Running Start information night at Olympic College:

Olympic College will host Running Start Information Night from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 17 at the Bremer Student Center on Olympic College’s Bremerton campus. The information night will be open to all high school students and their parents or guardians. Olympic College is located at 1600 Chester Ave., Bremerton.

Habitat for Humanity seeks aspiring Bay Vista homeowners:

Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap County and the Bremerton Housing Authority are seeking applicants for six affordable homes in West Bremerton’s Bay Vista development.
Bay Vista, formerly Westpark, is being developed into a mixed-use neighborhood. Habitat For Humanity, which works with low income people to build houses using all volunteer labor and donated money and materials, is now accepting applications for homeownership. Homes are sold at no profit and no interest to qualified families.
To qualify for Habitat for Humanity housing, applicants must demonstrate that they have a need for housing, an ability to pay the loan, in addition to the $1,500 down payment and they must be willing to work at least 500 hours to help build other houses.
Applicants must attend one of the application meetings, to be held between March 1 and 18. Before attending an application meeting, interested persons should obtain an application brochure, which goes over the qualifications and has the list of application meeting dates, times and locations.  The brochure can be downloaded at www.kitsaphabiat.org or by contacting Greg Alkire, Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap County family services manager, at (360) 550-2447 or via e-mail at familyservices@kitsaphabiat.org.
Applications will not be accepted after the last application meeting March 18. For more information call (360) 479-3853.

Junior firefighter stair climb:

The Bremerton Firefighters will hold a fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 12 for children ages 3 to 12 at Bremerton Fire Station #1, 911 Park Ave., Bremerton. Children will be able to climb stairs in bunker gear to help raise money for Hunter Smith, the son of Bremerton firefighter Rob Smith. Hunter has leukemia and is one of the honored patients for the March 6 Scott Firefighter Stair Climb at the Columbia Tower in Seattle. For more information on the Bremerton event, contact Missy Griffith at (206) 300-0828 or visit www.jrfirefighterstairclimb.org.

WWU environmental studies information session:

Those interested in earning a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment on the Peninsulas are able to receive more information March 1. The program manager will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bremer Student Center at Olympic College’s Bremerton campus. Call (360) 417-6521 for more information or visit www.wwu.edu/huxleyoutreach.

Photo exhibit at Olympic College:

“The World as We Know It,” a photo exhibit of Olympic College students’ work will be showcased beginning March 9 from 5 to 6 p.m. The exhibit will be located on the second floor of the Haselwood Library on Olympic College’s Bremerton campus. It will run through May 13 and general admission is free. The photographs will be judged during opening night by Aubin Ahrens of Aubin Ahrens Photography and Steve Armstrong of Open2View.

Registration for Goodwill classes to begin in March:

Silverdale Goodwill’s Job Training and Education Center will register people from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 7-9 for free classes in the eight-week session that runs from March 14 through May 5. Sign-up is on a first come, first served basis and will fill up quickly.
There will be introductory classes on computer basics including Microsoft Word as well as career development workshops that cover job searching and resume writing. The center is located at the Goodwill store at 10001 Mickelberry Road NW, Silverdale. For class schedules or additional information, contact the center at (360) 698-6776.

Kitsap Audubon Society meeting:

The Kitsap Audubon Society will have its meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. March 10 on the lower level of the Poulsbo library. The program is “Why Birding Matters in the 21st Century?” by Daniel Froehlich, who is dedicated to conservation. Froehlich is a founder of Puget Sound Bird Observatory and will focus on the context for citizen science and will offer resources for local engagement. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, call (360) 692-8180 or visit www.kitsapaudubon.org.

Saturday bicycle ride:

West Sound Cycle Club will have its weekly social ride Saturday, Feb. 26. The group will meet at 9 a.m. at the Silverdale Beach Hotel and ride up Clear Creek Road and return south via Big Valley Road, Keyport and Manette. The entire ride will be 48 miles. Heavy rain could cancel the ride. Contact Tim Baker at (360) 340-5944 for more information.

Sophomore information night at Olympic High:

Olympic High School will host Sophomore Information Night for current 9th-graders who will be enrolling for the 2011-2012 school year. The event begins at 5:45 p.m. March 1 for prospective students and parents and will include dinner as well as the Olympic Fair and breakout sessions with academic counselors. The Olympic Fair will provide parents and students a chance to talk with Olympic teachers and staff about academics, athletics and activities. Registration is not required for the information night. Contact the high school at (360) 662-2700 for more information.

Used cell phones wanted:

The YWCA is asking for cell phone and baby diaper donations. Cell phones will be rotated throughout the different YWCA facilities in the county including the ALIVE shelter in Bremerton. Baby diapers are for the use of families being served through the YWCA ALIVE Family Services programs. Phones and diapers can be donated from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the YWCA Community Center, 905 Pacific Ave., Bremerton. For more information, contact the YWCA at (360) 479-0522.

‘West Side Story’ at Klahowya:

Klahowya Secondary School’s vocal and drama departments will perform the musical, “West Side Story,” March 3-5 and March 10-12. All shows begin at 7 p.m. and will be at the school’s theater, 7607 Newberry Hill Road NW, Silverdale. Tickets are available at the Klahowya bookkeeper’s office or at the door. Student tickets cost $10 and general admission is $12. The musical is recommended for ages 12 and older.

Masons shamrock dinner:

The Free and Accepted Masons of Washington will have its 10th Annual Shamrock Dinner beginning at 6 p.m. March 12 at Bremerton Lodge #117, 878 Fifth Street, Bremerton. Dinner will include potato soup, corned beef, fried cabbage, carrots, red potatoes, freshly basked Irish soda bread and bread pudding with chocolate fudge sauce.
Entertainment for the evening will include a performance by Scoil Rince Slieveloughane Irish Dancers and singer songwriter Valerie Markell. There is a $12 suggested donation and the dinner is a fundraiser that supports the lodge as well as other programs including GED and high school scholarships. To reserve a seat, contact Jeff Parham at (360) 271-3971.