Program inspires youth career choices

Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island, Bainbridge Youth Services and FindMino, a local startup and career exploration platform, are launching a new program to empower young adults to make more informed and inspired career and study decisions.

As part of the Career Exploration Initiative, the Coffee and Careers program is designed to inspire high school and college-aged students to learn about themselves and think out of the box. Teens will be given tools to further explore academic pursuits or careers that best match their interests and talents.

The Career Exploration Initiative, which has served as the umbrella for the Rotary and BYS Summer Internship program, is offering a new online platform using FindMino’s wealth of career information and the ability to connect with jobholders. Current or retired business professionals or owners willing to meet virtually for coffee with teens to talk about career paths and study goals are encouraged to participate.

“We (the partnership) believe we can help young people navigate the post-COVID career and educational landscapes with more confidence, enthusiasm and insight into how they want to design their life,’’ said FindMino co-founder Jeff Leinaweaver.

“We hope teens will take advantage this summer of this wonderful, free opportunity to learn about themselves and daydream about their futures,’’ BYS Executive Director Cezanne Allen said.

For details go to: careerpathsbi.org.

2 Kitsap teens win scholarships

Out of a nationwide applicant pool of over 2,500, two Kitsap County women have been honored with PEO STAR SCHOLARSHIPS for higher education.

Delaney James and Kendall Havill, both of Bainbridge High School, are 2020 recipients. The scholarship was established in 2009 for exceptional high school senior women to attend an accredited post secondary educational institution. PEO supports women changing the world with scholarships, grants, and loans.

PEO Chapter GD of Bremerton nominated James of Bainbridge Island. She graduated in June with honors. She served as a class/ASB officer for four years, supported incoming students in LINK Crew, played varsity tennis, served on the Bainbridge Island Saddle Club Board, and is a changemaker in her community. Delaney was instrumental in establishing the Hannah Hummingbird Jr. Guild supporting uncompensated care for Seattle Children’s Hospital. Delaney will pursue pre-veterinary medicine at Santa Clara University as well as her equestrian interests.

PEO Chapter II of Bainbridge Island nominated Havill. Havill excels at sports and graduated with 11 varsity letters in lacrosse, basketball and golf. She is an All-American in lacrosse and served as team captain.

Kendall has volunteered to coach and assist youth in sports. She has volunteered, fundraised and brought awareness for Partners in Health. Kendall will attend Colorado College majoring in Environmental Health while minoring in both Global Health and Spanish. She will play for the Division III women’s lacrosse team.

Staycation contest in B.I.

Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation is putting on a contest to promote Staycations.

For the next six weeks, visit local parks, take photos and get a chance to win a Staycation prize.

Post your Bainbridge Staycation photos on Facebook or Instagram along with the hashtag #bistaycationloveparks Or email (info@biparksfoundation.org) your photo(s) with a short note about your Staycation, and they will be posted on those pages.

The themes are:

Picnic & Parks (Aug. 1-8) | What is your favorite picnic spot in a park or along a trail?

Park & Play (Aug. 9-15) | What’s the best park to play with your kids, pets, family members on the island?

Surprise & Delight (Aug. 16-22) | What are the little things that make you smile at a park or walking along a trail?

Trees, plants, and mushrooms, oh my! (Aug. 23-29) | What are the interesting plants and trees, animals you see on your visit to our parks and trails?

Read & Relax (Aug. 30-Sept.5) | What is your favorite book to read in a park or along the trail?

There’s No Place Like Home (Sept. 6-7) | Share the park or trail that best reflects BI to you.

Prizes include Fay Bainbridge cabin and dinner, fully-outfitted Vanagan and a gift card to Wildernest.

Studio Tour seeks artists for winter

Applications are available for the 2020 Winter Studio Tour on Bainbridge Island.

The tour will be a virtual event throughout December. Applications are due Aug. 22 and can be completed online.

Artists do not need to live on Bainbridge or own a studio. The tour is a juried art show, and looks for professional work, designed and crafted by the artist, with original designs and quality craftsmanship.

Some of the online features include an spotlight page, where each artist is featured with their art and link to websites, blogs, and other connections. A featured artist “story” page will allow visitors a peek behind the curtain, with photos of artists in their studios.

For application forms refer to the “For Artists” page on the Studio Tour website: www.bistudiotour.com.

Veterane IVC Endowment

More than 40 years of participation in and financial support of Bainbridge Island community life taught David and Joyce Veterane to take the long view, most recently in support of Island Volunteer Caregivers.

