On January 5, the Silverdale Rotary Club granted $100 in "Duck Bucks" to Healthy Start Kitsap.  Healthy Start Kitsap, an organization dedicated to helping low income, first-time mothers through their pregancies up to the child's first birthday, will use the funds to purchase books for their childrens program.  The Rotary Club raises "Duck Bucks" through their annual fundraiser, The Great Kitsap Duck Race.

Pitctured: Ed Kalmbach (Executive Director of Healthy Start Kitsap) with Rotarian Mechelle Hoerer.

In November, Silverdale Rotary proudly donated $350 in Duck Bucks to the Blue Star Banner Program, which funded a Blue Star Banner for Christopher Wonaszek from Silverdale, who is on active duty in the U.S. Navy.  We are delighted to announce that the banner is now hanging on Bucklin Hill Road near Chung's Teriyaki.   Blue Star banners are created for military members serving our Country, and the banners are displayed throughout their home town for as long as the member is in the Service or 3-5 years, the life expectancy of the banners. For more information about the Blue Star Banner Program, founded by Lynette George, go to http://www.bluestarbanner.org/about.php .

Silverdale Rotary has close ties with local military bases, and many of our members served with or are retired from the Navy, Army, Air Force, or Coast Guard. Duck Buck donations are made possible by the generous community support of our annual Great Kitsap Duck Race fund raiser. 

Silverdale Rotary has a long history of supporting students, and today was just another example.  We donated $500 in Duck Bucks to Woodlands Elementary School for scholarships to Camp Coleman.  Accepting the check at our Rotary meeting was Melissa Snyder, who explained that this money will send students to camp that wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it.  Duck Bucks donations like this are made possible by  the huge community and business support of our annual Great Kitsap Duck Race.

Pictured: Melissa Snyder and Rotarian Damian Lonnee 

Silverdale Rotary continued its support of the West Sound Youth for Christ Independent Living Services program with a donation of $500 in Duck Bucks.  YFC Independent Living Services assists youth, ages 15-21, with their transition to independence after emancipation from the foster care system.  The cash will be used for equipment for the virtual token program for approximately 30 foster children.   For more information about the program go to http://westsoundyfc.org/ministries/independentliving/.

Pictured: Rotarian Mechelle Hoerer and YFC Executive Director Josh Hinman (accepting check)

The annual Club project to provide a personal dictionary to each third grade student in the Central Kitsap School District was completed on December 15.  Each school in the district, including Cross Point Academy and home school students, was visited by a team of Rotarians.  Working with the East Bremerton Club nearly 900 dictionaries were delivered.

This project has become a favorite of Rotarians because it combines the opportunity for direct service to the community with the experience of being with young people who represent the future of our community and our nation.  The joy of giving is amplified by the ability to interact with the children and share with them the fun of gifting and then using thier dictionaries for the first time.  Some of us who participated even had the opportunity to witness former CKHS Principal Jack Jensen revert to "teacher mode," a role made for him.

From all the Rotarians who had an opportunity to participate this year, from sticking book plates in each copy to actually delivering the dictionaries, a hearty "Thank You" to the Club for making the experience possible. 

Pictured: Students of Silver Ridge Elementary proudly displaying their new dictionaries.

Pictured (left to right):  Quincy Miller, Epiphany Nick, Myranda Stout, Gavin Jaravata, Joseph Sanchez, Jennifer Seal, and Janessa von Scheele.

Once again the Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Silverdale are making a sound community investment with dollars raised during the 2011 Great Kitsap Duck Race.  Some of those dollars have been invested in dictionaries that are now being distributed to all third grade students in the Central Kitsap School District.  This is the third year for the dictionary program which has earned rave reviews from students, parents and teachers alike.

On a schedule set by individual schools, a group of Rotarians, with hand carts filled with boxes of children's dictionaries, visit each third grade classroom in the district.  In the classroom, after a very short explanation about the dictionary program, the Rotarians hand a dictionary to each student.  The dictionaries are the personal property of the students and the first action they all take is to print their names in the front cover of the book to validate that ownership.  The students are then asked to look up a selected word and read the meaning.

The Rotary Clubs of Silverdale and East Bremerton conduct this dictionary program as a joint project.

Pictured:  This is what it's all about.  Emerald Heights third graders put their new dictionaries to use.

