Tuesday, February 7, 2023 |
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Washington's Child Care Shortage
is a Business Issue
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Photo: Courtesy of the AWB
One of the biggest challenges facing Washington employers today continues to be a lack of qualified workers. Even with rising inflation and growing concern about a potential recession, workforce issues remain paramount.
Another major challenge is finding high-quality, affordable childcare. Like so many of the challenges we are facing today, this was not created by the pandemic but magnified by it.
It should come as no surprise that both issues — the workforce shortage and the childcare shortage — are interwoven.
The Association of Washington Business is taking steps to address both issues: A task force is currently working on a report about potential workforce ideas, and a new partnership called the Legislator Education & Action Project, or LEAP, is focused on childcare issues.
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The Greater Kitsap Chamber and Visitor Center offices will be closed for a mid-winter break, Monday, February 13th through Friday, February 17th,
as the staff attends a conference and several trainings.
will be checking inboxes and addressing your needs remotely.
Thank you for your support of the Greater Kitsap Chamber!
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Chamber Participates in AWB's
Legislative Day and Hill Climb
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The Greater Kitsap Chamber was one of several Washington Chambers to participate last week in AWB's annual Legislative Day and Hill Climb. This was the 38th year that the Association of Washington Business has provided this interactive opportunity for Washington businesses and Chamber leaders to meet face-to-face with their local legislators in order to amplify the voice of businesses and employers.
“AWB’s Hill Climb is such a valuable experience for the Greater Kitsap Chamber and really for any business owner in the state of Washington,” said Irene Moyer, Vice President for Membership and Strategic Communications. “To be able to be ‘in the room’ with our legislators and speak to the issues that matter to our business members and communities is invaluable, and to hear in real-time what our legislators are doing on our behalf is powerful. I learn something new each year and strengthen my relationship with my legislators – it’s a win all around.”
Photo: Irene Moyer, Greater Kitsap Chamber, and Miriam Battson, Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce, were among the attendees meeting with Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, during AWB's Legislative Day and Hill Climb.
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Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
Thursday, February 9, 2023, 1:30 pm
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Please join the Greater Kitsap Chamber and current member, Jimmy Harris, for the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting of Jimmy's 4th business in Bremerton - The Bremerton Mercantile. Located directly across the street from Cups Espresso and Cafe, Harris' new shop is host to local creations, Washington-themed products, convenience store fare, and unique or hard-to-find gifts and decor.
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The Bremerton Mercantile
402 Pacific Avenue
Bremerton, WA
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Bremerton GreenDrinks @ The Roxy
Thursday, February 9, 2023, 5:00 pm
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So get ready to MIX, ENGAGE, REPEAT. But don't forget to bring those business cards and don't forget your glass (we want to be green). This is a 21-and-over event, where we welcome everyone to meet new people and make new connections in Bremerton.
Get your tickets now. Space is limited!
GreenDrinks is a monthly, social networking event for community leaders, concerned citizens, elected officials, business professionals and anyone who wants to make Bremerton a thriving, sustainable community. This event is for adults only (age 21 and older). $10 helps to offset the costs of food and drink.
Advance tickets are available at Event Brite. Tickets at the door are $20.
Don’t forget to keep the green in GreenDrinks by bringing your own cup!
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February Membership Luncheon
Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 11:00 am
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Don't forget to bring a raffle item - proceeds to benefit the Chamber Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. |
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Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
Saturday, February 25, 2023, 11:00 am
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RSVP encouraged, but not required! |
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Travel with the Greater Kitsap Chamber |
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Looking for an escape in 2023? Join the Chamber as we resume Chamber travel opportunities with a 7-night Alaska Glacier Cruise.
Special rates have been reserved on this cruise for Chamber members and friends with a savings of nearly $2k on what you might normally book. For just $2745, you and a guest can enjoy this weeklong adventure aboard Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas.
But do I have to vacation with my Chamber colleagues? Only if you want! With 16 decks, you can see as little or as much of your Kitsap connections as you'd like!
Suitcases on Standby's Amy Zinkhon, will be at the January and February membership luncheons to answer your questions. Book now and help us celebrate the Greater Kitsap Chamber's inaugural year!
