Community Events, Week of August 27

Historic Downtown Poulsbo

 

Historic Downtown Poulsbo

On Wednesday, August 29, Suquamish Church of Christ will host a community dinner between 5-7pm. This is a weekly event. All are welcome.

On Thursday, August 30, First Lutheran Church in Poulsbo will host a community dinner between 5-6pm. This is a weekly event. All are welcome.

On Saturday, September 1st, Gateway Fellowship Church in Poulsbo will also host a community lunch, from 11:30 to 1pm. This is a weekly event and all are welcome.

Donation Station: Don't forget -- on Saturday, the Fishline van will be at Albertson's in Poulsbo to collect food and clothing donations from 11am to 1pm. This is a weekly event until October.

Marina Market is sponsoring the Poulsbo BrewCrawl until September 3. This will be the last weekend! Click here to read more!

Contact NK Fishline to add your event to our calendar! Want to plan ahead? Visit our website to review the events calendar.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Remembering Garvin

On Saturday, August 25, North Kitsap Fishline hosted a Memorial Service for Garvin Tootle.  The event was held at the Poulsbo waterfront.  Sunny skies and a light breeze greeted a large group of friends and family that gathered to honor his memory. Throughout the seated guests were bright red shirts with yellow writing -- honoring Garvin's service to the Marine Corps and sharing a sentiment that made everyone smile:  

The shirts read -- "Can I lend you a hand?....Garvin made me do it." 

The service began with a reading about service to others, from 1 Peter 4:10.

Chuck Weaver than shared Garvin's Story -- his service to the Marine Corps, to his family, and to the community.  Jim Stark from the Poulsbo Noon Lions then shared his memories of Garvin, many of which drew smiles from the crowd.  Afterwards, friends and fellow volunteers spoke fondly of Garvin.

His daughter gave an emotional thanks to the crowd -- she shared how touched she was to hear the kind words about Garvin's life and work here in Poulsbo, and was thankful to have this glimpse into the legacy he leaves behind.

Mary Nader, Executive Director of NK Fishline spoke last -- and said it best --- "I'm sure Heaven is a much more smoothly running place because you're there."

Eric Alexander played and sang "Believe Me" -- a song he wrote for the memorial.  He then lead the group in singing "Happy Birthday" -- Saturday would have been Garvin's 70th birthday. It was an emotional tribute -- many in the crowd teared up by the end of the song.

The most touching part of the service was looking at the people that gathered together -- the diversity present in the NK Fishline friends and family.  It's clear that Garvin leaves behind something so very special to the many people whose lives he touched -- whether to lend a helping hand, to teach a life lesson, to inspire or simply to share a smile.   

Garvin Tootle, age 69, passed away on June 26, 2012 from cancer.  He was a retired Marine Corps officer of 23 years and, until recently, Operations Manager of NK Fishline. 

          He is survived by his wife, Joan Tootle, one son, two daughters and five grandchildren. 

To adequately describe Garvin would take volumes, but being a private person, he did not enjoy being the center of attention.  To honor this, just a few of his memorable traits will be mentioned here.

He had a deep, unwavering love for his country; constantly strived to be of service to family, friends    and community; greatly respected work well done and those who did it; and was a great admirer of personal, moral and physical strength.  One of his greatest wishes was to be a hero to someone and this he accomplished many times over. 

He fought this dreadful disease for over seven years and continued to be active until almost his last breath.  his greatest passion in the later part of his life was dedicated to Fishline, its volunteers and the clients.  This is what motivated him and kept him going daily, long after his advanced disease took over his body.  

This multi-faceted man could be either charming or fearsome, depending on the situation; however, no matter what, he was always respected, loved and admired by those who really knew him.  

(from the Memorial Program) 

Food for Thought

Food for Thought is another one of our many food services designed to serve those at need in our community.  This is a weekend backpack program for children who may not otherwise receive enough food when not in school.  Each pack contains enough food for six meals plus snacks.  During the school year, the packs are delivered to the child at their school on Friday afternoons.  Summer packs are also available and can be picked up by registered families at NK Fishline.

Residents of Poulsbo, Suquamish, and Keyport are eligible for the Food for Thought program.  Contact client services at NK Fishline to apply.

