Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Jul 21 Meeting News and Notes (Jul 24, 2021)

Jul 21 Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Meeting News and Notes

At their Jul 21 meeting, Kingston North Kitsap Rotarians heard from Jennifer Strong and Erin Shannon, co-Presidents of Silverdale Rotary, about that Club’s Duck Race, Sunday, Jul 25. This is their annual major fundraiser, which, over the years, has raised $1.6m for community purposes in the Silverdale area. KNK Rotarians were “offered an opportunity” to purchase Ducks in the race. Twenty bucks. Five Ducks. Good luck.

Other meetings news and notes:

The Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Board has approved a plan to move one noon meeting a month to the evening. The first such evening event will be Aug 18.

Kingston North Kitsap Rotary’s Ale Trail will be part of the community Wine Walk, Aug 21, 11a-5p. Volunteers are needed. Contact Alice Amas.

Nancy Martin reported Pie in the Park is back. After a covid-19 rest year, Pies will be flying off the shelf Aug 12. Pie in the Park has become a favorite fund-raiser for Kingston’s Village Green Community Center over the years. Some years, proceeds have exceeded $50k, as community-spirited bidders set out to score Grandma’s favorite apple pie, or the exotic chocolate latte, whipped cream, banana pie. It is a fun evening, beginning about 5:30p, at Village Green Community Park. Pie in the Park is a free event (until you raise your bid number).

Rotarians brainstormed how the Club could improve its brand-building attire when they are in action in the community. Golf shirts. T-shirts, vests, etc. A group will be formed to execute on the ideas.

Kingston North Kitsap Rotary and Scouts

Since their inception, Rotary International (1905) and Boy Scouts of America (1910) have been partners in serving young people. The principles and goals of both organizations are closely allied. Character-building; service to country, to others, and to self; teaching leadership skills; and becoming aware of the world around us - these are all incorporated into the programs and activities of each organization.

In 2019, Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club’s Board took action to become a charter organization of the local Cub Scout Pack and the local Boy Scout Troop. Rotarian Doug Hallock is the Club’s charter partner representative. Under his guidance, a committee was formed to organize and direct a major restoration of the local Scout Hall in Kola Kole Park. A major gift of $14k from the Smiley Charitable Foundation served to kick-start other donations of money and in-kind work, such that the project will be completed in time for its inauguration Feb 8, 2022 (the anniversary of Scouts in the USA).

In Kingston, there are 20 active Cubs and 10 active Scouts. After more than a year of Covid shutdown, Leaders and Scouts alike are excited to be back to meeting and going out on new adventures. As more families recognize how Scouting is a great way to stay involved in fun activities outside of the house, the number of active Scouts is expected to grow. The program aims to help young people have fun while practicing skills they will need as leaders of the future. The Troop has at least one outing per month, so that Scouts can experience wilderness and the challenges of planning and succeeding at outdoor activities. Recently they did a bike ride along the Crescent Lake trail, participated in Kingston’s 4th of July parade, riding together in uniform and cleaning up along the route afterwards, and did trail maintenance at a local natural area. In August they will attend a week-long Scout Camp. Here, Scouts ride in the 4th of July Parade.

You may have seen Scouts running and jumping around town: the younger Scouts are working on physical fitness tests for their Tenderfoot rank. The current Senior Patrol Leader, Ian Whitney, is preparing his Eagle project. This is what he had to say about his Scout experience: “I like getting opportunities to get outdoors. I have been on hikes, camping trips, fished, and kayaked. I have been to Boy Scout Camp six times and had fun times. I have learned about my community and served my community.”

Scouts do serve their community. Troop 555 Committee Chair Duane Drummond reports, “in May there was a litter patrol around downtown Kingston, and a food drive which went door-to-door. They also were active in the Kitsap Trail maintenance project. More service activities are on the way as Covid restrictions are eased.” Rotarian Mark Libby worked alongside Scouts on the Kitsap Trail maintenance project.

As mentioned, being active in Scouts gets kids out of the house, to learn skills, experience the outdoors, and understand the value of service to their community, all while being part of an active, fun group. Parents can go online to learn more at: beascout.scouting.org. Or better yet, contact Kingston Scoutmaster John Strand (206-293-9528) for meeting information and to sign up for Scouts (John knows about Cubs and Boy Scouts - aka Scouts BSA, as girls are now welcome to join).

Scouts need your ongoing support. As fundraising has been curtailed by Covid, any and all donations are welcome, either in support of Scout activities, or the Scout Hall restoration project. Folks can go to Kitsap Credit Union (Kingston’s branch is in the Kingston Safeway) to donate, specifying the gift to either Troop 555 or Pack 4555. Donations to the Scout Hall restoration project are tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to the Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Foundation/Scout Hall, and sent to KNK Rotary, P.O. Box 832, Kingston, WA 98346.

Local Scouts are sponsored by Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club. They are looking to grow and continue to prosper.

Sheriff Comes to Town

The Sheriff showed up at the meeting. The Jul 14 meeting of Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club. No. It was not Sheriff Longmire, to the regret of some. And to this reporter’s knowledge there were no criminal activity arrests.

The Sheriff’s purpose was to advise the Club on matters relating to Kitsap County’s Sheriff’s operations. John Gese spoke to the members. For many years, he has been Undersheriff. That was until Sheriff Gary Simpson retired Jun 30, when the Undersheriff became Acting Sheriff, too. Got it? Sheriff Gese was among friends and familiar Rotary protocols. He, too, is a Rotarian, a member of the Port Orchard Club.

Kitsap County’s Sheriff’s budget of $43m accounts for 40% of the County general fund, according to Gese. There are 252 employees, 124 of which are commissioned, and 100 serve in corrections. They serve 171k residents of Kitsap County. Only a fraction of one percent of 2020 calls for help resulted in Sheriff’s Department use of force. 138 cases. 80k calls. 12k calls resulted in case reports; there were 3500 arrests.

Gese told Rotarians Covid-19 had a “tremendous impact” on Sheriff Department operations. All pro-active activity was slowed down, including traffic enforcement. There were worries of Covid outbreaks in the jail population, resulting in release of may low-level offenders. The County Court system was shut down. Recovery has been slow.

The George Floyd murder in 2020 has resulted in criminal and justice reform in the U.S. and here in Kitsap County, according to Gese. As a result of peaceful protests throughout our community, the Department has worked at building relationships and communication, with little-known followup to the protests and media attention. “We want to be a progressive agency, inclusive and responsive to our community needs.”

The 2021 Washington Legislative session brought many changes to how policing is done in Washington State. At least thirteen major pieces of legislation were passed, affecting all areas of policing, including use of force, pursuits, hiring/firing, data collection, police interviews, and more. Many of these new policies require training, policy development, new approaches to police work, and how and what type of calls police respond to. Some have unknown impact, and there will be a struggle to interpret the intent, perhaps with unintended consequences, Gese told Rotarians.

During the Q&A session, the Sherrif was asked what scares him the most. “We have been hiring, and hiring good, qualified folks, Gese said, “but I always worry about the 21-year old deputy, on patrol, even with the best training we can give them.”