Reporter Central Kitsap
FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014 | Vol. 29, No. 29 | WWW.CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM | 50¢
A new building and a bright future nourishing neighbo rs
CK Food Bank opens the
BY LESLIE KELLY
LKELLY@SOUNDPUBLISHIN
G.COM
A new home for Central Kitsap Food the is open and serving Bank in need. A formal those ribboncutting took place last week. But anyone who’s part of the Central been a Food Bank in the Kitsap past 25 years knows its humble beginnings.
doors of its new location
ments which only time and confusion added process of feeding to the hungry people in Central Kitsap. In the school district building, on-site food age, the shelves and storerated cabinets that refrigclients shop from, the administrative offices, and the The “food pantry” intake area were all clientin one as it was called room. back 1987 when it began, in “We needed a bigger located in the basementwas vice area,” Burrows serof said. the Silverdale Methodist “We were in such cramped Church on Silverdale spaces.” It was the work of Way. Year by year the volunteers and otherschurch ation got worse. situthe community that from need became greater The and rising need for food,saw a Burrows, staff and the the Reaganomics teers did their best volunera when to keep social programs up with the pace were cut from from the government’s old building. Burrows the said budget. The Central every time they’d go Food Bank becameKitsap ing for a new home, lookthe actual name and it thing would happen somebecame and it a nonprofit organization didn’t work out. in 1988. His wife, Sandra But as the need Burrows, said Hoyt grew, President of the never so did the need Central Kitsap Food gave up. for more building last space. week with Sen. Christine Bank Board of Directors Bob Butterton Contributed photo “There would be cuts the ribbon on Rolfes. Executive Director times So, as the current the new when Hoyt Burrows and Burrows became local dignitaries helped.CK Food Bank I’d tell he’d be down and executive director execu- donors out him it’s gonna Hoyt tive director there know that Burrows recalls, of the food we out,” she said. “And work Hoyt said that the the needed their help. then pri- bank, all bank moved in 1994 food bank in September 2006 ” there’ mary purpose of to its and his number the food to serve along, has been and d be times when me former location one goal everyone else was the needs of the behind has been to Central Kitsap find community. CK down and he’d be High bank a location the food the one School. Burrows Bank has been a part Food telling us that that had said it was going school district offered the room for everything under Kitsap County Food of the to work out.” Bank warehouse location the one roof and that could Coalition since it She said her husband began in at a accommodate minimal cost. 1994. All eight food “never, never, gave future For March 2014, the banks up.” “We were here because growth. in the county participate CK Food Bank served “Since the day he 614 households, or “We always took of the generosity and help each other this job, he knew 1,936 of the have our own wanted to he’d find feed About 54,871 pounds individuals. school district,” building,” he those in need throughout a place,” Mrs. he said. said. “We Burrows of food was given have known all “We didn’t have money the county. out. said. “He’s not the to along that at some preachbuild a building Through the coalition, ing type, but he point Forty-five volunteers and we the school has a deep didn’t really have CK Food Bank worked 831 hours. money to want this district would partners faith.” Also in March, 69,000 land back for the lease anything at with Food Lifeline It was last year the going junior high pounds of food was donated, including rate.” campus.” Northwest Harvest and CK Food Bank when the was award20,000 from Central Burrows and those Since 1994, up Seattle, and in turn in ed the C. Keith Kitsap High School on Birkenfeld gets which held its “holiday” last week, the CK until the board of directors food items and food drive to support products grant that everyone knew Bank served folks Food throughout the years went the to food give they bank were to clients. set to purchase a at a time of year when donations from to work to let While the school district-owned the commuthe food can be purchased building. nity know of the In all, there are five were down. building, first in bulk quantities services Once the building feeding offered by part time paid at was about 10 to 15 families the food bank at the food bank prices, the CK Food better purchased, it had to be including the director,staff pays Bank a and of its need for day, to now when a buildfor food from those remodeled, Burrows office manager/boo the the need ing. said. kkeeper, a food is conservatively organizations. It was previously listed at supervisor, a warehouse bank a home, “We knew that 35 families a day. Burrows said as the onto which a warehouse there manager who also a driver and a food is about 1,600 square It was was more need out there has grown, the schoolneed was added. commodities driver. feet of than people It space. The busiest day thus lining trict building became dis- ously was owned previour door,” he said. up at and more cramped. more Star Installation by Trihistory was when 57 far in the food bank’s we knew we needed “And families were served. times, food would Many housed a granite and had to let have to counterbe stored off-site in units or in church rental SEE BANK, PAGE 3 base-
By the numbers:
A NEW HOME The CK Food Bank opens a new location See special section inside
Local Boy Scout remembered as ‘wonderful artist’ BY SERAINE PAGE SPAGE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Even though 12-year-old Emerson Thompson may no longer be here, his art will live on. Over the weekend, the Silverdale Boy Scout was killed in a hiking accident in Jefferson County. Although his death was sudden and tragic, those in the community wanted to remem-
ber him as the bright-eyed, beautiful artist that he was in life. “I certainly can say he was a wonderful artist and participated in our program fully,” said Ruth Harris, owner of KitsapArt School of the Arts. Thompson was a student at the location where fine art skills are taught in a classroom setting. Harris recalled Thompson creating art that included a dragon, which she
called “one of his favorites” and an acrylic painting of a salmon. He started taking classes at the location in the fall. “It’s a very sad thing for everybody, and he was a really sweet guy; a wonderful young man,” said Harris. Despite Thompson’s passing, Harris noted that his family still wished for his art work to be showcased at a May 3 art show.
