While the trees turn color and the leaves fall around us, our club is busy with projects for fall and winter.
We worked with the Kingston-North Kitsap Rotary Club to take down the beer tent at Mike Wallace Park, installed our officers for the coming year at Village Green Community Center, and planned the Halloween Carnival we have each year for grade school-age children. It took place at the community center. Lots of fun with everyone in costume, cookies, candy and games.
Each year, we have a food drive that coincides with the Apple Cup football game between the UW Huskies and the WSU Cougars. Kiwanis members and our Kingston High School Key Club dress in the colors of both schools and see who can collect the most food and donations. This year, it will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 18 at Albertsons and The Food Market. Turkeys are worth a touchdown; a ham is a field goal. We also were a sponsor of the Boys and Girls Club Mystery Théâtre and dinner. Lots of fun hanging out with these kids. A good show and lots of food.
Our speakers were new members of our community but important ones.
Dr. Laurynn Evans, the new North Kitsap School District superintendent, visited us, and shared her background and her goals for the district. She is originally from Texas but has lived in the Northwest for 20 years and has a very impressive resume. She wants all NKSD staff, including herself, to be very transparent about how we educate our children and in what direction the district is going. Dr. Evans has visited all the schools and is very impressed by the attitude, friendliness and sense of dedication from everyone she met. Dr. Evans was very focused and dynamic in her presentation and can’t wait to tackle the major problem that all school districts in Washington face — funding.
Closer to home is the new principal of Wolfle Elementary School in Kingston. Many of our members volunteer in the reading and math programs there, so we feel a certain ownership and connection. Principal Courtney Allison is very excited about her new job. Courtney has some great ideas on how to encourage improvement in an already successful reading program, and improving outdated computer systems. She’s originally from Iowa and gradually drifted to the Northwest. She taught classes in Gig Harbor and Marysville and ended up in Bremerton for six years when the Bremerton School District added all-day kindergarten. She has met all the school staff and is impressed with how positive and friendly they are and feels good about working with the staff and community.
A busy October, but rewarding. If you would like to know more about our club, come visit us at the Village Green Community Center each Thursday at 7 a.m. Or contact our president, Rob Shoaf, 907-306-7611 (shoafri@hotmail.com); or me at 360-509-9752, glencarin@aol.com.
Have a great Kiwanis Day.
— Bob Lee writes this column for the Kingston Kiwanis Club. Contact him at glencarin@aol.com.