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Renew your membership today to ensure your place as a Charter Member of the Greater Kitsap Chamber! Questions about when to renew or how to upgrade your membership? Contact Irene now!
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Missed a previous edition of the Chamber's Community Connections?
View all the past issues on our website HERE.
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New Members - Welcome to the Chamber! |
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New Members & Renewals for January
Thank you for your support of the Chamber!
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Community Connector
Growth
Main Street
Business
Alan Beam
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Seaport Salon Hosts Beauty Boot Camp |
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Live Well Kitsap Launches Networking Group
Monday, February 13, 2023, 6:00 pm
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Sound Publishing's Women in Business
Advertising Deadline: February 22, 2023
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Headshot Day at the Chamber
Monday, February 27, 2023
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Save-the Date: KEDA Annual Meeting
Thursday, March 30, 2023, 11:30 am
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The Bridgeford Insurance Team |
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The Bridgeford Insurance Team at C1 Wealth Management prides itself in always putting the client first. We love C1 Wealth Management's message and could not agree more - "Client-Centered, Client-Focused and Client-first." We make it a priority to cultivate the relationships with clients, to provide the best client experience when dealing with their insurance and financial needs. We believe in continued communication and not just transactional. Our clients always know how to reach us with any questions they have or when they need help with their insurance and wealth management needs.
The Bridgeford Insurance Team loves to partner with other local businesses and support them as much as we can. We love supporting the community, because without them, The Bridgeford Insurance Team would not be as successful as we are today.
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8745 Pacific Ave NW Ste. 201 | Silverdale, WA 98383 | (360) 998-3986 |
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Weekly Legislative Updates
2023 Session: Week 4 Report
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As an exclusive benefit to our paid membership, the Greater Kitsap Chamber has again enlisted the services of Brad Boswell and team from Boswell Consulting to provide weekly legislative updates during the 2023 legislative session. Brad will also host a monthly Q&A on the last Friday of each month via Zoom to answer your questions directly. |
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AWB: Housing in Washington |
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The Issue
Washington is experiencing a housing crisis that, without action, will grow worse in the coming decades. The crisis is the result of many factors that ultimately stem from a failure to build enough housing units to keep pace with demand.
How You Can Participate
Engage with AWB’s land use committee, support legislation aimed at increasing the supply of housing, and tell your elected officials this is a priority this session.
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Member Education & Training Resources |
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Live Well Lunch & Learn @ Vibe
Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 11:30 am
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Join us for a FREE lunch hour presentation with Valarie Harris, Founder of Varris Marketing, at Vibe Coworks in Poulsbo at the Centennial Building. Val will be sharing about Hosting Events for more Engagement, Leads and Sales.
While this event is geared towards business owners, managers and leaders, consider who you know that might benefit from this FREE, one-hour presentation at the Kitchen Table at Vibe. You do NOT have to be a member of Vibe or Live Well Kitsap to attend. ALL are welcome to join us!
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"BeReal with Your Social Media"
Thursday, February 16, 2023, 11:00 am
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Did you know direct-to-consumer brands have recently taken a hit? Stocks of some of the biggest, publicly listed DTC brands dropped as much as 64% in 2022!
As social media trends continue to evolve, it’s no longer enough to simply post on social media and run a few ads.
Join Fearless Foundry’s Digital Media & Design Manager, Allena Fleming, as she explores creative ways to re-engage with your customer amidst new social norms.
Get access to the resources you need to create and implement a social media strategy that puts your brand in front of customers the right way.
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Pay Transparency Law Webinar
Thursday, February 23, 2023, 11:00 am
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The “pay transparency” law became effective January 1, 2023. The law affects all job postings for employers with 15 or more employees and contains some surprising nuances. To help businesses navigate these new requirements successfully, the Washington Retail Association has partnered with Lane Powell PC to offer a free webinar on February 23.
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Military Relations Committee |
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Reserve Your Sponsorship & Booth Space Now
Deadline to Participate: February 17, 2023
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Business News & Resources |
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U.S. Reports Blowout Job Growth;
Unemployment Lowest Since 1969
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U.S. job growth accelerated sharply in January while the unemployment rate hit more than a 53-1/2-year low of 3.4%, pointing to a stubbornly tight labor market, and a potential headache for Federal Reserve officials as they fight inflation.
