lawmakers and signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson in March. It is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2028, with payments beginning the following year.
The state’s chief economist now projects the tax could generate $3.5 billion during the 2027-29 biennium and $9.4 billion during the 2029-31 biennium. Those estimates are higher than previous projections, but the tax faces legal challenges and could be repealed by voters. Initiative 645, which would repeal the tax, is on the November ballot.
State officials and lawmakers continue to debate how to address the projected budget gaps. Some have pointed to spending reductions, while others have emphasized the potential loss of revenue if the new tax is repealed.
Washington’s economy is currently projected to generate $76.3 billion in revenue during the current budget cycle and $82.6 billion during the 2027-29 biennium.
The next revenue forecast is expected in November and will inform the governor’s budget proposal, which is scheduled for release in December. Lawmakers will begin the 105-day legislative session in January.
Read the article here
| | The Greater Kitsap Chamber is proud to serve as a resource partner with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Stay tuned to this section quarterly for education, resources and more from L&I. | | Are You Up to Date on Updated Labor Posters? | | Nonprofit News & Resources | |
IRAs, Charitable Giving, and
Two Distinct Opportunities
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Published by The Kitsap Community Foundation, October 12, 2026
Photo courtesy of the KCF
IRAs may not be the very first thing that comes to mind when you're mapping out fundraising strategy. But they probably make the top three! Americans who've spent decades in the workforce have watched their 401(k)s, IRAs, and other retirement accounts grow, making retirement accounts a big part of many donors' wealth and, in turn, their charitable plans.
Retirement accounts also create plenty of confusion around charitable giving. Here's the most important point: Donors' retirement assets can play a role in charitable giving in two very different ways. One happens during a donor's lifetime. The other happens at death.
You don't need to become a tax expert on either one. But knowing the difference can help you recognize an opportunity and encourage a donor to talk with their tax, financial, and estate planning advisors.
Read the article here
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Major Silverdale Housing Project
Part of Growing Retail Near Trails
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Published in the Kitsap Sun, October 15, 2026
Photo: Meegan M. Reid/Kitsap Sun
SILVERDALE — This fall marked a fresh start for Annette Atkinson, as she reopened her cannabis shop, HWY 420, in a brand-new commercial building on Clear Creek Road. For three years, Atkinson served her customers out of a temporary trailer next to a massive construction site that drivers through Central Kitsap have probably been watching — where more than 500 apartment homes now sit, with more large projects underway in the immediate neighborhood.
"We've been negotiating to get here for six years, so super, super excited to go from a little tiny house on this property to trailers for three years, to finally being in this building," Atkinson said.
Atkinson opened HWY 420's first location in Bremerton in October 2014. And in 2017, she expanded it to Silverdale and opened the shop in a small house just north of the Trails shopping plaza and west of Ross Field. The area surrounding her property was planned for 570 apartments on a 25.5-acre hillside site just north of Greaves Way. So in 2023, Atkinson moved the shop into a temporary trailer and keep running it at the same site while the developer was building the apartments and the new retail building.
Read the article here
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DBA's Trick-or-Treat Street
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 5:00pm
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Free & Open to Everyone!
*Presented & Organized by Downtown Bremerton Association
Dress up in your spookiest costume and head downtown for Trick-or-Treat Street! Bring the whole family for an evening of trick-or-treating, live music, dancing, and festive community fun spanning Pacific Avenue, 4th Street, and Quincy Square.
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Trick-or-Treating @ The Kitsap Mall
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 5:00pm
| Join us from 5pm to 7pm for Trick or Treating at the Mall! | |
Meals on Wheels Kitsap Presents:
Jingle Fest 2026
November 14 - 15, 2026
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Bremerton Foodline's 3rd Annual Turkey Trot
Thursday, November 26, 2026, 9:00am
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Clearwater Casino Presents:
Taylor Made - James Taylor Tribute
Friday, October 30, 2026, 8:30pm
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Hair Nation - 80s Top Hits
Saturday, October 31, 2026, 8:30pm
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The Admiral Theatre Presents:
Are You Ready for It? A Taylor Experience
Sunday, November 1, 2026, 2026, 7:00pm
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The Admiral Theatre Presents:
Revisiting Creedence
Friday, November 13, 2026, 7:30pm
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The Roxy Theatre Presents:
Kraken Up! Improv
Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 7:00pm
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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 our weekly Community Connections!
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Office (360) 479-3579 | 705 Pacific Avenue in Downtown Bremerton
Silverdale Office (360) 692-6800 | Kitsap Mall
PO Box 1218 Silverdale WA 98383
If you need assistance, please contact us directly.
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