The Rotary Club of Camp Pendleton, CA spearheaded a project to collect personal items for Marines in Afghanistan at the Zone 25/26 Rotary Institute in Palm Springs on November 11-13.  Silverdale Rotarians donated three big boxes of paperbacks and sundries and $200, which Rotarians Brian and Barbara Beagle delivered to the Institute.  Total collected was two big pickup loads, which the Marine Corps will ship for free.   All the items are intended to make the troops' life in harm's way a little more comfortable and remind them that we are thinking of them back home.

Pictured:  Silverdale Rotarian Brian Beagle, Camp Pendleton Rotarian and Project Coordinator Linda Sundram, and three Marines from Camp Pendleton who accepted the donations at a Veterans Day ceremony.

 At the November 10th meeting, the Silverdale Rotary Club celebrated Veteran's Day by recognizing the Sailors and Marines of the Quarter/Year.  Each awardee is chosen by their superior officers from a large pool of candidates in recognition of both outstanding military service as well as outstanding community service.  Each person recognized receives an engraved plaque, a lunch in their honor at the Silverdale Beach Hotel, and a gift certificate. 

Awardees were:

MA1 Virginia Horton (Sailor of the Year)

MASN Krisstofer Drumheller (Bluejacket of the Year)

Sgt Brandon Richman (Marine NCO of the Quarter)

Sgt Williamhar Makolo (Marine NCO of the Year)

Cpl John Davis (Marine of the Year)

MA2 Nicholas Miller (Junior Sailor of the Year)

LCpl Sarah Gorman (Marine of the Quarter)

As an added Veteran's Day bonus, Sgt. Major Rick Smith had his Marines perform a "Full Battle Rattle" for the club.  Marines in full uniform from every time period marched into the ballroom while another Marine described the wars and battles that the Marines from each time period fought in.  It was a wonderful illustration of the 236 year history of the Marine Corps and a powerful reminder of the dear price the American people have paid for the freedoms we enjoy.

 On October 20, the Silverdale Rotary Club gave $250 to Susan Leavell for the CKHS W.E.B. program.  W.E.B., Where Everyone Belongs, is a student run anti-bullying campaign.  The group consists of 16 students who provide programs in their school and also travel to other local schools.  The group performs skits and gives speeches intended to promote diversity and promote inclusion among students.  The "Duck Bucks" given, money raised in the Rotary's annual Great Kitsap Duck Race, will help the students purchase group T-shirts and buy more supplies for their awareness program.

Pictured (left to right): Rotarian Damian Lonnee, Rotarian Mechelle Hoerer and Susan Leavell.

 On October 20, the Rotary Club of Silverdale gave $500 to Kelee Jungkeit and Martha de Forest, co-chairs for the CKHS Grad-night program.  Grad-night is part of a "Safe & Sane" program to help keep our graduating seniors safe on their big night by providing them with a wide range of fun, safe alternatives.  The annual Grad-night party runs from right after graduation until about 4:30 am, which helps to ensure that the kids steer clear of high risk activities late in the night.  

The "Duck Bucks" given were part of the proceeds raised by the Rotary Club's annual Great Kitsap Duck Race.

Pictured: Rotarians Damian Lonnee and Mechelle Hoerer (left two) with Kelee Jungkeit and Martha de Forest (right two).

On October 13, the Silverdale Rotary club honored five exemplary students from Cross Point Academy, Klahowya Secondary School and Central Kitsap High School.  Each month the faculty at each school chooses a "Student of the Month," based on outstanding academic performance, great attitude and overall contribution to their community and school.  Each student received a gift certificate, a copy of the Rotary 4-way Test, a letter and a certificate in recognition of their achievement.  In addition, the students are transported to and from the Rotary luncheon via limosuine.  The students recognized were as follows:

Crosspoint Academy:

Carly Walter (September & October) 

Klahowya Secondary School:

John Wolfram (September)

Katlyn Sargent (October) 

Central Kitsap High School:

Dominic Stamerra (September)

Easther You (September) 

Pictured (left to right): Dominic Stamerra, Carly Walter, Easther You, Katlyn Sargent, John Wolfram, Rotarian Ron Templeton.

On September 8, Silverdale Rotary presented a $30,000 check to the Haselwood Family YMCA, the first installment of a $150,000 commitment of direct funding over 5 years to the YMCA Teen Center.  This grant of $150,000, along with a promise of an additional $50,000 from individual Rotarians, is the largest in the history of the Silverdale Club. The $30,000 check was made possible by huge Community support of our recent 18th annual Great Kitsap Duck Race fund raiser, which this year sold out for the first time ever!