In January, they established the Joyce and David Veterane Endowment for Island Volunteer Caregivers with a gift of $100,000, administered though the Bainbridge Community Foundation.

Joyce died in May, but the endowment ensures that her passion and legacy will live on.

“An endowment is a dream for us,” IVC Executive Director Rita Elsberry said. “It will help sustain us through good times and bad, over the decades to come.”

In the 1980s, David, a founding partner of Rainier Investment Management, helped set up

the endowment fund for Helpline House. It has grown from a fairly modest gift to several million dollars. That’s an outcome that helped inspire their IVC gift.

Why IVC? In 1997, Joyce, a medical social worker, was among a handful of islanders who identified a need for “family like” support of seniors and others to help them live independently and with dignity at home. Lack of easily accessible transportation and possible social isolation were particularly worrisome.

The result was Island Volunteer Caregivers who help meet the needs of several hundred “care receivers.” Companionship is one of its greatest contributions. Joyce served on its board for years and also volunteered, driving people to appointments all over the island.

The IVC endowment is only one of the charitable activities of the couple. They were named 2014 Outstanding Bainbridge Philanthropists by the Bainbridge Community Foundation because of their lifetimes of service.

Sea-Tac shuttle service returns

The shuttle service between Kitsap County and SeaTac Airport has resumed.

A news release from Bremerton-Kitsap Airporter says the service has been closed for four months because of COVID-19.

It will start with eight runs a day, down from 21.

Passengers and drivers must wear face masks. All vehicles will be sanitized and UV treated daily. Social distancing is encouraged on the 24- to 29-person buses. Drivers are protected by Plexiglass.

For details go to www.kitsapairporters.com

Boat rental service sought

Bainbridge Island is seeking proposals to provide small boat rental services to the public from the City Dock at Eagle Harbor Waterfront Park, 301 NE Shannon Drive.

The city’s goal is to enter into a three-year lease agreement beginning Jan. 1, 2021. The concessionaire will have full use of a 12’ x 48’ section of the float to store hand launch vessels. Associated equipment, such as paddles and personal flotation devices, may be stored in lockers in the park.

Due to the float’s size constraints, administrative aspects of the rental operation, such as taking reservations and payments, will need to be handled remotely or off-site.

The concessionaire shall pay the city $2,500 per year in rent and for utilities.

Parking is unavailable for this operation. Proposals should identify the availability of off-site legal parking.

To view the Request for Proposals visit: www.bainbridgewa.gov/bids.aspx. Proposals are due by 4 p.m. Aug. 28.

For details contact harbormaster Tami Allen at 206-780-3733 or tallen@bainbridgewa.gov.

Another #GiveBackBainbridge donation

Bainbridge Lending Group recently awarded its latest #GiveBackBainbridge donation to One Call For All.

In 2020, donations have amounted to $4,100, and the program-to-date total is now over $14,000.

BLG launched the program in 2017. For every home loan the Bainbridge Island mortgage broker closes, Bainbridge Lending Group makes a client-designated donation to One Call for All. Clients direct which of over 100

local nonprofits receives the donation. This time around, clients elected 26 nonprofits, including Helpline House, Bainbridge Island Land Trust and the Bainbridge Schools Foundation.

BPA seeking podcast actors, musicians

Bainbridge Island Performing Arts is now accepting submissions for its upcoming podcast series, Bainbridge Pod Accomplice, a weekly program beginning in September that will feature plays, poetry, short stories and music.

BPA will be casting six audio plays alongside other content. Each episode will include 4-10 remote Zoom or telephone rehearsals and an in-person and socially distanced recording session with the BPA director.

For actor submissions, email Dhadlock@BainbridgePerformingArts.org with the subject line “Podcast Actor Submission,” and include a 30-second voice recording of yourself reading a page from your favorite book or play.

For local musicians, BPA will consider all genres and welcome groups, solo artists, instrumentalists and vocalists. BPA will select 1-3 songs per episode and will pair them thematically with the dramatic content. BPA asks that the piece be: Written and played by you or recorded and shared with the artist’s permission. (No covers); Submitted as a recording. (No sheet music); Made available for broadcast free of charge; and If selected, BPA will have the right to broadcast your recording across all platforms in perpetuity. (You will retain ownership of the original content)

For music submissions, email Smaguire@BainbridgePerformingArts.org with the subject line “Podcast Music Submission,” and include the following: Band / Artist name; Contact information, such as phone, email, Twitter or any other extra info you’d like; Your track in MP3 or MP4a format with your name as the file name. The recording does not have to be professional quality. BPA will consider good quality from a phone or similar audio recorded submissions.