The Labor Department's closely watched employment report on Friday also showed job creation in the past year was much stronger than previously estimated, suggesting the economy was nowhere near a recession. Though wage inflation cooled further in January, average hourly earnings increased faster in 2022 than previously estimated.
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WA Hospitality Association: Certified Food Protection Manager Deadline Nears |
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Starting March 1, food establishments must have one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) per establishment. The CFPM can be the business owner, a manager or a contractor and does not need to be on the premises at all times.
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Nonprofit News & Resources |
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The Greater Kitsap Chamber is proud to be one of only five Chambers statewide selected to partner with the Nonprofit Association of Washington (NAWA) to bring education and resources to nonprofits in Western Washington. Stay tuned to this section of our weekly newsletter for education, resources and more for our nonprofit community. To learn more about NAWA, please visit their website here.
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Sign Up to Participate in 2023 Great Give
Deadline is February 9th
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Donor Giving Increases Dramatically
with the Right Donor Offer
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Photo: Getty Images by insta_photos
That $5,000 a year donor on your file could give you $400,000 a year. Or, that $1,000 donor could give you $100,000. But the reason they aren’t giving what they could is because you are not presenting them with a donor offer that motivates them to give more. And here’s the reason why.
Most donor offers are created either in-house or by a consultant or agency in cooperation with the in-house team. And the creation process usually includes a meeting where those attending discuss what has worked in the past (good response equals good amounts per response). Having reviewed the past successes as well as what did not work, someone might pass out the organization’s current financial need. It’ll sound like this: “We are down X dollars from budget.” Or, like this: “We need to raise Y.”
Then what has worked is combined with what is needed to come up with a donor offer. That’s it — a donor offer is created.
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Kitsap Public Health Board Meeting
Tuesday, February 7, 2023, 10:30 am
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State of the Court Address
Friday, February 10, 2023, 2:30 pm
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County Releases Preliminary Alternative
Land Use Maps as Part of
2024 Comprehensive Plan Update
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Kitsap County as part of its 2024 Comprehensive Plan update has released preliminary alternative land use maps and descriptions to address targeted population, employment and housing growth through 2044. The alternatives also address issues such as housing diversity, development incentives and climate change.
These three alternatives distribute growth differently based upon Growth Management Act and regional plan goals, growth targets, requests for reclassification of properties and local circumstances. The three alternatives can generally be described as:
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No Action: All maps, policies and regulations remain as they are today.
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Focused Growth/Urban Center Focus: Population and employment growth is focused in existing urban areas such as Silverdale and Kingston with policies to incentivize more diverse housing types such as townhomes, multi-family and cottage housing. Rural uses remain the same as current and policies are developed to set greenhouse gas emission areas and provide greater tree canopy in urban areas.
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Dispersed Growth: Distributes growth similar to historic trends focusing on single-family housing. Urban areas are expanded to accommodate growth and some additional rural development is allowed for housing and jobs.
None of these three alternatives are a recommendation but rather a menu of options to assess environmental impacts and capital facility needs (road, sewer, schools, etc.). They will also be evaluated through public comment as the Board of Commissioners work to determine a preferred alternative by the end of the year.
Public participation opportunities to gain information and discuss the merits of the alternatives will be held through March and can be found at Kcowa.us/compplan including dates, times and more information. We welcome and encourage all to participate in this process.
To provide comment on the alternatives or any other aspect of the Comprehensive Plan update or to request a meeting, please email compplan@kitsap.gov. All comments received will become part of the update record and available to the Board of Commissioners.
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Portable Ramps for Wheelchair Users
Available to Borrow to Improve Accessibility
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Members of the Kitsap County Accessible Communities Advisory Committee, ARC representative and County Commissioners show off one of the new ramps in 2022 when they were purchased. |
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The Kitsap County Accessible Communities Advisory Committee is pleased to announce that two portable ramps are now available to borrow for those who need to improve physical accessibility for wheelchair users on a short-term basis. The trifold, aluminum ramps measure five feet and seven feet and fold into easy-to-carry suitcases.