Silverdale Rotary is proud to support the YMCA Teen Center, which serves the future leaders of our County, State, and Nation, consistent with the goals and objectives of Rotary International.

Accepting the check and pictured left to right are Silverdale Rotarian Geoff Ball, Executive Director, Haselwood Family YMCA; Derek Foster, Youth Director; and Jennifer Zuver, Chairperson of the Haselwood Family YMCA Advisory Council.  Presenting the check at the far right is Silverdale Rotary President Elayne Burton.  

On August 27, the new Bremerton Rescue Mission mobile shower was dedicated. Silverdale Rotary donated Duck Bucks to this worthy project. This unit will be made available to the homeless at various locations in East Bremerton where the Rescue Mission and a small army of volunteers provide meals for the homeless and others who need food. Silverdale Rotary also donated linens for new bunk beds for the Bremerton Rescue Mission this year and helped with a fund raiser fun run in April.   

Pictured: Walt Le Couteur, Executive Director, Bremerton Rescue Mission.  http://www.bremrescue.org/  For more photos, click here.

For the August 26 Kitsap Sun article, see http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/aug/26/mobile-shower-offers-kitsaps-homeless-a-place-to/

Silverdale Rotary is delighted to welcome Louise Göbbels, our new Rotary Exchange Student from Theux, Belgium.  Louise will be attending classes at Central Kitsap High School as a Senior, and she is currently residing with Rotarian Ron and Peggy Templeton, her first host family.  Welcome, Louise!

 On August 11, the Silverdale Rotary Club honored the Marines and Sailors of the quarter in recognition of their outstanding military performance and service to their country.  The men and women who receive this award are chosen from a very large group of candidates by their superior officers.  In addition to being honored guests at the Rotary Club luncheon, the recipients receive a $100 gift certificate and a plaque to commemorate their achievement. On behalf of the Silverdale Rotary Club, we thank you!

 Pictured (left to right): MACS Tom Blitz, SGTMAJ Rick Smith, SGT Chad Cason (NCO of the Quarter), MA1 Steven Batterson (Senior Sailor of the Quarter), MASN Mario Osman (Sailor of the Quarter), LCOL Curtis Carlin, MM2(SS) Kenneth Murray (Sailor of the Quarter).

Not Pictured (unable to attend): MA2 Karen Hicks (Junior Sailor of the Quarter, LCPL Brian Maynard (Marine of the Quarter).

August 4 was a day of celebration at the Rotary Club of Silverdale's regular meeting, as today we awarded the 2011 Duck Race Grand Prize of $16,000 from Advantage Nissan to Jeff Kehring of Poulsbo (see story below).  A huge thanks goes to Advantage Nissan for their incredibly generous donation.  As Duck Race Chair Peter Matty reiterated, it is very unusual and especially generous for a sponsor to offer cash in lieu of a prize.  We also recognized and/or awarded prizes from the following other major sponsors: Holland America, Quality Heating & Air Conditioning, Silverdale Ben Bridge, Upper Cervical Health Center, and Kitsap Credit Union.  Congratulations to all!

Of course, the other winners of the Duck Race will be the recipients in the Community and in the Dominican Republic of the charitable work of the Rotary Club of Silverdale, made possible by the generosity of sponsors and this year's successful Duck Race Ticket Sell Out!  

Pictured left to right: Rotarian Barbara Beagle (sold Jeff Kehring the winning duck ticket), Silverdale Rotary President Elayne Burton, Chuck Capps from Advantage Nissan, winner Jeff Kehring, Becky Kehring, and Rotarian Peter Matty (Duck Race Chair). 

Congratulations to the winners of the 2011 18th Annual Great Kitsap Duck Race!  Also, a big Thank You! to all the people in our community who Adopted a Duck this year.  We had a Sell Out (first time ever!) on Race Day which allows us to continue to support the organizations, projects and individuals who so need our continued financial and volunteer support during these stagnant economic times.  Pictured here are the winning ducks racing to the finish line.  For a detailed photo journal of the Race, click here.

