OutKitsap - A Look Back

Scroll over picture to control the slide show.

The slide show has been moved here because changes within Google have resulted in it not working on the OWS web page.

A Look Back at OutKitsap

OutKitsap has been a large part of many lives in the Kitsap County GLBTQ community. Many of us look back fondly at the friends we've made, the fun times we've had and the causes we've helped to support over the years.

The folding of OutKitsap is extremely sad, but the good works and mission of OutKitsap will be carried forward by our great community. OutKitsap - A Look Back is a work in progress to celebrate and remember the good times we've had with OutKitsap over the years. I've started with a framework of notices and announcements that I've been able to salvage from the web site. It is my hope that you'll help me expand on this tribute and history with photos and comments to be added to this slide show. Please send to me anything you'd like to add. It will be helpful if you can relate photos and comments to particular events or at least provide a time frame and provide names of anybody in the pictures.

Let's reflect on the past while thinking about what we as a community want for the future!

Potluck and Get Together - Friday,September 28th

Since OUTKitsap is not having Friday Feast and Bingo Friday night as had been scheduled, a potluck and get together will be held at the same time and place! St. Paul's Church in East Bremerton, at 6:30. Bring something to share and come and socialize with the community. People are bringing board games and even arts and crafts supplies, so who knows where the evening will end up.

From the messages posted on OWS, there's going to be some great food, so plan on joining the crowd.

St Paul's Episcopal Church
700 Callahan Dr
Bremerton, WA 98310

Without additional comment, Friday Feast / Gay Bingo, which was scheduled for Friday, September 28th, "will not be held at this time." OUTKitsap has made no other official comments.

Sadly, you should scratch bingo off your calendar for now.

Welcome to Fall

The days are rapidly getting shorter and the temperature is falling. I guess we have to close the windows and admit that fall has arrived.

The end-of-summer picnic wasn't meant to be on the actual day that summer ended, but that seems to be the case. The hearty souls who attended had a great meal of barbecued things under the cover of a picnic shelter, and the rain stopped long enough for a couple rounds of Mondo Croquet and Bocce Ball. Mondo Croquet was a blast, but several of the bowling balls didn't survive the ordeal! A few pictures are posted in the events section on the web page.

I was a little over-optimistic when planning mini golf and Bocce Ball on Thursday nights - the days are just too short and the weather too iffy to continue, so we're going to cancel the remaining events on the schedule. I really want to thank everyone who participated! I looked forward to fun times every Thursday all summer long!

Got any ideas for Thursday evening activities in the fall and winter?

Remember - It's Party Time on Sunday

The equipment for Mondo Croquet is ready. It's just part of the fun at the end-of-the-summer party at Manchester State Park on Sunday, September 16th. They will be Bocce Ball and Volley Ball too and it will be a great day to relax and visit with friends old and new.

Come join our community any time after 11 AM. We'll be at the far end of the picnic area along the water. Don't let a little rain slow you down...there's a covered shelter area too.

More Details

Equipment Pictures

Kitsap AIDs Walk on Saturday

The Kitsap AIDs walk is this Saturday, the 15th. It's not too late to sign up to participate or sponsor walkers.

Event Schedule:

Registration Opens at 9:30am. We'll have coffee and treats to fuel your walk, plus bottled water.

AIDS Walk Kitsap steps off from the Bremerton Harborside at 11am on Saturday, September 15. We'll walk up 2nd to Pacific and take Pacific to Evergreen Park. We'll head back on Park Avenue to 4th and head back to the Harborside.

Rally at the finish line with music, fun and prizes.

More Information

Remember,The Red Star Party is also Saturday at the new location. More Information

Red Star Party News - Rescheduled to Saturday, 9/15

The Red Star Parties scheduled for this Friday (9/7) and for September 14th have been rescheduled to Saturday, September 15th at the Manette Saloon, just across the Manette bridge in East Bremerton.

Please let everybody know about the new day and location!
There is no Red Star Party this Friday.