The ramps were purchased with a grant from the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment and are maintained by the ARC of the Peninsulas of Bremerton that coordinates the borrowing program, on behalf of the Accessible Communities committee.
To reserve a ramp, contact Tari Quiocho, senior program manager at ARC of the Peninsulas, 360-801-4539 or email TQuiocho@penarc.org.
The Accessible Communities Advisory Committee was established to support disability awareness and access for people with disabilities through technical assistance and other resources allocated in the Accessible Communities Act. The committee also develops local initiatives and activities to promote greater awareness of disability issues and acceptance, involvement and access for persons with disabilities in Kitsap communities. New members are always welcome. Visit the committee’s website to apply.
For more information on the Accessible Communities Advisory Committee, contact Kirsten Murray of the Kitsap County Department of Human Services at kmurray@kitsap.gov.
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COVID-19 Updates & Resources |
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Masks & COVID Testing Kits Available
Free at the Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center
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The Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management provides local businesses with free KN95 masks and COVID testing kits. Pick up your supply at both Greater Kitsap Chamber locations today. |
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COVID-19 Support & Resources |
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Kitsap County Health District is now posting a regularly updated list of COVID-19 vaccine providers in Kitsap County. This list can be found here.
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United Way Fundraiser to Benefit
Dolly Parton Imagination Library
Friday, February 10, 2023, 6:00 pm
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AWB Institute and WA Chambers Partner
to Host National Civics Bee
Competition for WA middle school students
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Live Well Kitsap Community Hike
Saturday, February 18, 2023, 10:00 am
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Spring Break Camp @ Marvin Williams |
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Frosty Fest 2023
Thursday, February 9 - Sunday, February 12, 2023
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Fun and Games, Thrills and Chills for this weekend include a Scavenger Hunt, Poker Run, Viking Games, Viking Bonfire, Glogg Competition, Crafting Parties, Lodging Discounts, Beer Music, a Literary Event and more!
Join the Historic Downtown Poulsbo Association and the Port of Poulsbo as they host this weekend-long fundraiser for the Sea Discovery Center and Poulsbo Sons of Norway. Proceeds will go towards helping Sea Discovery to repair their floating lab and the Poulsbo Sons of Norway Vikings Scholarship Fund.
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Wine on the Rock
Thursday, February 9 - Saturday, February 11, 2023
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Visit Bainbridge Island and explore four of our artisan wineries for two days of wine & chocolate pairings. Celebrate Valentine's Day with our wineries!
Each ticket is good for one wine flight, plus chocolate at each of the four participating Bainbridge Island wineries, a wine tote and a special event wine glass.
When you purchase your ticket, you will select which of the four wineries you'd like to start at. Check into this starting winery at any time over the two days and after you check in, you select the route you'd like to tase for the other wineries. Taste all in one day or space it out over the two days of the event.
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Eugenie Jones @ The Historic Roxy
Saturday, February 11, 2023, 7:00 pm
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A dynamic, engaging vocalist, Eugenie performs nationally and her recordings are played around the world. She performs the jazz standards we all love and original jazz compositions that have won her praise as a cleverly gifted artist.
Eugenie Jones is joined on stage by Nick Allison on the grand piano, Shahan Kilaghbian on upright bass, Jean Chaumont on guitar and Steve Bentley on drums.
Advance Tickets $20 Balcony; $25 Main Floor
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Port Gamble Weddings & Events
Saturday, February 18, 2023
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Stay in the know with what's happening for events
in Central Kitsap by checking out and liking the
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Have something to share? CLICK HERE to submit stories and
events for Tuesday's Community Connections!
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David Emmons
President/CEO
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Irene Moyer
VP, Membership & Strategic Communications
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Brenda Kelley
Tourism Coordinator
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Bremerton Office (360) 479-3579 | 4th & Pacific Downtown Bremerton
Silverdale Office (360) 692-6800 | Kitsap Mall next to Macy's
PO Box 1218 Silverdale WA 98383
If you need assistance, please contact us directly.
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