Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Important News for You
Chamber Members Lead the Way in
Old Town Silverdale Redevelopment
Waterman Mitigation Partners, the JWJ Group and Sound West Group are leading the way for redevelopment of a large swath of Silverdale's Old Town, to include a possible restoration of Strawberry Creek and new mixed-use spaces.

"It's about reinvigorating that area of our community, the gates of Old Town," said Steve Sego, a 1975 Central Kitsap High School graduate who is spearheading an effort that includes developers and investors. "It aims to give Silverdale a heart and soul again."  

Chamber News
Check out and like the
Silverdale & Bremerton Facebook pages!
Bremerton GreenDrinks @ Kitsap Credit Union
Thursday, July 14, 2022, 5:00 pm
Looking for a way to jumpstart your summer? Check out this month's Bremerton GreenDrinks event, hosted on the rooftop of one of our cherished downtown businesses.

Don't miss out. Get your tickets now.

Kitsap Credit Union is proud to host July’s Bremerton GreenDrinks on the rooftop deck of the Bremerton Harborside Headquarters and Branch. 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). A $10 donation is requested to offset the costs of food from the new downtown restaurant AXE & ARROW GASTROPUB. $20 at the door.

Advance tickets are recommended at greendrinks.bpt.me. Don’t forget to keep the green in GreenDrinks by bringing your own cup!
July Membership Luncheon: Education Carnival
Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 11:30 am
Sponsorship information coming soon!
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!
Evergreen Home Loans Hosts Lunch & Learn
Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 12:00 pm

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!

Member Spotlight
Kitsap Pride Network
Kitsap Pride @ Kitsap County Fairgrounds
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Kitsap Pride’s mission is to celebrate, support, and unite the LGBTQ+ community in Kitsap County. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Kitsap Pride Network was formed in 2007 as a network of local organizations collaborating to celebrate community in Kitsap County. Networking together eases the planning and execution burden off of any one organization and allows for more community input. If you would like to get involved to support your local pride let us know. 

Join us for this year's Kitsap Pride on Saturday, July 23rd at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
PO Box 787
Bremerton, WA 98337
(360) 777-4334
Education Committee
Member Education & Training Resources
REPLAY: WHA CEO Podcast on Public Safety
If you missed this month's CEO Podcast, Anthony Anton discussed public safety. Experts in law enforcement and workplace safety offered tips in lighting, connecting with local officers and more.

Sponsored by My Hospitality Insurance.
Join Us Today: July 12, 2022, 8:00 am
"Keys to Success: Making Your First Million"
Join us from 7:30am to 8:00am for registration, business to business networking with coffee and baked goods.

Program will start at 8:00am to 9:30am with our three panelists.

Key take-aways:
  • How each panelist made it to their first million
  • The skills and habits to develop to succeed
  • Tactics you can use to begin your path

You still have time to make this month's KBF! Hop in the car and head on over to the newlife Training & Events Center in Silverdale!
Panelists (L-R): Matthew Augspurger, Wealth Advisor; Ashley Hurd, Senior Broker; Joe Davis, Financial Associate.
Talk to an Expert: Quickbooks
Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 1:00 pm
In this one-hour session you will have the opportunity to ask Peggy Clements, a Score mentor and Quickbooks expert your questions about Quickbooks.

This session will be helpful if you have questions like:

  • Should you move your bookkeeping to Quickbooks
  • Are you maximizing the capabilities of Quickbooks for your business
  • Can I configure Quickbooks myself
  • How can I manage Assets and Liabilities in Quickbooks.
  • How do I log principal and interest on a loan payment.
  • What reports can I generate to help keep my business on track

We encourage everyone who is considering moving to Quickbooks or has a one-off question about their existing Quickbooks to attend. You will have the opportunity to learn from an expert and others in attendance. This is not a Quickbooks workshop.

There is no charge to attend this session.
Successfully Starting a New Business
Saturday, July 16, 2022, 9:00 am
Starting a new business can be overwhelming. Where do you start? Is your business able to conduct its affairs legally in Washington? Do you have the right insurance? What funding is available to launch your business? If you’re asking yourself any of these questions, you need to attend this workshop for start-up businesses in Washington!

This workshop will give you the following skills to take those first critical steps in starting a successful business:

  • Understand the different business entities and choose the best one for your business.
  • Learn how to properly license your business in Washington state.
  • Select the correct insurance for your business.
  • Understand the options for financing your business.