This will be a busy weekend:

• Kitsap County AIDs Walk Saturday, 9/15
• Cancer as a Turning Point, From Surviving to Thriving™ conference, Saturday, 9/15
  
• Red Star Party Saturday, 9/15
• End-of-Summer Party, featuring Mondo Croquet, Sunday, 9/16

Don't forget Bocce Ball at the new Waterfront Park in Bremerton on Thursday, 9/13. With the days getting shorter, this may be the last evening Bocce Ball for the summer.

End-of-Summer Party - September 16th

Labor Day is behind us and the days are getting shorter so I guess we'll have to sadly admit that summer is drawing to a close.

That seems like reason enough to take one last chance to enjoy the beautiful summer we've had to have a party/picnic. Come and join the OWS community to visit with old friends, play some games and have a relaxing afternoon.

The party will be at Manchester State Park (6 miles from Port Orchard) on Sunday, September 16th, starting at 11 AM. There are plenty of picnic tables with grills and we'll bring charcoal, so bring some burgers to grill and make it a picnic.

We'll be playing Mondo Croquet which looks like a blast (croquet with bowling balls and sledge hammers), bocce ball and volleyball and there are a couple miles of trails along the beach for hiking and biking. There's plenty of open area for other games too and room for the kids to play, so bring the family along.

If you have a sledge hammer you can lend to the Mondo Croquet effort or a bowling ball you'd like to be rid of, please let me know. Everyone should plan on bringing their own equipment just to be sure they will be enough for everyone who wants to play.

The details are here. There's no charge to enter state parks anymore; although Manchester not centrally located, it's a great park that should work nicely.

I'd like to have a huge turnout so spread the word and put the party on your calendar!

Events, Past, Present and Future

The Kitsap County Fair and Rodeo

We had a great turnout at the Fair on Friday. Over a dozen were in attendance from out community. Everybody enjoyed the rodeo and had their fill of wonderful fair food! Our little group was quite successful in winning ribbons at the fair. In addition to the six that Eric got for his baked goods, Duane took 2nd and 3rd place ribbons for his paintings and his partner Kelly won two 1st place ribbons for his awesome quilts. Congratulations to all of you.

The fair was a lot of fun - we'll try for a bigger turnout next year!


Red Star News

G-Style Knights, the location where Red Star has been held, has closed. Red Star Nights are temporarily canceled until a new venue is found. Check the OWS calendar and the Red Star web page for the latest information.








Mini Golf and Bocce Ball

Mini golf and bocce ball are scheduled into October but we'll watch the weather. The schedule is:

Thursday, August 30: Bocce Ball
Thursday, September 6: Mini Golf
Thursday, September 13: Bocce Ball
Thursday, September 20: Mini Golf
Thursday, September 27: Bocce Ball
Thursday, October 4: Mini Golf

I'd like to thank everyone who has come to these events. It's been wonderful to meet a bunch of new people and to get to know more about some people I've known for years but never really got past hello before. I encourage everybody to take a little risk and join us. Everybody seems to have a good time, you might meet some new friends and at worst you've only had to tolerate people for a couple hours.

Mini Golf Details

Bocce Ball Details

Mondo Croquet - An Upcoming Event?

I'm afraid that we must admit that summer is drawing to a close and the long beautiful days are getting shorter. If there's any interest, I think we have time for one last big event.

I'd like to propose a picnic and a round or two of mondo croquet. This isn't croquet for sissies. It's played with sledge hammers and bowling balls! Lest you think I'm crazy, the world headquarters for Mondo Croquet is in Portland, where they had the 10th Annual World Championships in August! It looks like a blast, and a good event to add to Kitsap Pride next year.

We need to set a day, find a field, preferably with cooking facilities, get equipment (everybody is responsible for their own) and make it happen. Evergreen Park in Bremerton is a possibility, as is the "community park" in South Kitsap.

Anybody interested in trying mondo croquet? Anybody interested in putting a plan together?
Here's some info about mondo croquet.

Ella Reminds You It's Time for the Fair

Ella wants to remind everyone that our "gay day" at the Kitsap County Fair is Friday. Trust me, you don't want to mess with Ella, the scariest beauty contestant...no.....drag queen......no, scare crow at the fair!

Let's revise the plan a bit....there are tables set up near the main stage and the hypnosis show starts at 5:00. Eric and I will try to grab a table before the show for anybody who would like to join us for a bite to eat.


