Chamber members make good showing in Best of Kitsap

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Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Important News for You

Best of Central & North Kitsap 2022

Sound Publishing's annual best of has released it's winners by region and members of the Greater Kitsap Chamber represented well! Voting opened yesterday for voting for Best of the Best of Kitsap 2022 - be sure to vote for your favorite businesses now. Click here to access the "Best of the Best of Kitsap County" 2022 ballot.

See Best of Central Kitsap 2022 Winners & Finalists

See Best of North Kitsap 2022 Winners & Finalists

Chamber News

Check out and like the

Greater Kitsap Chamber Facebook pages!

GKC Inaugural Business Awards Gala

Thursday, November 17, 2022 6:00 pm

Join the Greater Kitsap Chamber for our Inaugural Business Awards Gala celebrating individuals and businesses around the Greater Kitsap region on Thursday, November 17th at 6:00 pm. Become a sponsor or advertising partner to elevate your business' presence at this community-wide event. Sponsorship opportunities vary. To learn more or to secure your sponsorship or advertising space now, please contact the Chamber!

BECOME A SPONSOR

Bremerton GreenDrinks

@ Kitsap Bank, 6th and Warren

Thursday, October 13, 2022, 5:00 pm

Your hosts for October are the Downtown Bremerton Association, the Greater Kitsap Chamber and Kitsap Bank.

Join us on Thursday October 13th at the relocated Downtown Bremerton Kitsap Bank Branch. Many changes occurred in our lives throughout the pandemic. One of those changes was a slight relocation of this Kitsap Bank branch. It moved from the corner of 6th & Pacific to the corner of 6th & Warren. The Kitsap Bank team is excited to show off the great new space to all the GreenDrinkers. With community space as part of the design, and with Starbucks sharing the building, it's a wonderful improvement to the area. Hope to see you there!

Catering by Lora's Le Garmarche.

So get ready to MIX, ENGAGE, REPEAT. But don't forget to bring those business cards as well as a glass (we want to be green).

As always, this is a 21-and-over event, where we welcome everyone to meet new people and make new connections in Bremerton. This event is for adults only (age 21 and older). $10 helps to offset the costs of food and drink. Tickets at the door are $20.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW

Downtown Bremerton's Trick-or-Treat Street

Monday, October 31, 2022, 4:00 - 6:30 pm

The Downtown Bremerton Association and Greater Kitsap Chamber are partnering to present the 24th Annual Trick or Treat Street on October 31st. Parts of 4th and Pacific will be shut down in downtown to create a safe area for all the little ghouls and goblins out for fun this Halloween. Trick-or-Treating will be provided by participating downtown businesses and vendors. Free parking is available at the garage at Washington and 4th.

If your business is located downtown and would like to participate, please contact the Chamber here.

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!

Member News

1st Annual Brunch for Breast Cancer

Friday, October 21, 2022, 10:30 am

Is your business interested in sponsoring this important event in the fight against breast cancer? Contact Sarahfina at Fairway Kitsap to learn more!

PURCHASE TICKETS NOW

EVENT SPONSORSHIPS

Paul Linder Educational Foundation

"Paul's Bowl" Fundraiser

Sunday, November 13, 2022, 3:00 pm

Member of the Month:

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health - St. Michael Medical

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR

Member Spotlight

Dana's Heating & Cooling, Inc.

Members of the Chamber for over a decade, Dana's Heating & Cooling says, "We're large enough to serve you, small enough to care," and that's just what this local small business does in Kitsap, Pierce and Mason Counties.

Dana and Donna Pieze founded Dana’s Heating and Cooling, Inc., in 1997 as a family owned and operated company specializing in oil furnace service and repair. Serving the greater Kitsap Peninsula area, our customer base continues to grow.

Today, we are an award-winning, full-service heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) company. Dana’s team of highly trained experts is experienced in installation, repair, and maintenance of HVAC systems. We offer a diverse range of best-quality products and affordable services including heating and cooling replacements, duct cleaning, and an HVAC electrical department. Our top goal is to help keep you comfortable and safe year-round.

2181 Chico Way NW | Bremerton WA 98312 | (360) 226-7369

Advocacy Committee

Eggs & Issues: Kitsap County Races

County Commissioner & County Auditor

Tuesday, October 18, 2022, 8:00 am

Education Committee

October Luncheon at Kitsap Conference Center

Wednesday, October 19, 2022, 11:30 am

(please note this is one week early!)

Sponsored by:

Member Education & Training Resources

Increase Your Holiday Sales with Google Tools

Wednesday, October 12, 2022, 9:00 am

Learn quick ways to promote your products online using Google tools as consumers shop during the holiday season. We’ll show how local brick-and-mortar businesses can list products on a Google Business Profile. We’ll also cover Google Merchant Center, a no-cost tool that allows both e-commerce and brick-and-mortar businesses to create free Product Listings on Google. This workshop is most beneficial to small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to drive holiday sales.

Managing Mixed Age Teams:

Managing & Retaining Highly Qualified Talent

Tuesday, October 18, 2022, 10:00 am

Business leaders agree that age diversity is good for business; however, ageism in the hiring process remains stubbornly high. While over 70% of employers want to build age-friendly workplaces, over 95% of those polled don’t know how. A key component of age-inclusive workplaces is management practices that welcome workers of all ages, but the reality is that most people managers are overloaded with hitting performance metrics and meeting demanding deadlines. In moments of stress, urgency and uncertainty, bias can creep in – often unconsciously. Join University of Miami Leadership Professor Megan Gerhardt and AARP Sr. Advisor Heather Tinsley-Fix as they share strategies and best practices to managing mixed aged teams and retaining highly qualified talent.