First, we review what you need to know about setting up your business with the best legal entity. Whether you choose a sole proprietorship, LLC or another entity, we will help you understand how to get the right business licenses along with understanding the state and federal taxes you need to manage. 

Understanding how to protect your business and yourself with the correct business insurance is critical. You’ll learn about the various commercial insurance policies available, and we’ll help you determine what’s best for you. 

We’ll describe to you various financing options for your business, and then show you how to apply for the financing that makes sense for you.  

Workshop Fee: $50
Advocacy Committee
Eggs & Issues:
26th Legislative District: Senate
Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 8:00 am
Individuals who wish to view Eggs and Issues via Zoom will not be able to submit questions
to the candidates as we will not be monitoring the chat during the event.
REPLAY: Eggs & Issues, Episode 1
23rd Legislative District Candidates
REPLAY: Eggs & Issues, Episode 2
Kitsap County Commissioner Candidates
Legislators work on the Washington State Senate floor at the Capitol in Olympia in February. Ted S. Warren/AP
26th District Senate Race Among
Statewide Races to Watch
Published in the Kitsap Sun, July 5, 2022

In 2018, Emily Randall rode a blue wave to the Washington state Senate, flipping a seat for Democrats in the 26th Legislative District, which encompasses a chunk of Kitsap and Pierce counties. 

Randall’s victory is one of many that boosted Democratic House and Senate majorities in recent years and paved the way for big progressive wins in Olympia on taxes, spending, clean energy and social policies.

Now her race is one of a handful where Republicans are hoping to make inroads after years of Democratic gains across Western Washington.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard's Building 460 on Friday, February 5, 2021. MEEGAN M. REID/KITSAP SUN
Steps that Will Strengthen Our Shipyard
Guest column by Representative Derek Kilmer, 6th Congressional District
Published in the Kitsap Sun July 8, 2022

Every few months, I visit the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) and talk to our service members and civilians. It’s an opportunity to hear their concerns and learn about issues that impact their work.

In these conversations, I hear about a variety of topics. I hear concerns about the need to upgrade facilities and equipment so shipyard workers can meet the mission. I hear concerns about the need for better wages – particularly at a time when costs are going up. I even hear concerns about parking troubles. 

The concerns of shipyard workers don’t get enough attention in our nation’s capital. With this in mind, I recently launched the bipartisan Congressional Public Shipyard Caucus with my colleague Rob Wittman from Virginia. Our group is focused on addressing the needs of our nation’s four public shipyards – and of the men and women who work for them. The Caucus also serves to raise awareness about the importance of our public shipyards within Congress.

Business News & Resources
Five Years of Insights: What We've Learned
from the Small Business Index
From the U.S. Chamber

This quarter, the MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index celebrates five years of publication. As the Index celebrates this milestone, we look back at five years of small business trends, the major challenges small business leaders have faced, and how small businesses feel about the future.

The Small Business Index is a premier tracker of U.S. small business sentiment and perspectives. The Index reports are released on a quarterly basis and are compiled from 750 unique interviews with small business owners and operators. It delivers a comprehensive quantitative snapshot of the small business sector.

Brand Ethos and Purpose Taking
Backseat to Lower Prices
From the Washington Retail Association

In March of this year, IWR reported how some shoppers were shopping with purpose and searching for brands that mirrored their values and supported social causes such as racial and gender equality or environmental protections. “Gen Z isn’t just buying a product, they’re buying into a brand, and they want to feel a deeper connection to that brand through their shared values,” said Jasmine Enberg, an Insider Intelligence principal analyst.
 
It would now seem that Cindy Lauper was right. “Money changes everything.”
 
As inflation rises, more consumers are prioritizing pricing over brand loyalty. According to research by McKinsey, consumers are switching brands and retailers at higher rates this year compared to 2020 and 2021. Many shoppers are now setting aside brands that align more with their social or personal values to focus on better deals that will help keep their expenses and costs of living down.
 
