Silverdale Rotarians Jennifer Strong (l) and Erin Shannon (r) presented their club’s holiday fundraising project to Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians at their October 31 meeting in Kingston.Partnering with Lynch Creek Farm in Shelton, Wa, the Silverdale Club is making it possible for anyone, anywhere to purchase a fresh wreath, centerpiece, or garland for the holidays.20% of all sales go to organizations throughout Kitsap County that support homeless and neglected kids (organizations such as Coffee Oasis and Stand Up for Kids).Most wreath prices range from $45 to $65.Free shipping is included to anywhere in the contiguous U.S.To shop and make purchases, go to:www.RotaryWreaths.com.
New member Julie Fox gave her “classification” speech to Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians at their Halloween meeting, October 31 (classification speech is essentially “your story” and is part of becoming a blue badge member in Rotary). Promising no tricks or treats, Fox told her story.One of being the Mom of four children, the oldest having graduated from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, the youngest a junior at Kingston High School.While she recently transitioned to a new job involving data entry, allowing a more flexible schedule, she, for fifteen years, was involved as a physical therapist and trainer at Kitsap Physical Therapy. Julie continues to teach classes at KPT, including a “mean” spin class five days a week.She looks forward to being able to contribute more in her community and has been an essential part of the Club’s Kitsap Olympic Ale Trail committee.
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This is a story about Rotarians in Canada.And Rotarians in Kingston.It’s about one Akeem Stephenson, who wanted to go to jail.He believed it was the only way he could free himself from a life of crime - a life he desperately wanted to change.After being arrested a fourth time more than 10 years ago, for aggravated robbery, the teenager in Toronto was set to go to prison.But the judge saw something in Stephenson that suggested that he could redeem himself.So he gave Stephenson a choice:participate in an 18-month youth program, or serve the six-month sentence.For Stephenson, the choice was clear.He decided to transform his life through the PACT Urban Peace Program.
PACT, which stands for Participation, Acknowledgement, Commitment, and Transformation, is a Toronto-based, award-winning charity supported by Rotary clubs in Canada.It works with at-risk young people and those who have committed crimes to change their direction in life.Entrepreneur and Toronto Rotary member David Lockett co-founded the program more than 20 years ago.The intensive, step-by-step program aims to break the cycle of poverty and criminal behavior.Its goal is to determine what the participants need and develop strategies “to put them on a positive path in their life, so they can enrich not only their own lives, but their community,” says Lockett.
PACT works with the judicial system to identify repeat offenders ages 12-19 who may benefit from the program.After a young adult is convicted of a crime, the judge or judicial official refers them to PACT as part of a probation order.Central to PACT’s success is its LifePlan Coaching program, an intense intervention system that pairs a participant with a certified life coach.The two meet each week for 12-18 months to set goals in six key areas:education, employment, health, relationships, contributing to the community, and staying out of the criminal justice system.Many LifePlan Coaches are Rotarians.
Akeem Stephenson used the PACT program to turn his life around and launch his music career.
What, you say, does this have to do with Kingston North Kitsap Rotary?Well, it’s a small example of what Rotary Clubs the world over are working on in their communities on a daily basis.Often, the focus of Rotary’s leadership, lead donations, and sweat-equity is youth.Programs to divert young lives from a path to nowhere.As did our colleagues up north for Akeem.Here in Kingston, one of Rotary’s goals is to assist in the establishment of the Kingston Coffee Oasis in the former community center.It, too, is about youth.Coffee Oasis was formed in 1997 by Dave and Cindy Fredrick in Bremerton.It is a Kitsap-centric enterprise.Simply put, they sell coffee in the front to help kids in the back, providing resources for street youth.Showers.Laundry.Clothing.Food.Job training.Case management.Shelter.“Changing the world for homeless youth, in one community after another through evidence-based youth programs supported by sustainable coffee business.”That’s Coffee Oasis.
Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians are proud to thank, in this month of Thanksgiving, all who raised their paddle for Kingston’s Coffee Oasis at June’s Swing for Rotary golf tournament dinner/auction.A total of $15k was raised.Welcome to Kingston Coffee Oasis.In addition to leading with donations of money and sweat-equity to your cause, we are pleased to welcome you and your youth-saving programs to our community.
Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians are people of action.We take the lead on programs, activities, and initiatives that make this a better place to live.We would be pleased to invite you into our Club.We have fun and fellowship on the way to making this a better community.Weekly meetings, Wednesdays, 11:45 a.m., Village Green Community Center.
There are 529 Rotary Districts worldwide. Leading one of the geographically largest of those, District 5020 (all of Vancouver Island and western Washington), is Craig Gillis, who visited the Kingston-North Kitsap Rotary Club October 17. Gillis is a teacher by profession. He “educated” club members on what he called the heart and science of service. The heart is why we do it. The science is how, the body of practice we learn as Rotarians. As Rotarians, he said, we are connected by invisible strands…the stories we tell each other. This is why it is a goal to bring in more new members. He said the future is youth. “Whatever we can do to support youth, keep on doing it.” Gillis left members with two homework assignments. First, “move the needle forward in whatever way you like.” Second, take a blank note card home and write to someone who’s made a difference in your life. A note of appreciation. Put something in their “shoebox of life.”
Board meeting minutes are sent to all members in a bulk mailing. Should you wish to review a set of minutes you may not have saved, follow these steps to find them online.
Go to our website: Kingston-nkrotary.org
Login.
Next select “Member Area” from the top bar.
Scroll down under “My Clubrunner” and select “View Club Documents”.
Scroll down to the Board Minutes you wish to read.
You may recall the item submitted last year by Treasurer Gale Kirsopp, about Amazon Smile - where you can do your Amazon shopping AND make a contribution to our Rotary Foundation in the process! In case you haven't signed up yet - PLEASE do. Here is the link to set up your "Amazon Smile" account. After that it's just a matter of going to "smile.amazon.com" to do your Amazon shopping and your contribution will be automatic. There is NO extra cost to do this. Amazon is sharing their profit with us!