We are currently collecting items for our Food for Thought program and are in need of the following items:

 Nature’s Valley Granola Bars
 Tree Top Fruit Snacks
 Pop Tarts
 Indv. Oatmeal Packets
 Peanut Butter Crackers
 Apple Sauce Cups
 Fruit Cups
 Pudding Cups
 Indv. Cereal Boxes
 Beef Cup of Noodles
 Chili or Chicken Soup
 Indv. Craisins/raisins

With the back to school snack sales, this would be a great time to collect and donate to this worthwhile program!

Community Events, Week of August 20

Image from Kitsap Tours

Tonight, August 20th, St. Olaf's Catholic Church will be hosting a community dinner from 5 to 7pm.    This is a once a month event. All are welcome.  

Also tonight, August 20th, we will have our monthly board meeting.  This meeting is held in the upstairs conference room of Central Market from 6:30 to 8pm. The public is welcome to attend. 

On Wednesday, August 22,  Suquamish Church of Christ will host a community dinner between 5-7pm.  This is a weekly event. All are welcome. 

On Thursday, August 23, First Lutheran Church in Poulsbo will host a community dinner between 5-6pm.  This is a weekly event.  All are welcome.  

On Friday, August 24, Kingston Churches will hold a community dinner at the Kingston VFW from 5 to 6:30pm.  This is a monthly event and all are welcome.  

On Saturday, August 25, we are hosting a Memorial and Fishline Fundraiser for Garvin Tootle, our  Operations Manager who passed away last June.  This event will be held at the Poulsbo Waterfront from 10am to 11:30am. 

On Saturday, August 18, Gateway Fellowship Church in Poulsbo will also host a community lunch, from 11:30 to 1pm.  This is a weekly event and all are welcome.  

Donation Station:  Don't forget -- on Saturday, the Fishline van will be at Albertson's in Poulsbo to collect food and clothing donations from 11am to 1pm.  This is a weekly event until October.

Marina Market is sponsoring the Poulsbo BrewCrawl until September 3.  Click here to read more!  

 Contact NK Fishline to add your event to our calendar!  Want to plan ahead? Visit our website to review the events calendar. 

Little Helpers Making a Big Difference

Jennifer Bunstock and her four children bring food in for the NK Fishline community every month. Between

her extreme couponing and her savvy shopping at the Navy Commissary, they bring in a whopping 250-350 pounds every month for our clients. Just wanted to share these adorable photos.  We admire her for teaching her children the value of service to others and thank Jennifer and her family for their continued donations! 

What Is An E-Box?

An example of what an E-box may contain.

In addition to the Front Market Services, NK Fishline provides an E-box for families in need.  Emergency food boxes, also known as an "E-boxes", are available to clients once per month.

The size of these boxes depends on the size of your family, and includes food for balanced meals for four days. In order to qualify for the service, you would need to register with NK Fishline and live within the service area:  Poulsbo, Suquamish, and Keyport.

Asking for help can be intimidating -- our aim is let you know how things work at NK Fishline so that you feel comfortable when coming to learn about our services.  Here's what to expect when you are interested in an E-box:

• After registering with the front desk or through client services, you would be given a checklist of items to select from.  These items may or may not be available, but helps our staff of volunteers put together a box of items from our available stock that would be best used by your family.  The checklist also considers whether or not there are any allergies, vegetarian preferences, dietary health concerns, and what food preparation equipment is available to you.  

• You would then wait in a waiting area or use the E-box preparation time to shop in our Front Market.  When your name is called, you may be given a choice of our specialty items when they are available.  You can also expect some help to load your items into your car.  Courteous, friendly -- and always very thoughtful of our client's needs:  that's the best way to describe this experience.  

To register for client services, use our online form or visit the food bank at 18916 NE Third Ave in Poulsbo.

Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer

#10: It's good for you.

Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards. It:

• Reduces stress: Experts report that when you focus on someone other than yourself, it interrupts usual tension-producing patterns.
• Makes you healthier: Moods and emotions, like optimism, joy, and control over one's fate, strengthen the immune system.

#9: It saves resources.

Volunteering provides valuable community services so more money can be spent on client services

#8: Volunteers gain professional experience.

You can test out a career.  Read this story about our Volunteer Manager, Gavin Watt. 

#7: It brings people together.

The volunteer community at NK Fishline unites people from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal:  assisting our community in need.  Volunteers learn camaraderie and teamwork.  

#6: It promotes personal growth and self esteem.

Understanding community needs helps foster empathy and self-efficacy.

#5: Volunteering strengthens your community.

