Fresh Connections – The Parfitt Way Blog

By Christine St.Pierre – Downtown Seattle seemed to vibrate, its lights pulsating with electricity. Standing on the balcony, I watched the city grow dim and disappear as the ferry slipped into the thick fog surrounding Bainbridge Island. Moonlight illuminated the small landmass before me, its ridge jagged from the treetops of giant evergreens. Small houses dotted the shoreline with kayaks and beach chairs along the water’s edge. The ferry’s engines turned off, and we coasted into the harbor.

Slowly, I inhaled through my nose; the smell of seawater, kelp, and dense forest flooded my senses. A calm overcame me. Leaving the sleepless bustle of Seattle behind, the island immediately offered a tranquil escape. The moonlight lit my path as I walked to my new home from the ferry station. Sleepy, eclectic storefronts boasted of a lively community, and I was eager to discover what the sunlight would bring the next morning.

I awoke in a beautiful cabin home with a wall of windows that overlooked a yard decorated with large ferns and old growth trees. The other interns living in the house slowly filed into the kitchen to boil water for their morning tea, and we elaborated on what drew us to the island for an internship at YES! Magazine. Writers, activists, and lovers of the outdoors, each of us was eager to plant roots in the island’s various organic farming, music, art, and writing circles. So began the fun part: finding them.

Our home in the southeastern corner of the island is a short bike ride away from downtown Winslow, the community hub that welcomes the flow of ferry passengers as they disembark from the terminal. All day, people wander in and out of the assortment of local businesses that line the streets, greeting each other by first name. The general aesthetic and attitude is that of humility, genuine happiness, and an appreciation for their shared island home. Even the sun seems to shine more often here.

I had heard rumors of the island being a desert of twenty and thirty-something folks, but immediately I caught glimpses of them everywhere, grabbing lunch at the Town & Country grocer, sipping coffee, or driving trucks filled with crates of locally grown produce along Winslow streets. They exist amongst the families and tourists, a rare species that can be seen anywhere at any time. The tricky part is actually getting to know someone. From there, it’s a domino effect. I landed a job at Pegasus Coffee House, which filtered me directly into a scene composed of sailors, famers, artists, writers, musicians, yogis, locals, transplants, and everything in between. Quickly, I became acquainted with a handful of locals and began my transition into island life.

My adventure to Bainbridge Island originated as a career opportunity, one that would come and go, offering professional skills and connections that would lead me into a future in editing. Upon arriving, though, I sensed that I would weave myself into the conscious community before me—one that I had unsuccessfully searched for in Seattle—and remain for much longer than planned.

I was right. Over time, this island would become my home.

Every generation puts its stamp on the American Dream, states Dan Kadlec unequivocally, in his piece Millennials Put Their Surprising Stamp on the American Dream | TIME.com http://business.time.com/2014/02/06/millennials-put-their-surprising-stamp-on-the-american-dream/#ixzz2sgsrimnE

But the current batch of 20-somethings, sometimes called the Millennials,  have failed to overtly stamp Bainbridge Island… it would seem.

When you look at demographic data for the island-city there is one generation most notably absent… those born between the years of 1983 and 1994. Look around you next time you are at the movies, on the ferry, in a restaurant – other than the waitstaff, where are the Millennials? Sure, around the holidays you may see them passing through our quaint streets, but where are they and what are they doing the rest of the time?

That is the assignment I have posed to anyone interested in sharing.

Christine St.Pierre, who has come to us by way of the Yes! magazine intern program, has taken up the challenge and you can see her first two posts in this blog.

For the rest rest of you, where are you and what are you doing… on Bainbridge Island?

This past year was a great one for many businesses on Bainbridge Island.  If you are a local or a frequent visitor of this town, then you’ve certainly noticed the influx of shoppers this year, especially during the summer months and holiday season!  Google recently revealed their 2013 eCity Award winners for each state in the nation, and they named Bainbridge Island as the number one online business community in Washington!!

It states on the website, “Bainbridge Island…has more than just epic scenery: its bakers, fudge-makers and artists are using the web to stay connected with visitors long after they’ve snapped their last photos”.

Bainbridge Bakers is one local business that has taken their presence online, and has ran with it.  Armed with a frequently updated Facebook page and Instagram account, owner Michael Loudon shares moments from important local events as well as images and updates on his bakery’s delicious food and drink.  Bainbridge Bakers is currently undergoing construction on their second location right by the ferry terminal in the Island Gateway complex.

Other businesses, in addition to their Facebook pages, are using ecommerce to stay connected with customers.  Eleven Winery, The Traveler, and we here at Parfitt Way (Pegasus Coffee House and the Harbour Public House)…these are just a few businesses that have made it easy for customers to shop for their products online long after they have taken the ferry back to the mainland.

