TODAY

MAY FEST: The Bremerton Urban Garden Society will be hosting its fifth annual May Fest, the wildly popular gardening event at Evergreen Park, where folks can get their questions answered about all things gardening. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 10 in the parking lot of Seaside Church, at Evergreen Park.

KITSAP JAYHAWKERS: The Kitsap Jayhawkers meet at 11:30 a.m. May 10 at The Airport Diner in Bremerton. This month’s program is “Spectacular Keyboard Artistry.” This is a great opportunity for “native Kansans” to visit and compare notes about their lives and experiences in The Sunflower State. Even if you aren’t from Kansas stop by and say “hello”. You’ll always be welcome to stay and chat a while. Call Doris Rice, (360) 792-9151 for more details.

TUESDAY 13

KITSAP WRITERS: Kitsap Writers meet at 7 p.m. May 13, in the library at Canterbuty Manor, 703 Callahan Drive, Bremerton. This is a workshop meeting. Attendees may bring their writing, poetry or prose (no more than four pages, double-spaced) for critique. Writers of all ages are always welcome. Call Jim Noland, (360) 692-3359, for more information.

FASHION SHOW: The BHS fashion marketing class promises you a fashion expedition you will not soon forget. The spring style show is scheduled for 7 to 8 p.m. May 13 at the Bremerton High School Performing Arts Center. Admission is $5, and tickets may be purchased at the door. A promising highlight of the show will be Principal Aaron Leavell making his runway debut. The fashion show is sponsored by the Kitsap Credit Union. Garments have been furnished by Macy’s and the Tux Shop, Kitsap Mall. For information, contact Madonna Hanna, BHS fashion marketing teacher at (360) 473-0864 or madonna.hanna@bsd.wednet.edu.

THURSDAY 15

PROPERTY OWNERS: The Housing Authority of the city of Bremerton will sponsor the Spring 2008 Property Owners & Managers Conference, scheduled for May 15. The event is free and will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Norm Dicks Government Center, located at 345 6th St. in Bremerton. Please RSVP by contacting Adonis Newkirk at anewkirk@bremertonhousing.org or (360) 616-2236.

DISTRICT MEETING: Council Member Roy Runyon will be hosting a District 4 meeting at 5:30 p.m. May 15 in the fourth floor conference room at the Norm Dicks Government Center. The guest speaker will be Fire Chief Al Duke who will be doing a presentation on the “Proposed Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Levy”.

UPCOMING

CHILI COOK-OFF: Calling all chili-lovers — again as the Lincoln Avenue Bible Church chili cook off tradition continues for a fifth year on May 17.  There will be special activities for kids, including hula hoop contests, a coloring poster contest, and guessing jars — plus a special salute to the families of USS Stennis service members. “Soup’s on” right after the Armed Forces Day parade; bowls will be available from noon to 2 p.m. Go to Lincoln Avenue Bible Church, located right next to Olympic College:  1250 Lincoln Ave.  You’ll find ample parking. The public is welcome to attend. Questions? Phone the church office (Tuesday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at (360) 373-5075; e-mail: office@labchurch.org; or see our Web site:  www.labchurch.org. 

HEARING LOSS: You are invited to learn about Hearing Assistive Technology (hearing aids, phones, assistive listening devices) from John Allen at the May 17 meeting of Hearing Loss Association of Kitsap County (formerly SHHH) in the Iris Room at Silverdale Harrison Hospital, 1800 Myhre Road. Here’s the opportunity to actually try this equipment in challenging listening situations. (Park in lower parking lot, proceed through main door at that level—labeled Iris Room ahead on left.) We welcome everyone. Our meetings are amplified and individual assistive listening units are available. This meeting will also have realtime captioning. Free hearing loss information available at HLA Kitsap meetings: brochures, handouts, news letters and flyers that you may take home (do not take multiple copies so that our supplies remain available for others). See more information on our state HLA Web site: www.hearingloss-wa.org and national HLA Web site: www.hearingloss.org. You can go online free at Kitsap County Public Library branches where library staff will assist you. Future HLA Kitsap meeting details will be posted on the state HLA website, in Kitsap County newspaper meeting notices and in periodic mailings.