We'll meet around 6:30 in front of the stadium for the Tough Enough To Wear Pink Rodeo, which starts at 7:00. Be sure to wear pink to help fight breat cancer.

The details are here on OutWestSound.

Be sure to wish Eric all the best on his pile of ribbons for his baked goods! He'll love you if you can tell him what he won for!

If you'd like to send me email and I'll send you our cell phone number so you can track us down....

Jon

The Fair is This Friday

I hope everybody is planning on joining the OWS community at the Kitsap County Fair and Rodeo on Friday! The details are here, but some of the specifics have changed. Brothers from Different Mothers will not be preforming on Friday. At 5:00 PM (and again at 8:00), Tammy Harris Barton, the hypnotist will be performing. After the rodeo at 9:00 PM, Roberto the Magnificent will be performing and it looks like a fun show.

Check out the details above, and plan to meet at 5:30 to get some food, at 6:30 for the rodeo and after the rodeo.

Eric and I will probably get there sometime in the afternoon to check out how he did in the baking competitions...as many of you know, his chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies and brownies should steal the fair! Call us if you get there before 5:30 and would like to join us in checking out the animal barns (please don't give Eric a Sharpie - the 4H kids didn't like him marking the cuts of meat on the pigs last year!) and other exhibits. Our number will be in an OWS message (but not on the web page).

Tickets for the fair and rodeo at $12 at the gate but only $9 if purchased in advance at West Sound Bank branches. There is a coupon in the Kitsap Sun paper for a free bus pass plus $2 in fair coupons (which I believe can be used for admission). Taking the bus is recommended and saves the expense of parking.

Jon

Thursday Evenings

Bocce ball has turned out to be a lot of fun and we've had a great turnout, so we're adding it as a regular event on the Thursday evenings that aren't mini golf.

The schedule is:

August 16: Mini golf at 7:00

August 23: Bocce ball and picnic at 6:30

August 30: Bocce ball and picnic at 6:30

September 6: Mini golf at 7:00

September 13: Bocce ball and picnic at 6:30

September 20: Mini golf at 7:00

September 27: Bocce ball and picnic at 6:30

October 4: Mini golf at 7:00

Details:
Mini Golf
Bocce Ball

If you haven't checked out the OutWestSound web page, please do. It's the place you can find out about events happening in our community. In the last two weeks, events on the OutWestSound calendar have attracted around 200 particpants - events that you can't even find a link to on the OUTKitsap web page!

Join The OWS Community at the Kitsap County Fair and Stampede

The survey results are in and the schedule is set. Join the OutWestSound community at the Kitsap County Fair and Stampede on Friday evening, August 24th. The preliminary details are shown here. Planned events include gathering for mealtime at 5:30 PM and meeting for the "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" rodeo at 6:30.

Keep an eye on the Upcoming Events page for changes and additional events.

Please comment to the OWS forum if you have any suggestions or would like to add events.

The combination price for the fair and rodeo is $12 at the fair, but tickets may be purchased in advance for $9 at Westsound Bank locations. Fair admission only is $7 at the fair.

Bocce Ball & Picnic - Take 2

Bocce ball last week was a lot of fun, so we're going to do it again. Thursday, August 9th in the new Waterfront Park in Bremerton. Join us for a BYOD* picnic at 6:30, with playing to start around 7:00.

Use care in finding parking, as the time limits on some spots downtown are enforced 24 hours a day. If you're coming from the south, the foot ferry from Port Orchard works well.

* Bring You Own Dinner

Cold Pizza at the Bremerton Ferry in Blue Slippers? An Invitation to Improv

Have you seen Cold Pizza at the Bremerton Ferry Terminal in Blue Slippers? It's an especially difficult piece with the leading actor speaking Swahili with a speech impediment while the leading lady suffers a nervous breakdown during the first act!


Well, it might be seen at The Edge improv performance on August 11th, but there's no way to be sure unless you're there. You see, they make up the show as it happens with suggestions from the audience. On this day there might be a scene in the style of Star Trek and Shakespeare, or maybe the funniest account of unclogging a toilet that you've ever seen. What I do know for certain is that you'll laugh so hard for an hour and a half that your sides will hurt when you leave.


