The Gig Harbor Thanksgiving Basket Brigade started out 25 years ago with the goal of providing food to families in need at Thanksgiving. The effort has grown from 12 baskets organized and delivered by eight volunteers, to providing 1,580 baskets and feeding more than 7,000 people last year with the help of more than 400 […]
People & Places
West Sound has an incredible number of talented artists, interesting people, fascinating places and popular destinations. We love to share their stories with our readers. These articles are only a sample of what we have in West Sound Magazine each issue — subscribe to the print version to see all of what we have to offer!
Unsung Hero — Doug Clark
Blanket a Senior in Love is a program of The HUB (formerly Faith In Action) that started in Belfair in 2007 to give gifts to local seniors who would otherwise spend the holidays alone. The HUB collects winter items including gloves, socks, scarves and blankets, which are packaged up with other holiday items, a handwritten […]
Unsung Hero — Randy Biegenwald
The Kitsap Building Association wanted to expand its charitable activities in the local community about 18 years ago and members looked for recipients to provide a better Christmas experience. A couple of years later, they settled on the ALIVE Shelter, a YWCA of Kitsap County shelter and housing program for domestic violence victims and their […]
Bali Lost and Found: In Search of What Was
The name Bali conjures images of lush, green jungles; turquoise blue waters; deserted, white-sand beaches and ancient temples. Bali is synonymous with bright, colorful flowers; vanilla- and lemongrass-scented teas; and beautiful, handmade art of teak, silver and woven fabric. Bali is beautiful — an island of kind and happy people with welcoming smiles and sincere […]
The Monster
Always a monster, never otherwise — huge, intrusive and unexpectedly frightening. “OK, Google, define the word frightening.” “Frighten, alarm, scare, terrify, appall, to arouse fear in people. To frighten is to shock with sudden, startling, but short-lived fear.” Suppose it would apply here, to this particular boiler, installed by Burlington in 1922 in the Thomas […]
Local Indie Feed Stores Still Making Their Mark in World of Growing Competition
Stroll around the grounds of Bay Hay & Feed on Bainbridge Island and you get the sense of walking back in time. It’s like visiting an old-fashioned country store, with a modern twist. There’s a nursery and greenhouse, filled with about every plant and tree imaginable. There’s live stock and pet supplies, dog and cat […]
Unsung Hero — Jim Sund
Jim Sund may be a familiar name or face to many around West Sound, but especially in North Kitsap. The retired owner of North Kitsap Auto Rebuild in Poulsbo, Sund is a longtime community volunteer who’s been serving on the boards of several local nonprofits. They include the West Sound Technical Skills Center Foundation, Jewel […]
Patsy Surh O’Connell — Building Cultural Bridges through Art
Patsy Surh O’Connell’s life is filled with art. She has studied, taught and created art since she was a child, and has won so many awards for her artwork that she has lost count. As a 4-year-old in Korea, she started “scratching and drawing” on her father’s typing paper. In high school, she studied charcoal […]
Making a Difference — Martha & Mary
If you want to feel good about the world, drive to Poulsbo and spend some time visiting Martha & Mary, a unique organization where kids get their start in life and seniors find a caring and peaceful place to spend the last part of their life. Martha & Mary offers several services to the local […]