The Winners are:

 1. Jeff Kehring of Poulsbo, WA won a Nissan Truck or $16,000.00 cash from Advantage Nissan  
2. Mary Demers of Poulsbo, WA won a Cruise for 2 up to $3,300 Holland America  
3. Kim Rye of Bremerton, WA won a $2,500 Credit towards purchase from Quality Heating & Air Conditioning  
4. Angela Dabney of Silverdale, WA won a Diamond Pendant from Ben Bridge  
5. Elizabeth Kaufman of Indianola, WA won an Upper Cervical Package from  Upper Cervical Health Center  
6. Ed Raymond of Bremerton, WA won $1,000 cash from Kitsap Credit Union  
7. Stephanie Martinez of Bremerton, WA won an Overnight Resport Package from Clearwater Casino Resort
8. Nancy Wood of Poulsbo, WA won a Pfaff 1142 Sewing Machine from Sound Sewing
9. Connie Uhinck of Silverdale, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
10. Carolyn Atopness of Bremerton, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
11. Kim Peck of Poulsbo, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
12. Brian Beagle of Silverdale, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
13. Triangle Import Repair of Bremerton, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
14. Schuyler Beaver of Bremerton, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
15. Debra Menkes of Silverdale, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
16. Chris Townsend of Bremerton, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
17. Elmer Beventson won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
18. Ryan Templeton of Bremerton, WA won a $500 Gift Certificate from Kitsap Garage Door
19. Alex Hunnel of Port Orchard, WA won Limo Service from Galaxy Limousine
20. Cheryl Porter of Seabeck, WA won  12 Yards Topsoil Delivered from Asbury's Topsoil
21. Thomas Morrow of won 10 Yards Medium Bark from Clear Creek Nursery
22. Ken Stansberry of Bremerton, WA won a Raleigh Mountain Bike from Silverdale Cyclery
23. Jan Berry of Bremerton, WA won a BBQ Grill Package from Home Depot  
24. Gena Black of Belfair, WA won a Stay and Wine Tasting Package from Siloam Retreat & Wine Shop  
25. Jeff & Debbie Madche of Silverdale, WA won a $500 EE Bond from Columbia Bank  
26. Mary Hoover of Silverdale, WA won a Spa Gift Basket from The Nail Detail  
27. Karel Chessman of Allyn, WA won  3 one-hour massages plus warmie from Old Town Massage  
28. Barbara Kinnert of Silverdale, WA won  3 one-hour massages plus warmie from Old Town Massage  
29. Laurie Hoskinson of Bremerton, WA won a One Night Stay in Fireplace Suite from Oxford Suites Silverdale  
30. Marcus Hoffman of Silverdale, WA won a 3 Month Pass from Silverdale Fitness  
31. Carol Darling of Bremerton, WA won a 3 Month Pass from Silverdale Fitness
32. Tamera Ingwaldson of Belfair, WA won  $100 Cash from BECU
33. Lou Weir of Bremerton, WA won a $75 Gift Certificate from Wild Bird Center
34. Dianna Johnson of Silverdale, WA won a $50 Gift Certificate from Ultra Custom Cleaners
35. Pete Schlicher of Bremerton, WA won a $50 Gift Certificate from Ultra Custom Cleaners
36. Kevin Howell of Port Orchard, WA won a $50 Gift Certificate from Ultra Custom Cleaners
37. Kurt Fisher of Port Orchard, WA won a $50 Gift Certificate from Ultra Custom Cleaners
38. Claire Brandewie of Seabeck, WA won a $50 Gift Certificate from Ultra Custom Cleaners

Winners may contact our prize coordinator, Mechelle, at 360-662-8218.

On July 28 over 100 Rotarians, family members, CKSD volunteers, Community volunteers, and Kitsap County royalty converged on Jenne Wright to de-tag and re-tag 20,000 ducks with ticket numbers in record time: less than 1.5 hours!  Huge Thanks go to all the Rotarian family members, friends, and Community supporters who helped us!  The ducks were subsequently locked in secure storage to rest up for the Race on July 31.  For more photos of this Community event click here.

