POULSBO — The woman was well-coiffed and well-dressed, but she had seen tougher times. And she appreciated the help she received from the Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund.

“She told me, ‘I just wanted to thank you for your participation,’” Mike Brooks, owner of Mike’s Car Wash in Poulsbo, said.

“She could have been your sister or your mother. She had been down and out and Bellringer came through. There’s so much caring and sharing in this community, that alone is almost a reason to be here.”

That’s why Brooks, once again, is donating a portion of proceeds from each car wash through Dec. 31 to the Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund.

The fund was established by Frank and Mabel Raab in 1948 (he served as a Poulsbo City Council member from 1946 to 1960, and as mayor from 1960-69) as a way for local residents to help neighbors in need.

The money is administered by Fishline, St. Vincent de Paul and ShareNet to provide food, emergency shelter and emergency financial assistance to North Kitsap residents in need. There is no overhead. Every penny helps neighbors put food on tables, keep the lights and heat on, keep a roof over their heads, and get to medical appointments and work.

Annually, the fund helps more than 300 local households, according to fund manager John MacDonald, a certified public accountant.

The fundraising goal is $30,000; MacDonald hopes to top that so more needs can be met during the year.

Donations to the Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund are tax-deductible. Donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 1244, Poulsbo, WA 98370. Donations to the fund are also being accepted at the North Kitsap Herald, 19351 8th Ave. NE, Poulsbo. Donations are listed each week in the Herald and on NorthKitsapHerald.com.”

Some give in honor or in memory of someone, or as a gift to the community. Some give $5, some give more. But the donations add up — thousands of dollars, every year, that change lives.

“We’re able to stretch what we’re doing for people in crisis — whether it’s paying rent, mortgage, or utilities,” Rae Rodriguez, Fishline’s client services manager, said in an earlier interview.

Brooks has been donating to the Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund since 2001.

“I’ve put in a new [car wash] machine and, to bring people in this year, we’re going to double our donations” to the fund, Brooks said. “Come in and see what our machine does for you, and we’ll double our commitment to [the fund].”

Asked why he’s been a consistent donor to the Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund, Brooks said, “I’m lucky enough to be in a position to help other people. With John MacDonald’s performance monitoring it, I don’t have to worry about where the money goes. And I hear from people all year how much they appreciate the donation. If I don’t hear it 10 times a month, I’m surprised.”

2015 gifts to the Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund
Nov. 19: $250, Helene and William Schmidt, in memory of Ragnvald and Inga Berge.
Nov. 19: $500, Herb and Judith Jewell.