2013 was indeed a great year for local business as you can also read about 2013 and indicators for 2014 on the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance Website http://www.kitsapeda.org/

For more information on the eCity awards, visit http://www.google.com/economicimpact/ecities/

A Bainbridge Island Institution and tradition the One Call for All organization is continuing to channel the generous donations, over $1,000,000.00 in the last year, to support the numerous causes and groups that do so much to enhance the life and experience of the Island. Just some examples, Montessori Country School is in its 40th year of getting children started on the path to a lifetime of learning and working together in a sharing and caring environment. Entering its third generation of leadership the school is an innovative source of childhood learning experiences. Another beneficiary is IslandWood. This outdoor based learning center for all ages is located on 225 acres which brings participants into the natural world that is seemingly ever more distant and isolated from the sounds of the birds, woods and waters that surround us. Originally started in cooperation with the Seattle public School IslandWood has evolved into a grand resource for Bainbridge as well as the surrounding communities. Since 2001 the Bainbridge Island Youth Symphony has been bringing Island youth into the world of music. With the December 15th concert in Seattle the orchestra celebrates what promises to be the best year ever. With many other good causes and organizations to support these few are just the tip of the iceberg. Please give generously. One hundred percent of your gift goes directly to the recipient of your choosing. For additional information visit http://www.onecallforall.org

Thanksgiving is a day of tradition. But here’s an idea: on a day typically reserved for lots of turkey, pie, football, familyand naps, try throwing a little Turkey Trot into the mix. For the fourth year in a row, the Bainbridge Island Turkey Trot will take place at Battle Point Park on Thanksgiving morning.

The Trot consists of two fun runs – a 1 mile run beginning at 8:30 a.m. and a 5K run beginning at 9 a.m.  Both runs begin in front of the Transmitter Building and circle all the way around the Park.

Note to participants: Costumes are always welcomed! And encouraged!

The Turkey Trot is not only a great way to preemptively run off some delicious dinner calories, but it’s also a terrific way to help benefit a local charity.  The annual race raises money for Helpline House, Bainbridge’s local food bank.  $42,000 has been raised by way of the Turkey Trot in its first three years alone!

Longtime local islander, 22 year-old Rachel Frickleton, participated in last year’s Turkey Trot.

“Last year was the first year I Turkey Trotted,” she said. “I did it with my friend Brooke, my younger brother and sister, and my dad.  My mom and our then-puppy, Fly, joined us but didn’t run last year.”

Rachel recalled having a great experience, joined by loved ones and geared up with a knit turkey hat (which she said her father rocked for part of the run).

“I loved the feeling of being united with one of my favorite communities on my favorite holiday,” she said.  “I enjoyed being up early, the weather was perfect, the Turkey Bowl flag football game afterwards was a blast…everything just fell in place so nicely.”

The race is open to runners of all ages!  If you are interested in Turkey Trotting this year, you can register online, by mail, or in person at Island Fitness.

For more information an this awesome new island tradition, and for more registration details, visit their website at www.bainbridgeturkeytrot.org.

Come out and run this year!  Not only is running good for your health and your soul, but the Trot is great way to support needy families in our community as well.

November 2013: Duty Calls, Honor Serves.

Images of the Vietnam Memorials and Arlington Cemetery, Washington, DC. by Photographer Bill Woods

Special Artist Reception on Veterans Day: Monday, November 11 @ 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Exhibit runs November 5 – 26

This November, the BPA gallery presents dramatic and compelling images of the Vietnam Memorials and Arlington Cemetery by veteran and photographer Bill Woods. He commemorates the service of all U.S. military veterans with this powerfully moving exhibit featuring ten evocative photographs using digital images, B&W archival prints and framing.

Veterans Day is “The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month.” The November exhibit at Bainbridge Performing Arts includes fundraising and a raffle of two American flags that have flown over the U.S. Capitol, with all proceeds to benefit the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Naval Base Kitsap (Bremerton and Bangor).

Pictured: Nurse Charity, sculpture by Glenna Goodacre. Image: 2008 © Bill Woods

EduCulture is partnering with the Harbour Pub this autumn on a fundraising campaign to benefit the edible education programs.  The Pub has a feature story about the work of EduCulture on their fall menu, encouraging patrons to contribute to supporting our work through the One Call for All campaign or directly through our non-profit organization.

For every dollar donated to EduCulture directly or through One Call for All during this fall campaign, the Harbour Pub will contribute a dollar, matching up to $7500 in contributions.
This opportunity to raise $15,000 will go a long way to build the needed infrastructure to further develop the edible education programs to meet their growing numbers of participating students and teachers.