Win this Nissan Pickup or $16,000 from Advantage Nissan!  Adopt your ducks now at the following locations:

• Kitsap Mall at Center Court (look for the big Duck!) through July 28
• Silverdale location of Safeway and Albertson's:
• - the week of July 25th – 30th from 10 am to 6 pm
• Kitsap Bank in Silverdale during bank hours.
• Haselwood Family YMCA
• - July 25th - 29th  - 8:00 AM to 6 PM
• - July 30th - 10 AM to 6 PM
• Columbia Bank in Silverdale during bank hours.
• Ben Bridge Jewelers in the Kitsap Mall.
• Advantage Nissan
• Pancake Breakfast: July 30th - 6:30 AM - 11 AM
• Along the Whaling Days Parade route: July 30th
• At Rotary Booths at the Whaling Days Festival

The Silverdale Rotary Club is blessed to have enough dedicated Rotarians that selecting a  "Rotarian of the Year" is a challenge to the Club President.  This year the honor  goes to Jason Mayer. In the past year Jason has successfully delivered on the Clubs first International Services Project, has volunteered for numerous activiites related to the Duck Race, has taken over and significantly increased the marketing and sponsorship levels for this year's Duck Race, has been an active Rotarian in the background on numerous other projects and, maybe most importantly, has come to Rotary with a passion that he is driven to see complete. 

(Photo:  Jason Mayer, right, accepts the Rotarian of the Year  award from 2010-2011 Silverdale Club Presidnet Rich Arper)

The passion he carried into the International Services project -- the delivery of a passenger van to Children of the Nations (COTN), a relief organization focusing their efforts on the impoversihed children of the world's poorest countries, which will provide medical and educational opportunities for children who otherwise would simply have gone without -- is the culmination of several years of work on Jason's part.  The resulting success of this project is literally saving lives every day.  Jason is already at work on a proposal to bring clean water to villages that every day go without.  In villages housing the poorest people in the Western Hemisphere, a term the World Bank refers to as "extreme poverty", the people choose between food, clean water and medicine on a daily basis.  Often only getting one or two of these.  Clean water reduces medical illnesses by over half in children and thereby brings the opportunity for a healthier lifestyle to all.

Congratulations Jason.  And thank you!

Our new 2011-12 President Elayne Burton spoke eloquently about the new Rotary International (RI) President Kalyan Banerjee's Theme "Reach Within to Embrace Humanity" at her installation speech on June 30, 2011.  She provided powerful personal examples and related that "as Rotarians and human beings we all draw on our own inner strength and our own resolve to achieve success in rotary."

"I'm extremely proud to be part of Rotary.  We belong to an organization that has not been afraid to tackle the big stuff - like clean water and polio eradication.  We're lucky to be a part of that.  In all the things we think say and do, we have the opportunity to make a difference.  I'm going to try my best to do that this year, and I hope you'll consider reaching within yourselves and joining me."

For the full text of the speech, click here.                 

Silverdale Rotarians celebrated a new Rotary Year at the Installation Dinner on June 30, 2011 at the Seabeck Conference Center.  We thanked Rich Arper for his service in 2010-11 and welcomed Elayne Burton as our new President (see related article above).  Included in the crowd were 16 Presidents, spanning service from 1967-68 to the present.

Pictured:

Front Row: Rob MacDermid 1998-99, Peter Matty 1991-92 & 2009-10, Guest Joanne Croghan (Area 6A Assistant Governor), Elayne Burton 2011-12, Bruce Armstrong 1973-74,

Back Row: Roger Aydt 2000-01, Scott Slocum 2006-07, Brian Beagle 1985-86 & PDG 08-09, Steve Slaton 2007-08, Bud Grahn 2005-06, Rich Arper 2010-11, Bob Cathcart 2003-04, Don Taylor 1986-87, Larry Rodgers 1988-89, Mike Koch 1983-84, Dick Cooke 1967-68, Jack Jensen 1974-75

For more photos of the event, click here.

June 22 was the 18th Annual United Way Day of Caring, and Silverdale Rotarians participated in several hands on projects at non-profit organizations in Kitsap County.  In an amazing 2.5 hours we and other community volunteers worked magic on the landscaping at the Hospice Care Center in  Bremerton.  This continues our long standing partnership with Hospice, where we have worked on the landscaping and completed our long term project, which was a $100,000 commitment to the Hospice Care Center.  For more photos of this project, click here.  

Other Rotarians worked on projects with their own Company groups, and all over Kitsap County the United Way red t-shirts were very visible as hundreds of volunteers made a difference with elbow grease!

On June 2 Silverdale Rotararians thanked all of our 68 (yes, 68!) sponsors at the Duck Race Kick Off Party at the Silverdale Beach Hotel.  All sponsors present had the opportunity to tell about their businesses and their commitment to supporting the community.  Special guests were Aaron and Pat Capps and Chuck Capps, all from Advantage Nissan, who donated the Nissan Frontier PickupTruck  - the grand prize for the Duck Race on July 31.  THANK YOU, SPONSORS! 