You may have seen improv on TV with Drew Cary in Whose Line Is It Anyway? The group on Bainbridge Island is at least as good as those guys if not better.

Jon (that would be me) and Eric invite you to join them on Saturday, August 11th for an evening of laughs and fun. The show is at the Bainbridge Performing Arts Center on Bainbridge Island but it's worth the drive. We'll meet at the theater at 7:00 for the 7:30 performance. Trust me, you don't want to be late as they'll stop the show and chat with you while you find a seat! The show has been known to sell out too. If you drop me an email, we'll know to expect you but otherwise we'll meet everybody in front of the theater between 7:00 - 7:15. Tickets are $10 and may be ordered in advance.

Click for more details about The Edge and The BPA. Driving directions are located near the bottom of this page. Join us after the show for some dessert at a location to be determined.

I hope you'll join us! Send me an email if you have any questions.

Red Star Party Friday

It's the first Friday of the month and time for the Red Star Party! 9:00 PM at G-Style Knights on Callow Avenue in Bremerton. Over 130 people have attended the last two months.

Details

A Fun Evening of Bocce Ball

The picnic and bocce ball on Monday evening was a great success! It was a beautiful evening to enjoy some food around a table made from a huge boulder with friends, and the bocce ball close with a final score of 16 to 8. The red team of Marcie, Kel, Eric, Blair and Zaq beat the blue team of Hans, Stan, Ryan, Jay and your truly. Michael came to watch for a bit and Hanna would have loved to play, but she had a hard time picking up the balls in her mouth. Besides, she had more fun in the fountains! Eric's Rice Krispy treats were enjoyed by all.

We'll do it again soon....

Preliminary Fair Survey Results

A total of 28 people have taken the survey about having a gay day at the Kitsap County Fair in August. Twenty-three indicate that they would like to attend and get together.

The preliminary results look like Friday, August 24th will be the day. The survey, preliminary results and fair information may be found here. Please take the survey if you'd like to join the crowd and we'll solidify the schedule a week or two before the fair so that everybody can plan ahead.

Bocce Ball and Picnic Monday in Bremerton's New Waterfront Park

boc·ce or boc·ci or boc·cie (bŏch'ē)
n.

A game of Italian origin similar to lawn bowling that is played with wooden balls on a long narrow court covered with fine gravel.

[Italian bocce, pl. of boccia, ball.]

Join us Monday evening at 7:00 PM for an impromptu picnic and bocce ball in Bremerton's new Waterfront Park. The fountains are really cool and the view of the ferry and water looking over towards Port Orchard is impressive. There are many tables and benches, and the fountains make great wading pools for kids of all ages.

Bring a picnic, check out the park and have some fun playing bocce ball. It was a fun game at Pride and can be played by almost anyone. Up to eight people can play at once on teams.

The Waterfront Park is between the ferry terminal and shipyard. We'll be at the far end of the park, nearest the water where there is a nice grass area. Be careful where you park as the parking enforcement officers are very enthusiastic. If you're coming from Port Orchard, the foot ferry will be a convenient way to get to the park...but watch the time to be on the last boat at 8:45.

Believe it or not, the barren strip shown here to the left of the ferry is the Waterfront Park! Below is a picture I took there on Friday afternoon.

It's Mini Golf Time Again on Thursday

Come and grab a colorful ball and join us for the fun at mini golf this Thursday at 7:00 PM. We've had groups of around 8 people the last couple times but there's always room for more. Usually, we go to Dairy Queen afterwards for some socializing. The details are here.


Visit the OutWestSound web page to keep up with all the events in the area.

New Stuff on the Web Page

Friends
There is a new section on the web page called Friends. In this section we'll share special events and interests of friends to our community. Our first friend is Stan Hess, whom you may have seen helping out at many OUTKitsap events. When he's not busy volunteering for our community, he's the curator of the Aurora Valentinetti Puppet Museum in downtown Bremerton. Plan on stopping by the museum the next time you're in downtown Bremerton.

Our second group of friends are the Slaughter County Roller Vixens. You probably saw them at Kitsap Pride 2007 and some of the area parades and festivals. Let me assure you, the Roller Vixens make better Friends than enemies!