We encourage you to consider making a tax-deductable contribution to EduCulture that can be generously matched by the Harbour Pub! (Please indicate “Pub” on your donation forms so they can better track these donations.

Monday nights are Trivia nights at Bainbridge Island Brewing!  Begun in January of this year and hosted every Monday from 7-9 p.m. (unless there’s a Seahawks game), these trivia nights draw crowds from both on and off the island.

And it gets rowdy.

Chuck Everett, one of the owners of Bainbridge Island Brewing, commented on the energy of the weekly event, saying he looks forward to it every week.

“It’s very lively,” he said.  “Typically there are anywhere between 8 and 15 teams going on.”

Chuck said that there are plenty of regulars, but also competitors that come from off the island.  Prizes and bragging rights are highly sought after.  First prize is awarded five pints of beer, second prize gets three pints, and third place winners receive one pint.

One of the brewery’s Trivia regulars is Bainbridge’s own Houston Wade.  Houston is a trivia-hopper, and has been to countless trivia competitions both on and off the island.  He has been attending Bainbridge Island Brewing’s Trivia night since June.  His answer when I asked about his favorite part of Trivia?

“Crushing everybody,” he replied.  He noted that his team usually holds their own against competitors.

Team sizes can vary.  One person can make a team, or a large group can as well.  Houston noted that he has seen up to 15 people on one trivia team.

Monday night Trivia is hosted by local islander Steve Nagel, of  Trivia Time Live .  Bainbridge Island Brewing provides snacks, and players are welcome to order out pizza and bring it with them.

Beat the Monday blues and head over to Bainbridge Island Brewing to play some trivia!  Just make sure you get there early.  It does fill up.

The Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council which sponsors Celluloid Bainbridge, the Bainbridge Island Film Festival, has selected a very topical film by Mark Davis titled, “Against the Tide”.

This film which discusses the struggle of live aboard boaters in Eagle Harbor will be screened at 10:00 am Saturday November 2nd as part of the three day film festival featuring many short films as well as full length documentaries covering environmental issues, autism and children’s stories.

Four years in the making Against the Tide features interviews with residents who are fighting to maintain their traditional way of life aboard their floating homes. Also featured are the representatives from Washington State and locals who see these floating homes as derelict and as sources of pollution. View a trailer

Headlining the festival is the film, “A Fierce Green Fire.” Spanning the first 50 years of the environmental movement from grassroots activism to the challenges of global warming this film has been presented to acclaim worldwide. Narrated by Robert Redford, Meyrl Streep, Isabel Allende and more this film presents the beginnings through the current state of the movement to save the world. This film opens the festival November 1st at the Historic Lynnwood Theatre and Bainbridge Cinemas. An opening night celebration will be at The Marketplace at Pleasant Beach. Come and meet the filmmakers and special guests and enjoy wine, beer and hors d’ouveres.

Click here for more information on the film festival plus all the other arts supported for Bainbridge Island

The time has come.  It is now the most haunted season of the year.  The Kitsap County Fairgrounds have been transformed into the Kitsap Haunted Fairgrounds, and if you’re itching for a good scare or simply a fun and thrilling thing to do on a Saturday night, make your way over to their chilling location in Silverdale.

Started in 2003, the “haunted house”, as it were, is located in three buildings on the fairgrounds.  The buildings are connected, and from the ticket booth guests are led (and followed by compellingly grim and macabre zombie actors) into the haunted maze.  The volunteers who act as ghouls and zombies for the event are terrifying.  I visited the haunted fairgrounds on Halloween night of 2008, and never made it past buying my ticket.  I was too afraid.  In fact, I (an 18 year-old at the time) was pursued out of the venue by a grisly and bloodily costumed 10 year-old actor, whose stares gave me the biggest chills I have ever experienced.  I proceeded to wait for my friends to finish the haunt.

Island resident Aryn Versteegh, 22, has also visited the Kitsap Haunted Fairgrounds.  Unlike this writer, Versteegh made it through the ordeal.

“I really liked it,” she said.  “My favorite was when they chased us out (at the end) with a chainsaw!  They get you to do a lot and you think you’re safe, then you’re not!”

The Kitsap Haunted Fairgrounds is run entirely by local volunteers who are partnered with Kitsap County Parks and Recreation.  This year, as part of a new partnership with the Kitsap-North Kitsap Rotary, all proceeds will directly benefit the local community and charities chosen by the Rotary organization.

The event will run for five more days in October –  the 18^th, 19^th, 25^th, 26^th and on Halloween – plus the first two days of November.  While they do have one hour when guests can experience the haunt with the lights on, I strongly encourage everyone to go for the full scare later on in the evenings!!

For more information on the Kitsap Haunted Fairgrounds, or to find out how to volunteer, visit their website at www.kitsaphauntedfairgrounds.com.