Most people are aware that there is aRotary Club in Silverdale and that they do “Community Service." Most are aware of our “Great Kitsap Duck Race” andour presence at the Macys doors “ringing the bell” at Christmas. Some may evenrecognize the Rotary “wheel” or “gear” that identifies the many projectscompleted by Silverdale Rotarians and donated to the community.  What is not seen by the community is thelevel of personal effort and financial contribution made by individualRotarians in their dedicated efforts to make our community a more safe andpleasant place to live and raise our children.

From July 2010 to May 2011, individual Rotarians were asked to keeptrack of the time they devoted to the work of Rotary. In addition, the personalfinancial donations of those Rotary members were also tracked.  Because the time tracking system was veryinformal, the results were not as complete as might have been desired. However,even with less than half of active members reporting, the total time devoted toRotary and community service was 7,780 hours. The majority of that time isdedicated either to fundraising to support work in the community or incompletion of various “dirty hands” projects. The hours figure breaks down toabout 111 hours per individual or over two and one-half weeks of work per year.When the numbers are corrected to reflect total reporting, it become apparentthat, on average, individuals donate about one month of personal time and laborto live up to the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”

In additionto the time commitment made by Rotarians, they have also demonstrated personalgenerosity. In the same Rotary year, individual Rotarians donated over $15,000to The Rotary Foundation and raised and spent over $50,000 locally.  In addition to the numerous “Duck Buck” grantawards, Rotarians have funded $10,000 in academic scholarships for graduates ofour local CK high schools and helped provide personal dictionaries to eachthird grader in the CK School District.

Rotarians, bytheir very nature, do not seek publicity or recognition for their contributionsor accomplishments; they save that for deserving members of the community. Evenwhile you are reading this, Silverdale Rotarians are planning the nextfundraising activity or community project. There is a Silverdale Rotarian onthe phone or online gathering information or support for a project or activitysomewhere.  Even though they work behindthe scenes and without fanfare, Silverdale Rotarians are a powerful force inthe community. As you drive around the Central Kitsapand Silverdale area, keep a lookout for that blue and gold Rotary “wheel” andknow that a Silverdale Rotarian is working to make life better for all of us.

On Tuesday, June2nd, the Silverdale Rotary Club recognized Mindy Eisele as the Central Kitsap School District's Teacher of the Year.  Mindy was selected for her positive influence on the students, her dedication to the teaching profession as well as her students and her tireless efforts to help students realize their potential.

Along with a Paul Harris Fellow, Mindy was presented with a glass paperweight, a financial gift and a framed copy of the 4-Way Test.

Pictured:  Silverdale Rotarian Bud Grah and CDSK Teacher of the Year Mindy Eisner 

The 2010-2011 Silverdale Rotary Scholarship Awardees were presented to the Club at the June 2nd luncheon.  Each of the students was given an opportunity to introduce themselves to the Club and talk briefly about their future ambitions.  As with years past the selected recipients represent an intelligent, motivated, caring group of students.

Pictured (left to right):  Silverdale Rotary Club President Rich Arper, Joey Cilinceon, Emily Kreifels, Jeffrey Alcock, Jake Shoudy, Amber Henry, Brittney Hassett, Hannah Brown and Silverdale Rotarian Ed Hamilton 

Duck Adoptions will be available in our community very soon.  Supporting the Silverdale Rotary's Great Kitsap Duck Race is a direct way to support the many programs, donations and activities of the Silverdale Rotary.  This year our goals include our 4th year providing every 3rd Grader in the Central Kitsap School System with a hardbound, color dictionary, annual scholarships to graduating high school students, dozens of grants ("Duck Bucks") to community organizations and our newest project to sponsor the Teen Center in the new Haselwood YMCA. 

This year the Duck tickets will be different.  Namely, the "Quack Pack" will be one ticket with 5 chances to win!  The Rotary Club is also pleased to announce additional venues where you can Adopt-A-Duck.  Please see the official Great Kitsap Duck Race website for more details.

 Pictured:  Duce Race Ticket Coordinator Roger Eagan and Silverdale Rotary Club President Rich Arper modeling this year's tickets.