See the Friends link on the left side of the web page.

OUTKitsap Business Guide Booklet
The long-awaited Business Guide Booklet is posted on the OutWestSound web page courtesy of OUTKitsap. Check on the guide to find local businesses.

Tuesday Bowling Update
The turnout in Port Orchard for Tuesday bowling has been fantastic. About 25 people have come the last three weeks - not everyone bowls, some just come to socialize. Join the fun! Details.

Red Star Early Warning
Next Friday is the first Friday of the month which means it's Red Star party time! Find the details under Upcoming Events.

And The Winners Are.....

We had some great prizes for some of the Pride Celebration events. Thank you all who participated and congratulations to the winners.

Last week at mini golf, Jay won a pizza for having the low score. Ryan won a pass for two to the Red Star after-Pride party for the first hole-in-one of the evening. Blair, coming in last, won a pass for a free round of mini golf so he can get some practice! A great time was had by all.

Participants in the games area at the Pride Celebration were entered in a drawing for a pizza. Our winners are Chris J. and Wade. Congratulations to each of you.

A special thanks to Rob at Pizza Hut for donating the pizzas, and the the Red Star gang for the passes. The mini golf pass was donated by the organizer of the event (that would be your cranky OWS moderator).

A Word About The Wiki

Having the Wiki completely open to all for adding and editing comments hasn't been completely successful. You'll have to create an account to edit pages, but it's pretty simple to do on the Wiki page. Sorry this slight complication is needed.

A Successful Pride Celebration!

Kitsap Pride 2007

The day was stormy and the crowds light, but Kitsap Pride Alliance and the many involved organizations and individuals put on a fantastic Kitsap 2007 Pride Celebration! A special thanks to all of you who didn't let a few clouds scare you off. The little rain didn't dampen spirits much, at least until it was time to pack up...this was the only significant rain of the entire day.

The OutWestSound Wiki

Another addition has been made to the OutWestSound web page - a Wiki. For those of you not familiar with a Wiki, it's a set of web pages where anybody can make changes and add to the content. I'd like the Wiki to contain our community's corporate knowledge, by which I mean our collective knowledge of what it takes to put on a successful event here. The first page with much information is about the Pride Celebration and the games area. We had a games area with croquet, volleyball and bocce ball but not many people played because we didn't get the word out soon enough and the weather kept the turnout down. You can add your comments about how we can improve things and what you'd like to see. We can build on the unique experiences we've all had.

I've also added Wiki pages about the monthly bar nights/dances that have been going on for many years in various formats and for Friday Feast/bingo. This is your chance to share what you've liked in the past and what you'd like to see in the future.

Using a Wiki is a new experience for many of us, but it's pretty simple. If you'd like to add or even change something on a Wiki page, click on EDIT, make the changes or additions and click on SAVE. Yes, anybody can make changes but I ask people to be civil and recognize that there are different viewpoints. Please consider making a comment about alternatives rather than changing something you don't agree with. Call this an experiment - we'll see if we can all work and play well with others! Click here for Wiki.

Gay Day at the Fair?

The survey is still open about going to the Kitsap County Fair and Stampede as a group. So far, Friday or Saturday evening is the top choice and most people want to go the the Tough Enough To Wear Pink Rodeo on Friday. Surprisingly, with 24 people having answered the survey so far, not one has said they want to go see the senior tap dancers in action! Please take the survey and make your desires known and we'll put together a schedule based on the results.

It's Kitsap Pride 2007

It's Pride weekend with lots of events going on.

Friday

Artie and Paul (of Tuesday bowling fame) invite everybody to see Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat tonight at CSTOCK. Starring and directed by some of our own. Details.

Saturday

Pride Celebration in Evergreen Park in Bremerton. Entertainment, exhibits, fun and games! Bring a blanket or some chairs and stay a while. This year, there will be croquet, volley ball and even bocce ball with some great prizes! Don't let the gray clouds keep you away. Noon to 5 PM. Details.

After-Pride Red Star Party. Celebrate Pride at a special Red Star Party. 9 PM at G-Style Knights. Details.

