Whether soldier, sailor, airmen or Marine; single or married; active duty or retired; if you live in Kitsap County, you’re part of the community. That was made clear, we hope, at the annual Military Appreciation Day event April 16 at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds pavilion.
You wear the uniform (for which we are grateful). But you’re also a neighbor. You may have children in local schools, or a spouse employed by a local business. You shop in local stores, drive on local streets, live in a house or apartment in a local community, pay local taxes. So, you have a stake in the local quality of life. What you think matters.
This newspaper and its sister publication, Kitsap Military Times, want to help connect you to opportunities to be a part of the community, to stay on top of local issues that affect you and your household (and your pocketbook). We do that with news and feature stories, as well as lists of clubs, organizations, volunteer opportunities and public meetings you should know about.
We call it “refrigerator journalism” — stuff that you’ll want to cut out and keep on the fridge so you’ll be reminded of what’s coming up or going on.
If you have children in local schools, drive local streets, play in local parks, shop in local stores, you may want to get to know the local people who make decisions that affect the quality of life in your neighborhood. (Who knows? You may end up staying here after your active duty ends, as so many others have done.)
Here are some meetings you should know about.
— Bremerton City Council: 5 p.m. each Wednesday, Norm Dicks Government Center, 345 6th St., Suite 600, Bremerton. www.ci.bremerton.wa.us.
— Bremerton School Board: 5 p.m. the first and third Thursday of each month, 134 Marion Ave. N., Bremerton. www.bremertonschools.org.
— Central Kitsap Community Council: 7 p.m. the third Thursday of each month, at the Water District Office at Dickey and Newberry Hill roads. www.kitsapgov.com/boards/CAC/ckcc/default.htm.
— Central Kitsap School Board: 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 9210 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale. www.ckschools.org.
— Port Orchard City Council: 7 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, in the Robert G. Geiger Council Chambers, 216 Prospect St., Port Orchard. www.cityofportorchard.us/city-council.