BIZ WORKSHOP: WaMu presents a free small business event “Business Banking Made Personal” from 5 to 8:30 p.m. May 19 at the Kitsap Conference Center in downtown Bremerton. Visit a WaMu location near you or register at www.seeuthere.com/nwsmallbusiness. Space is limited.

ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT: Ashley Gardens at Bremerton, an Alzheimer’s and memory care community located 3231 Pine Road, will host an Alzheimer’s and dementia support group at 7 p.m. May 21. The support group will be held at The Willows at 3201 Pine Road and hosted by Ashley Gardens at Bremerton’s life enrichment director Janet Presley. This group is open to the public at no cost.

The group provides a forum to share information, resources and coping techniques for persons with dementia, their caregivers, family and friends. For more information, please call (360) 478-7277 or visit www.cascadeliving.com.

GRAD NIGHT: The BHS Grad Night Committee will be hosting a fund-raising lunch at the Outback Steakhouse in Bremerton on May 24. Two seatings are available: the first lunch will be from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., and the second lunch will be from noon – 1:30 p.m.

The menu will include BBQ chicken, steak, burgundy mushrooms, rice, hot bread, a variety of beverages and dessert for only $15 per person. There will also be a silent auction and donations are appreciated.

PHOTO SHOW: The Pacific Northwest Photographic Society announces its annual invitational photo show. Walk-in entries are being accepted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 26 and April 2 in the Thunderbird Room at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Mail-in entries have to be received no later than April 30.

The annual show is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 24 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 25 in Presidents Hall at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. Additional information and entry forms available at www.photosocietynw.org or by e-mail at pacphoto1@aol.com.

BOWLING PARTY: The staff, parents, and students at Armin Jahr will be having a Bowling for Bytes fund-raiser at the Bremerton Bowl on June 7. The fund-raiser begins at noon and proceeds from the bowl-a-thon will be used for purchasing new computers and document cameras. For more information, please contact Armin Jahr at (360) 473-4100.

ONGOING

SPANISH IMMERSION: The Bremerton School District is currently accepting registration for its elementary Spanish immersion program. This year the district plans to offer this program to English–Speaking kindergarten and first grade students. The curriculum and instruction of this program is designed to help children become bilingual in English and Spanish. The current kindergarten teacher, Hortensia West, is allowing up to three adult classroom visitors per day on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays. If you would like to visit the classroom or have other questions about Spanish Immersion, please contact Sue Shipley at sueaship@comcast.net or (360) 649-6445.

FUTURE FESTIVAL: Historic Port Gamble will be the setting for the greenest outdoor sustainability festival in Washington, August 2-3. The Great Peninsula Future Festival will mix interactive displays of green concepts, products and services with family entertainment, live music, food and hand-made crafts. For a vendor kit e-mail: Info@GreatPeninsulaFutureFestival.org. Call (425) 788-7496 or visit www.GreatPeninsulaFutureFestival.org.

CHORUS REHEARSALS: Kitsap Pines Chorus of Sweet Adelines will host chorus rehearsals every Tuesday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church, located at 1410 Ohio St., Bremerton. Women of all ages interested in barbershop style singing are welcomed to join. For more information, call Kathy at (360) 297-8414 or visit the Web at www.kitsappines.org.

CHESS: The Kitsap County Chess Club will host games at the downtown Bremerton library from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays during the month of March. For information, call (360) 377-3955.

FARMERS MARKET: The Bremerton Farmers Market is seeking vendors for its 2008 market season, including farmers and artisans, as well as musicians to perform at the market. The season will run every Thursday, May 15 through Oct. 9, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Seaside Community Church at Evergreen Park. For more information, contact Tiffany at (360) 621-5934 or bremertonmarket@gmail.com. Application packets can be found on the Web, www.bremertonmarket.com.

Send us your events

The Bremerton Patriot has a calendar section, but sadly it resembleS Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard. It’s bare.

As your community newspaper, the Patriot invites all service organizations, community groups and others with community events upcoming to send us an e-mail at editor@bremertonpatriot.com or give us a call at (360) 782-1581, so we can let everyone know what’s going on.

Ongoing events like group meetings will be included in the “Ongoing” part of the calendar, which will appear on as space allows basis. Everything else will be listed by date or as “Upcoming.”

In order to make that happen, we need you, our faithful readers, to help us out. Simply put without you, it won’t be possible.