Women's Financial Power:

Spend, Invest and Give Like It Matters

Thursday, October 20, 2022, 5:30 pm

Today, less than 2% of donations go to nonprofits that specifically focus on women and girls, and the statistics for businesses aren’t much better. Approximately 2.6% of venture capital is invested in women-owned businesses, and businesses with women of color CEOs receive less than 1%.

So how can we close these wealth gaps? It’s time for sisters to do it for themselves.

Join Radha Friedman, Laura Clise, and Michelle Shireen Muri to learn about how women can harness their collective power and change the way we give, invest, and shop to create a more equitable future.

Business News & Resources

REGISTRATION CLOSES TODAY

KEDA 2022 Fall Forum

Thursday, October 20, 2022, 1:00 pm

KEDA's Fall Forum is back! Live & in person at the

Kitsap Conference Center on Oct. 20th, 1-5pm

We will cover top of mind issues facing Kitsap's economy, including: inflation, workforce and inclusive hiring, and Kitsap's startup economy. Attendees will also be introduced to KEDA's newest initiative, WAV-C, Washington Autonomous Vehicle Cluster.

Social hour follows with hors d'oeuvre and hosted bar.

Chamber members receive a $25 discount when using the code: 22chamber

The Greater Kitsap Chamber is a sponsor for this year's Fall Forum.

Paid Family & Medical Leave

Program Short on Cash

Courtesy of the Association of Washington Business

Washington’s paid family leave program will have an $8.7 million deficit by the end of 2022, a new report shows. Consultants hired by the state have recommended an increase in the premium on workers’ wages, The Associated Press reports.

Consultants from Milliman presented their findings to a legislative task force Friday morning. It shows the current premium rate is not keeping up with demand for this relatively new state benefit that began in 2020.

The report recommends raising the rate to 0.79% of workers’ wages, an increase from the 0.6% rate that went into effect earlier this year. The program began with a rate of 0.4% on employee wages. Since then demand for the program has increased.

Currently, employees pay 73% of the premiums, with the rest paid by employers.

The report recommends the higher rate for the next two years.

“State officials there say they are still in the process of calculating the latest data and will announce the new rate in the coming weeks,” the AP reported. Contact AWB Government Affairs Director Bob Battles to learn more and get involved.

Nonprofit News & Resources

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.

Advocacy and Lobbying 101:

Legal Tips for 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Advocates

Thursday, October 20, 2022, 10:00 am - 11:30 am

501(c)(3)s play an important role in educating the public about policy issues and actions taken by elected officials, including the President. Elected officials vote on bills, make public statements and executive decisions, and set the course for public policy on a wide range of issues. These actions may be consistent with or conflict with a nonprofit’s position on an issue. After this workshop you will have a clear understanding of how to maximize your advocacy, the kinds of advocacy activities 501(c)(3)s can engage in, and when an act of communication is considered lobbying.

Participants will learn:

How federal tax law permits lobbying for charities and how lobbying is defined.
One easy step most charities can take to maximize the amount they’re allowed to spend on lobbying.
Yearly lobbying limits for charities.
Tips for taking advantage of the narrow definitions of lobbying – which will help charities make the most of their lobbying limit.
The application of these rules to ballot measure activities.

Cost

$12.50 – $25, depending on organizational budget

Kitsap County News

Energy Company Planning Biodiesel Plant

Will Kitsap County get its own power-generating system?

From the Kitsap Sun, October 10, 2022

One of the country's largest independent energy companies is partnering with a property owner west of Kitsap Lake to propose a power plant at a former rock quarry.

Consultants for Tenaska, based in Omaha, Nebraska, have begun the permitting process to develop a biodiesel-fueled turbine and generator at Ueland Tree Farm. The 215-megawatt power plant would be capable of powering 200,000 homes when activated. Its developers are targeting 2025.

Read Josh Farley's article here.

CENTRAL KITSAP ROAD REPORT

CITY OF BREMERTON ROAD REPORT

COVID-19 Updates & Resources

Masks & COVID Testing Kits Available

Free at the Greater Kitsap Chamber & Visitor Center

The Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management is providing free KN95 masks and COVID testing kits to local businesses. Pick up your supply at the Greater Kitsap Chamber's Silverdale office today.

COVID-19 Vaccine & Testing Resources

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.

See KPHD's list of organizations providing COVID-19 testing in Kitsap here.

Community Information

Free Kitsap Job Training & Education Classes

Evergreen Goodwill of Northwest Washington

Jobs change lives by providing a means to be independent, secure, and confident. That’s why Goodwill offers FREE job training and education programs to people in the community, as well as help finding a job. Our commitment to the community is stronger than ever. New sessions are underway as we are offering online classes and limited in-person classes and services at our King, Kitsap, Skagit, Snohomish, and Whatcom County centers. Anyone interested is welcome to make an appointment with our staff for class registration, job search, and other services. Our centers have limited capacity. Click below for information on the next session.

LEARN MORE

Kitsap Employers Veterans Day Job Fair

Wednesday, November 9, 2022, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

WorkSource Kitsap is inviting the community to join them for a job fair on November 9th at their location on Randall Way in Silverdale. The event will exclusively exhibit Kitsap County's small and medium-sized businesses, with the first hour reserved for veterans, active-duty military job seekers and their families.