On May 19, the Silverdale Rotary Club recognized eight students from Klahowya Secondary School (KSS) and Central Kitsap High School (CKHS) for their outstanding academic achievements.  As always, each and every student impressed club members with their academic, extra cirricular, community service, athletic and personal activity schedules.  The number one question that gets asked of these amazing kids is, "Where do you find the time?!"  The students being recognized had a wide array of interests, college choices and career ambitions.  However, all students shared the common thread of academic achievements, great work ethics and fantastic attitudes!  Each student received a copy of the Rotary Four-Way Test, a certificate worthy of framing, a $100 savings bond and limousine service to the Rotary luncheon.

Pictured (left to right): Lindsey Holdren (CKHS), Katherine Crabtree (CKHS), Peter Lockwood (KSS), Joey Cilinceon (KSS), Carly Whetsel (KSS), Kyle Hnatovic (KSS), Nicholas Wilson (CKHS), Dexter Leland (CKHS), Rotarian Ron Templeton.

The following image confirms (choose one):

a.  Being the President of a Rotary Club is stressful

b.  The Silverdale Rotary Club just celebrated the second Full Moon Fellowship

c.  This is always the way Rich dresses on Tuesday nights

d.  It's Halloween in May.

 On Tuesday, May 17th, the Silverdale Rotary Club joined the Poulsbo-North Kitsap Rotary Club at Sogno di Vino to celebrate a Full Moon, the Norweigan Independence Day and Rotary Fellowship. The Front Street restaurant was an ideal location on an ideal evening for some fellowship between the two Rotary Clubs.  Approximately 45 Poulsbo and Silverdale Rotarians were joined by District Governor Bob Martin and his wife Jan who both seemed more than willing to wrap up a day of Club visits with a low-key social gathering of Rotarians.

It was a lot of fun to extend the idea of our Full Moon Fellowship to our Rotarian neighbors to the north and have the result be a fun evening in a location not often visited by Silverdale Rotarians.

As for the question above;  I can't help you with the correct answer.  But, having spent a week in the Dominican Republic with Rich, I can tell you he doesn't dress like this every Tuesday night.

(pictured:  Brenda Wall, President Poulsbo-North Kitsap Rotary Club; Rich Arper, President Silverdale Rotary Club and 5020 District Governor Bob Martin)

Silverdale Rotary hosted the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Security Force Battalion (MCSFBn), Bangor and Sgt Christopher Rangel on May 11 in order to recognize Sgt Rangel for being chosen as the MCSFBn’s Marine of the Quarter.  SgtMaj Richard Smith described Sgt Rangel’s multitude of accomplishments, and as always, we are grateful for the outstanding service of the Marines in our area.

SgtMaj Smith then went on to provide us with a summary of the long history of the Marine Corps in the Puget Sound area, which started way back in 1856!  Along the way the Marines were assigned on deployed ships and in Bremerton, Keyport, Alaska, Indian Island, Seattle and then Marine Barracks Bangor, which ultimately became Marine Corps Security Force Battalion, Bangor.  Today MCSFBn Bangor numbers over 1,000 Marine Corps and Navy personnel.

Pictured left to right: Sgt Rangel, SgtMaj Smith, and Rotarian Jack Hamilton

On May 12, Silverdale Rotarians had the opportunity to thank Submarine Group Nine Sailor of the Quarter MM1 Andrew Heil.  Heil, stationed aboard the SSBN Louisiana (Gold crew), was presented to the Silverdale Rotary Club by Louisiana Captain (Gold) Joe Turk.

During a week when media attention was focused on Navy's special forces it was a good reminder that we have exceptional sailors serving throughout the Navy. 

Our Rotary team won the Literacy Council of Kitsap Spelling Bee on May 6!  It took 34 Rounds and four grueling hours, but our "We BEE Ducks" team of crack spellers (Elayne Burton, Ed Ahrens, and Mike Gass) ultimately prevailed over the 12 other teams in the annual fund raiser.   About 15 very vocal supporters dressed in neon yellow "Rotarians at Work" vests cheered them on with duck calls and resounding cheers.   Silverdale Rotary contributed $500 of our Duck Race proceeds towards this event plus uncounted personal funds towards Bribing the Bee and the Silent Auction.   Lots of fun for a good cause!

We mourn the loss of Silverdale Rotarian  Judith Rammel, who passed away on April 19.  She joined our Club in 1995, was Club Secretary 2003-05, and was a Paul Harris Fellow.  We will miss her enthusiasm for Rotary, her passion for service, and her unquenchable smile.