Sunday

KUUF Pride Service, 10 AM. Join this welcoming congregation. Details.

Hangover Brunch. Finish the Pride Celebration at this Red Star event. Augustino's at Evergreen Park. Noon. Reservations recommended. Details.

Kick Off Pride with Mini Golf on Thursday Night

Start off the Pride weekend with a special round of Coulrophobia-Free Mini Golf Thursday evening at the Timber Falls course off Waaga Way near Silverdale. There will be great prizes to kick off Pride, including a Pizza donated by Pizza Hut in East Bremerton, a pair of Free Admissions to the Red Star post-Pride party and a free round of mini-golf.

Golf starts at 7:00 and costs $6. Since the weather is a bit iffy, check with Eric and Jon at 206-661-6683 if the rain is coming down hard, but a few sprinkles won't hurt...just ask Homer :)

Details

Welcome to the Improved OutWestSound Web Page!

I've revamped the OutWestSound web page to give it a consistent look and to allow for painless updates to the News and Announcements section. By its very nature, this section is constantly changing to keep up with events; using a blog makes this process quick and easy.

A list of events occurring over the next week or two may be seen by clicking on the Upcoming Events button above this section. A longer range view of events and meetings may be found under the Calendars section to the left. Clicking on the title of any of these blog entries will take you to the OutWestSound blog, where you can see an archive of postings. I should note that the blog link to web site page only updates about every six hours, so the web page may be missing breaking events.

Have a look around the web page and let me know if there are additions you'd like to see. I am but your humble servant both here and in the OutWestSound forum and I'm happy to make additions.

Please let me know if there are events that should be on the calendar. I've included things I know about but I'm sure the list is incomplete. Events listed on the calendar should be of interest to our community but not necessarily limited to GLBTQ events. If the calendar becomes too crowded, the following priorities will apply:

1. GLBTQ events (in this area)
2. Events featuring members of the GLBTQ community
3. General events of interest to our community

Any and all events may be posted to the OutWestSound forum without restriction other than being of interest to our community.

Oh, by the way, this space is for rent - if you have something that needs more than a passing post in the OutWestSound forum, let me know!

PFLAG and OUTKitsap in Bainbridge Island's 4th of July Parade

OWS Congratulates PFLAG and OUTKitsap for an excellent presence in the Fourth of July Parade on Bainbridge Island. The large Pride flag, carried by 8 people, was met with cheers along the entire parade route. See some pictures from the parade here. This was a moving experience for everyone involved.

Kitsap Pride Week 2007 - Events This Week

This week is a busy one leading up to the Pride Celebration on Saturday in Bremerton's Evergreen Park.

For more information about the following events, check the listings on the Upcoming Events page.

The Human Rights Campaign's Legacy of Service - A National Tour Against 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is Wednesday night in Seattle. I understand this is a powerful presentation with service members telling their own stories about how this policy has impacted them.

Equal Rights Washington's Domestic Partner Law Forum is being presented in Seattle on Wednesday night and in Tacoma on Thursday night. Learn how the new law may affect you, and things you need to know before you sign up. Reservations are required and space is limited.

Thursday evening is our regularly scheduled (first and third Thursday) Mini Golf match at the course on Waaga Way in Silverdale. We'll have some special prizes for Pride so I hope you'll all join in the fun. See details here.

Pride events include the Pride Celebration from noon - 5 PM in Evergreen Park followed by a special Red Star Party at 9:00 PM. Sunday morning starts with a Pride Service at KUUF. A very special Pride Hangover Brunch will be held at Agustino's, sponsored by the Red Star crew. Reservations are recommended. For details on Pride Events, click here. Be sure to check out the posters created for Pride.

Kitsap Pride will be hosting some games at the Pride Celebration. Games include croquet and volley ball, open to all ages. You won't want to miss croquetRapide with some great prizes for completing the circuit the fastest.

By the way, if you have a volley ball net we could use for Pride, let me know.


Thanks for reading this first blog entry for OutWestSound. I suspect that most people will view it through the web page rather than on the blog. It gives us a handy way to present topical information and provides an archive. This space is open to announce your important news and events. If you have something of interest to the community, let me know.

Jon
OWS Moderator