With our Feb. 17 issue of the North Kitsap Herald was a copy of the new 2017 North Kitsap Almanac. On page one of the Almanac was a welcome written by Herald publisher Terry Ward and editor Richard Walker. The title read, “Welcome to North Kitsap … welcome home.”

Wow, Terry and Richard, your point is both well taken and well made to those of us lucky enough to have grown up in North Kitsap. Poulsbo was home, but Hansville is where I salmon fished with my dad, Indianola was where my serious high school sweetheart lived, Keyport torpedo station was where I got my first summer job. Kingston, we played some serious junior league baseball. Port Gamble, I was born there and spent a summer on the mill’s green chain. Suquamish was a road trip from Poulsbo Elementary. We never beat their sixth-graders and rejoiced when they joined us at North Kitsap Junior High in 1946.

Also, in growing up our pals included friends whose homes were within the Port Gamble S’Klallam and Suquamish Tribes. We applaud what they and their families have accomplished.

Harlan Knudson

North Kitsap High School Class of 1951