“He was a beautiful kid,” Harris said. The accident happened on Saturday while Thompson was out with Boy Scout Troop 1587, Orca District on a camping trip. “This was a tragic accident and there were no signs of foul play,” Jefferson County Sheriff ’s Chief Criminal Deputy Joe Nole stated in a press release. While out playing, four Boy
Scouts were near a sloping boulder field and found a large log to roll down the slope. As the log began to roll, it hooked onto Thompson’s jacket and rolled over him, according to Nole. The log was estimated to be about two feet in diameter. Thompson’s older brother was one of the Scouts at the scene, and he stayed with his brother as the other Scouts went for help. Thompson’s father, a
Navy physician, briefly tried to resuscitate his son, Nole said. Nole noted the area, near Lena Lake, is a popular hiking destination within the Olympic National Forest. On average, there are between 10 to 15 search and rescue missions per year, mostly inside the forest. “We have never responded to an accident like this one,” SEE BOY SCOUT, A9
Farmers market season has returned to Kitsap County BY LESLIE KELLY
LKELLY@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
It was overcast, gray and raining on Tuesday morning. But you’d never have known it from the look on Monica Phillips face. “Hey, the weather’s not great,” she said with a smile. “But we’re back.” Phillips is the market manager for the Silverdale Farmers Market which opened for the season this week. The Silverdale Farmers Market happens every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Old Town Silverdale waterfront park. It runs through October. This is the 16th year for the market in Silverdale. And next Thursday, May 1, the Bremerton Farmers Market will be back in action
after a long winter, said market manager Julia Zander. “It’s always exciting to be back with the group,” she said. “Our customers and our vendors are just such great people.” Bremerton’s Farmers Market happens every Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Evergreen Rotary Park and every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Bremerton Ferry Terminal. This year in Silverdale, the farmers market will have more food vendors, according to Phillips. “The economy is just better,” she said. “More people who have food truck businesses and catering businesses are at the place where they can afford to be back with us.” Among the vendors will be barbecue, Mexican foods
including homemade tamales, and the “donut guy.” Of course, the big calling card for the markets is the fresh produce. “Being able to share all the locally grown fresh produce is really what’s behind what we do,” Phillips said. “It’s just such a joy to see all the cut flowers and the veggie starts when the market first opens for the season.” With local farmers on hand, market-goers can talk “growing” with them and get their take on what this season is going to be like, she added. “Customers can talk with the farmer who grew what they are buying and know just exactly how it was grown and whether it’s 100 percent SEE MARKETS, A9
Leslie Kelly/ staff photo
Kristee Crooks, left, and her mother, Rhonda Crooks, took advantage of opening day Tuesday at the Silverdale Farmers Market to buy fresh flowers and lettuce.
School celebrates 29 years of annual book parade BY SERAINE PAGE SPAGE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
For the last 29 years, the same event has happened every spring in the halls of Woodlands Elementary. Students line the hallways, sitting on the ground and wait for the doors of the library to swing open. It’s the start of the annual book parade, where select students strut about the halls with a rolling library cart decorated in a way to showcase details of a book their class read together. “A ‘Book Float’ is a wheeled
contraption that is decorated to celebrate a book or author,” said Jeff Sullivan, a learning specialist who has taken part in the event for the last 20 years. Aside from having visually exciting pieces to showcase for those who line the hallways, it is also an opportunity for children to see new books they may not have heard about before, he said. Sullivan and other staff members also voted on the carts, draping banners across for “best adventure,” “best use of dimension” and the like. After the initial hallway
parade, students gathered inside the gymnasium to watch the book floats go past one more time. As students walked their book banner and wheeled their cart down the center for all to see, two master of ceremonies read summaries of the books to the students. Books like “Creepy Carrots,” “Hatchet” and “Arrow to the Sun” were among class picks for the parade. “It’s a Pueblo Indian folk tale,” third-grader Josiah Ferraro said of the “Arrow to the Sun” cart, which featured a large construction paper sun. The cart won the “most eye-
catching” award as presented by staff for its use of bright red, orange and yellow construction paper for decorating. Ferraro said he enjoyed parading through the halls holding the banner introducing the book and sharing the story with others. He also noted that reading should be important to all students, not just some. “You can learn more and you have something to do so you’re not always bored,” Ferraro said. The event was also tied to celebrating the school’s Reading Olympics statistics
for the event that took place in March. Students were encouraged to read individually and then report back to their teacher how many minutes they read. During a celebration assembly inside the gym after the book parade ended, principal Jeff McCormick announced the grand total of minutes read during the Reading Olympics. When McCormick told the students they read nearly half a million minutes, the auditorium roared with clapping and cheering. “Boys and girls, I am so happy to see you are this excit-
ed about reading,” McCormick told the students. Sixth grader Hailey Bradley is one of those students who loves to read. On average, Bradley suspects she reads about 15 books per month. “When you start reading at a young age, you get better grades,” she said. “Reading is fun. I love to read.” For some, the memories of the book parade over the years is the best part of the annual event. Woodlands teacher Molly Eberle-Wickens remembers participating in the parade SEE BOOK PARADE, A9