Volunteering helps to support, strengthen, and improve your community. 

#4: You learn a lot.

Volunteers learn things like these:

• Self: Volunteers discover hidden talents that may change your view on your self worth.
• Community: Volunteers gain knowledge of local resources available to solve community needs.

#3: You get a chance to give back.

People like to support community resources that they use themselves or that benefit people they care about.

#2: Volunteering encourages civic responsibility.

Community service and volunteerism are an investment in our community and the people who live in it.

#1: You make a difference.

Every person counts!

Visit our webpage to read more about volunteering at NK Fishline.  Contact our Volunteer Manager to ask questions about volunteering. 

Apply here to be a volunteer! 

Source:  UC San Diego, Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer

Community Events, Week of August 13

This photo of Sluys Poulsbo Bakery is courtesy of TripAdvisor

On Wednesday, August 15,  Suquamish Church of Christ will host a community dinner between 5-7pm.  This is a weekly event. All are welcome.  

On Thursday, August 16, First Lutheran Church in Poulsbo will host a community dinner between 5-6pm.  This is a weekly event.  All are welcome.  

On Saturday, August 18, Gateway Fellowship Church in Poulsbo will also host a community lunch, from 11:30 to 1pm.  This is a weekly event and all are welcome.  

Donation Station:  Don't forget -- on Saturday, the Fishline van will be at Albertson's in Poulsbo to collect food and clothing donations from 11am to 1pm.  This is a weekly event until October. 

School supply drive until August 17.  Here are the drop off locations!

Donations can be dropped off at these local businesses:

— Second Seasons Thrift Shop 18825 Anderson Parkway.

— Starbucks, 19673 7th Ave. NE, Suite D.

— Starbucks, 21505 Market Place, NW, No. 101.

— Poulsbo Library, 700 NE Lincoln Road.

— Edward Jones, 19740 7th Ave. NE.

— Edward Jones, 18887 Highway 305 NE.

— Bank of America, 19255 Jensen Way NE.

— Poulsbo City Hall, 200 NE Moe St.

— Curves of Poulsbo, 19351 8th Ave. NE, Suite 101. 

— Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse, 9989 Silverdale Way, Suite 109, Silverdale. (Receive 10% off your bill with a donation of 3+ school supply items, excluding alcohol and gratuity, not valid with any other discounts.)

Marina Market is sponsoring the Poulsbo BrewCrawl until September 3.  Click here to read more! 

Are you hosting an event that will benefit the needy members of our community?  Contact NK Fishline to add your event to our calendar!  Want to plan ahead? Visit our website to review the events calendar. 

Poulsbo BrewCrawl to Raise Funds for NK Fishline

Do you have a favorite Poulsbo Brewery? Help them win bragging rights of being Poulsbo's Most Popular Brewery while giving to NK Fishline!

Here's how it works:  

• Pick up your "passport" & raffle ticket for $10 (you can  pick one up at Marina Market, right down the stairs from the food bank or any of the participating breweries).
• Every time you go to your favorite Poulsbo brewery and buy a beer, present this passport and get a stamp.  Each stamp will represent a donation by the brewery to NK Fishline and add to the Most Popular Brewery contest.
• When you get 20 stamps, turn in your passport -- this will be your invitation to the winning brewery's BBQ! 

Read more about this fun-fundraiser at Westsound Beer News!  This event is sponsored by Marina Market and ends on September 3rd.   

Fishline's Volunteer Manager Becomes Official

When Gavin Watt officially became Fishline's Volunteer Manager on August 1, many Fishline insiders were surprised. Gavin has been doing this job since the first of this year, but most didn't know that he was doing so as a volunteer. When he stepped down from his role on the Fishline Board in July, he was able to become part of the paid staff, which we are happy about as he has been working so hard in service to Fishline.

Gavin is a self-effacing man, so you don't hear much about the rich and interesting history that is his story. He was born in Michigan, the oldest of 8 children, living "a pretty normal childhood". He joined the Navy when he was 18, moved to San Francisco and went into the Merchant Marine, ultimately serving in Vietnam. When he returned and went to school, he worked on ships during the summers to raise money for his tuition. He learned skills during this time that would launch him into the career that would come next.

