BREMERTON — In an effort to provide a sense of community with a bit of action, Marit Bockelie, owner of Bremerton Letterpress Co., and Maggie Rich, with the YWCA, joined together to hold a letter-writing event Friday, Feb. 17.

“We are providing a space and some information for people in the neighborhood — in the whole county, actually — to come and write post cards to their senators and representatives regarding issues that they think are being threatened right now with the current information,” Bockelie said.

There, information and fact sheets were provided on many different topics, including reproductive rights, Planned Parenthood, immigration issues, environmental issues, cabinet and supreme court appointees and more. Information about who you should write to and where to address it was also provided.

“What we planned to do for this event,” Bockelie said, “was to be kind of more general. In the future, we want to do the same kind of thing, but on more focused topics. We’ll bring in local experts that we can find who can answer questions (and explain) how it will relate to people who live here.”

Bockelie said people are welcome to bring their own post cards on which to write their letters, as well as some food to share if they want.

She also said that if attendees choose to use the provided post cards, a $1 donation per post card is encouraged, to cover the cost of materials.

Bockelie said doing this is providing a space for people “to connect with other people who are worried, concerned, feeling like they don’t have a lot of avenues.”

“Post cards are really simple, they’re not going to change the world,” Bockelie said. “Just the act of coming together, I think, can have a big impact. I can just clarify our own voices, what we think … when you talk to your neighbors and other people and listen to their perspective, (it helps).”

She added that focusing on writing letters on post cards is a way to deliberately write shorter messages.

“Post cards are really small,” Bockelie said. “You kind of have to think about what you want to say to be concise and effective.”

She said she hopes the offices of local elected officials will be flooded with post cards like this.

“Hopefully, this is a jumping off point for further action coming out of our county,” Bockelie said.

For more information on future events, contact Marit Bockelie at 360-830-6233.

Michelle Beahm is a reporter for the Central Kitsap Reporter and Bremerton Patriot. She can be reached at mbeahm@soundpublishing.com.