The following is from her husband Patrick (who was also a Silverdale Rotarian from 1995-2004): "There will be a Celebration of Life service on May 7, 2011 at 2 P.M. at the Admiral Theater in Bremerton. Please come and celebrate Judith's life with songs and stories. She wanted this is to be a joyful time and filled love and happiness. If you have something red, wear it because it was Judith's favorite color."

The Rotary Club of Silverdale has been working to support the poor in the Dominican Republic for several years (see March 2011 stories below about the van and dictionary project), and is currently making plans for a clean water project in the batays in Southwestern Dominican Republic.  We are thrilled to report that the Rotary Club of Siverdale Sunrise has provided funds to help  with this project!  On April 21 Jay Lovato and Bill Wright presented us with a $2,000 check.  Thank you, Silverdale Sunrise Rotary!

 Pictured left to right: Nancy Whitaker and Jason Mayer (Silverdale Rotary International Services Committee), and Jay Lovato and Bill Wright (Silverdale Sunrise Rotary).  

In April we awarded $1,044 in Duck Bucks to Leadership Kitsap Project Team 2 to purchase the linens for the bunk beds that the Team just built for the Bremerton Rescue Mission.  Then on April 10, our Rotarians volunteered at the 5K Fun Run/Walk fund raiser.  It was a cold, wet morning, but all participants still had fun! 

Pictured here are Rotarians Mary Hoover and Cathy Bisaillon next to one of the newly constructed bunk beds. For more information about Bremerton Rescue Mission, see http://www.bremrescue.org.

What a pleasure is was to recognize four more outstanding students from Klahowya Secondary School and Central Kitsap High School.  On April 7 we heard all about their achievements and awarded them certificates and Savings Bonds to lend our encouragement.  Congratulations!  Pictured left to right:

Alexandra (Alex) Draper (Klahowya) - is headed for the Gene Juarez Academy and plays bass guitar

Dakota Meadows (CKHS) - is headed for the United States Military Academy at West Point 

Shannon Lubetich (CKHS) - is a National Merit Scholar finalist and a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program finalist

Ashley Hargrove (Klahowya)  - is in Running Start and aspires to be a teacher

Ron Templeton - Silverdale Rotarian 

Meet Miharu Umehara, her Mother Chika, and her brother Hiroaki, all from Chigasaki, Japan (Kanagawa prefecture, southwest of Tokyo).  Miharu is our Rotary Exchange Student who arrived in August 2010.  Just last weekend Chika Umehara arrived from Japan, and Hiroaki arrived from Texas Tech in Lubbock, TX, where he is studying applied linguistics at the graduate school.  Mrs. Umehara brought her daughter a special gift – Miharu’s first formal kimono, which Miharu modeled at our Rotary Club meeting on March 17.  We learned that it takes special training and 1.5 hours to properly dress a lady in a kimono.

Pictured from left to right: Miharu, Christy Cathcart (Silverdale Rotary Youth Exchange Officer, who presented gifts to the family), Chika Umehara, and Hiroaki Umehara.

Silverdale Rotarians heard first hand how attending Washington Business Week (WBW) can change a high school student's life when Andrew Walters (pictured on left), sophomore at Klahowya Secondary School, described his experiences last summer.  In a dynamite presentation, Andrew related how his group invented a product, started a business, and ran it. He described the skills he learned, confidence he gained, and the lasting relationships he formed.   

Silverdale Rotary has been supporting Washington Business Week since 1981, and at our meeting today, Rotarian Jim Adkins presented $2,400 to Steve Hyer, WBW Executive Director (pictured on right) to sponsor two CKHS students and defray out of pocket expenses for two more from CKHS or Klahowya.  Steve talked about the volunteers from the business community that make WBW such an exciting experience for teens. For more about  WBW, go to  http://www.wbw.org/Default.aspx  .

Rotary International and the ShelterBox effort was the spotlight of a CNN story airing this past week.  The story (click here) highlights the versatility of the ShelterBox in the Haiti relief effort.

Volunteer arborists Ken Little and Don McKinney climbed Silverdale's historic 131' Christmas tree to help volunteers from the Silverdale Dandy Lions, Olympic Wiring, and the Silverdale Rotary Club get the tree ready for the big lighting event on November 28 starting at 5:00 p.m. in the Silverdale Antiques Store parking lot.

A large crowd at Bremerton High School gym watched community leaders and former basketball stars compete in a Bremerton Lions Club benefit match on November 9 against the Harlem Ambassadors. 

Click here to see all 30 Duck Race Winners.