As a result of this changing mindset, retailers are shifting from purpose-driven marketing and returning to more traditional advertising to better appeal to the frugal-minded buyer, showcasing special discounts or sales. Traditional ads now nearly have a 10% higher chance of resonating with viewers. Read more.
Kitsap County News
Learn More: Kitsap Nuisance Abatement Team
Supporting Safe & Healthy Communities in Kitsap
The Kitsap Nuisance Abatement Team (KNAT) is a multi-agency team that supports safe and healthy communities in Kitsap County by providing outreach and education to prevent public nuisances and by working with property owners and other agencies to resolve current nuisances.
Examples of public nuisances include:

  • Solid waste (trash, junk, litter, animal waste) accumulating outside of trash cans or approved receptacles
  • Inoperable motor vehicles within public view
  • Dilapidated buildings or structures that are open or unsecured
  • Failing septic systems or illegal discharges of sewage
  • Illegal dumping
  • Obstructions to a public right-of-way

The KNAT team is now debuting a case map where you can view cases throughout the county and their current status. For more information about nuisance properties including its definition in code, the case map, and other FAQs, visit the KNAT site.
Ride the Clear Creek Trail Guided Event
Saturday, July 16, 2022, 2:00 pm
People who use wheelchairs or are blind/low-vision and others with disabilities are invited, along with their friends and family, to join Ride the Clear Creek Trail, a guided event from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 16 to explore this beautiful trail that winds through Silverdale and the surrounding natural environment. The event begins at the Silverdale Rotary Gateway Park, located at 11601 Silverdale Way NW. 

Guides will lead small groups of participants, according to interests and types of chairs, along portions of the Clear Creek Trail. At least three tandem bicycles will be available for anyone who wants to use them. The event is free and all are welcome.

Hippocampe All-Terrain Wheelchairs will also be available to try out during the event. These lightweight, durable chairs with specialized wheels and attachments are designed to tackle sand, grass, dirt, rocks, roots, and just about any other surface to allow wheelchair users access to places classic wheelchairs can't usually go such as beaches, rough trails and wading in water. 

Parking for the Ride the Clear Creek Trail event is available at the site but participants are encouraged to use Kitsap Transit, if possible, which will transport people who live within 3/4 of a mile from a bus stop. Advance reservations are required and cost is $2 each way (don't need to be eligible for Kitsap Transit's ACCESS service). Call Kitsap Transit at 360-479-7272 to make reservations.

Ride the Clear Creek Trail is coordinated by the Kitsap County Accessible Communities Advisory Committee. Special thanks to the Kitsap County Parks Department, Clear Creek Task Force, Kitsap Transit and the West Sound Cycling Club.

For questions, contact Marsha Cutting at mcutting@gmail.com.
COVID-19 Updates & Resources
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
Get Your Silverdale Rotary Duck Race Ducks at the Greater Kitsap Visitor Center in Silverdale
Ducks for Silverdale Rotary's Annual Duck Race are now on sale from area Rotarians! Ducks are also available for purchase at the Greater Kitsap Visitor Center - Silverdale (formerly the Silverdale Chamber), located in the Kitsap Mall near Macy's.

The Silverdale Rotary Club hosts the annual Duck Race during Whaling Days, held the last weekend of July at the Silverdale Waterfront. When you purchase duck tickets you are contributing to programs that support our community.

Buying duck tickets changes lives. Thanks to community sponsorship and volunteer support, all money raised goes directly to programs that impact the lives of those in need. From feeding homeless children, supporting the Teen Center at the Haselwood Family YMCA, and Stand Up For Kids, to providing scholarships for graduating High School Seniors, dictionaries to 3rd Graders or supporting Corey’s Day at the Farm, the Silverdale Rotary Club supports our youth.
40th Annual Whale of a Run
Saturday, July 30, 2022
Tourism Information
Bremerton Bike Blitz
July 12, 2022, 6:30 pm
Day Trips from Central Kitsap
Bainbridge Pride Festival
Sunday, July 17, 2022, 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Sea Discovery Center
Open Fridays & Saturdays, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Silverdale @ Sunset Concert Series
Wednesdays, July 27 - August 24, 2022, 6:30 pm
Whaling Days @ Silverdale Waterfront Park
July 29 - 31, 2022
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Contact Us
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events for Tuesday's Community Connections!
360-692-6800
David Emmons
President/CEO
Irene Moyer
Director of Member Relations
Joe Barboza
Operations Manager
Kate Cofer
Membership Coordinator
Brenda Kelley
Tourism Coordinator