Kitsap Mall’s Center Court was packed with people this past Wednesday night who came out to show their community spirit.

It was the Central Kitsap Reporter’s Best of Central Kitsap and The Silverdale Chamber of Commerce Accolades, but it was much more than an awards ceremony. The evening might have been centered around recognizing the best and brightest in Central Kitsap, but more importantly it was all different facets of a community coming together.

The Best of Central Kitsap is only in its second year. The evening’s turnout told a lot about the people who live or work in this community. Local business leaders and residents took the time out of their undoubtedly busy schedules to honor the places and organizations that make CK a great place to live.

The CK Reporter would like to thank its readers who participated in the Best of Central Kitsap survey as well as the sponsors which included the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce, Kitsap Mall, Costco, Azteca, Outback Steakhouse, Old Town Bistro, Sportsman’s Warehouse, EmbroidMe and Southwest Airlines.

For those who couldn’t make it to Wednesday’s gathering, the official results of the Best of Central Kitsap are inserted in today’s CK Reporter. Check it out and see if your CK favorites made the list. We received more than 600 ballots via the paper as well as our Web site, www.centralkitsapreporter.com.

If you didn’t get a chance to vote or if you don’t see your top pick, there’s always next year to make your voice heard. It’s obvious the spirit of community is alive and well in Central Kitsap. Let’s keep this momentum going and together we can achieve great things.