Before he graduated, he married Laurel and had a family - 2 daughters - working odd jobs mostly in power plants. When the family moved to Canada ("Dad's Canadian"), he dabbled in a hobby that he had once thought would be his career, photography. But it's hard to make a living taking pictures, so he continued working in power plants in the area. They moved back to the states, onto Vashon Island, where he started a business in construction testing air and water flows. After 7 years as his own boss, he was invited to take on a job in the same field in California. He eventually retired and moved back to the Northwest.

As often happens with youthful, curious people, retirement wasn't dormant for Gavin. He started doing his photography again and looked for volunteer work. He heard about Fishline, which he originally thought was "providing food for retired fishermen". He started as a receptionist, where he worked capably for 3 years, then took on the volunteer role of Program Manager for Food for Thought. When the opening for Volunteer Manager came up, he graciously agreed to take it on. Aside from the confusion coming from an office that has a Gavin and a Garvin, he was able to get going right away and brought order and calm to what can be a very busy workplace.

This job can have its challenges. Keeping a hopping food bank and thrift store staffed with trained volunteers can have its ups and downs. "The hardest part is getting enough steady volunteers to keep up with our growth. " But the ups are wonderfully energizing. "I love the people, the volunteers, the students we have working with us, our clients. It's a great group of people to work with."

You can contact Gavin at volunteer@nkfishline.org with any questions or interest in becoming a NK Fishline volunteer. We'd love to have you!

Posted with Blogsy

Community Events, Week of August 6

First Lutheran Church in Poulsbo

On Wednesday, August 8,  Suquamish Church of Christ will host a community dinner between 5-7pm.  This is a weekly event. All are welcome.  

On Thursday, August 9, First Lutheran Church in Poulsbo will host a community dinner between 5-6pm.  This is a weekly event.  All are welcome.  

On Saturday, August 11, Gateway Fellowship Church in Poulsbo will also host a community lunch, from 11:30 to 1pm.  This is a weekly event and all are welcome.  

Don't forget -- on Saturday, the Fishline van will be at Albertson's in Poulsbo to collect food and clothing donations from 11am to 1pm.  This is a weekly event until October. 

We are also doing our school supply drive until August 17.  Here are the drop off locations!


Donations can be dropped off at these local businesses:

— Second Seasons Thrift Shop 18825 Anderson Parkway.

— Starbucks, 19673 7th Ave. NE, Suite D.

— Starbucks, 21505 Market Place, NW, No. 101.

— Poulsbo Library, 700 NE Lincoln Road.

— Edward Jones, 19740 7th Ave. NE.

— Edward Jones, 18887 Highway 305 NE.

— Bank of America, 19255 Jensen Way NE.

— Poulsbo City Hall, 200 NE Moe St.

— Curves of Poulsbo, 19351 8th Ave. NE, Suite 101. 


— Fujiyama Japanese Steakhouse, 9989 Silverdale Way, Suite 109, Silverdale. (Receive 10% off your bill with a donation of 3+ school supply items, excluding alcohol and gratuity, not valid with any other discounts.)

Are you hosting an event that will benefit the needy members of our community?  Contact NK Fishline to add your event to our calendar!

Fishline Celebrates August's Featured Community Partner: Poulsbo North Kitsap Rotary

Every Friday morning when they meet at 7 am at the Sons of Norway Lodge, local Rotarians look forward to a warm and hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon and hash browns.  But every month on the 2nd Tuesday, members skip the normal breakfast, eating only oatmeal instead.  This sacrificial act has a purpose - it reminds the members that some in our community eat oatmeal because it is all they can afford.   But additionally, the money Rotary saves by serving oatmeal is donated to Fishline, a regular reminder of the commitment it has made to help our community.

In scores of other ways, Rotary helps Fishline and its clients.  Many of its members, representatives of businesses throughout our town, hold Fishline fundraisers throughout the year.  Rotarians are on the Fishline Board and also volunteer to help in daily operations.   A Rotarian even volunteers to do our early morning (5:00 am!) Central Market pickup each week.  And through membership in the Rotary, Fishline's Director can announce any need Fishline has and be assured of a positive,supportive response.

This year, Rotary purchased for Fishline a sorely-needed three-door cooler, a huge contribution that will make it possible for us to provide nourishing fruits, vegetables and dairy to dozens more families each week.  Fishline is just one of the area non-profits which benefits from the mandate of service that forms Rotary's mission.  All year, thousands of dollars and hours are devoted to worthy local endeavors that improve the quality of life for all of us in North Kitsap. We thank North Kitsap Rotary for their remarkable, ongoing support of Fishline's mission.