I’ve been meaning to mention this on the blog, but environmental reporter Chris Dunagan beat me to it. Puget Sound Energy is offering to exchange old incandescent light bulbs for new, energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs.
This weekend, PSE’s “Rock the Bulb” booth will come to Lowe’s hardware in Silverdale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Next weekend, Aug. 8-9, “Rock the Bulb” will be at Lowe’s in Bremerton, and the following weekend, Aug. 15-16, the event will move to Lowe’s in Port Orchard.
It happens every year. Just as the swallows come back to Capistrano, Port Orchard residents and visitors in the know flock to the waterfront for the annual Seagull Festival. You’ve got to love a town that knows how to make a fool of itself, collectively speaking.
If you have not idea what the festival is all about, check out last year’s article and video.
Here are more details from Kitsap Sun’s A&E:
For the Birds: Call a Seagull, Then Duck
Port Orchard hosts the 21st annual edition of its Seagull Calling Festival beginning at 1 p.m. May 2 in the Waterfront Park on Bay Street.
Costumed contestants will show off their bird-beckoning prowess for wigged judges, who’ll evaluate categories like “Most Authentic Call, “Most Seagulls Called In” and “Best Costume.”
In addition, the event features a “seagull wings” cook-off, non-alcoholic beverage competition and other activities. Of course, “The Candy Shop” will be making a batch of its specialty creation, “Seagull Plop.”
Applications for the wings and beverage competitions, plus other bird-brained information, is available at portorchard.com.
Correction 4/8/09: Juliua Stroup informs me that she does not have 20 cords of woods available at this time. She is dedicated to providing warmth to those in need. What she needs most at this time is help from people willing to load, split and stack wood so it can season for next year. CTH
Although a hint of spring is in the air. Nights are still chilly here in Kitsap County. South Kitsap resident Juliua Stroup wants to do something about it for those who are struggling with heating bills or otherwise in need of fuel. Stroup left her IT job in Keyport last June to start a full-time nonprofit Christian wood provision program called “A Gift Of Warmth.”
Her organization locates wood from various sources, picks it up, processes it and stores it until it’s ready to burn.
Stroup has found plenty of wood and has probably about 20 cords so far that are ready to use, but she needs help loading and unloading her truck. And she needs help splitting and stacking additional wood coming in so it can season for next winter.
“Through this process I’ve injured my elbow tendons and would need help loading and unloading my truck,” she said. “We have wood being volunteered from all directions but I am but one person. … We could have so much more available for next winter if I could recruit some helpers.”
If you’ve ever chopped wood, even on a subzero day, you’ll get my reference to the “wood that warms twice.”
To help or if you need help, call Stroup at (360) 895-1482 or cell (360) 440-2587.
Here’s the thread of an e-mail exchange between Stroup and Baker forwarded to me from Sally Santana.
“Major Baker,
My name is Juliua Stroup and I reside in SW Port Orchard. I left my
18 year IT contractor position at NUWC Keyport last June to start a
full-time non-profit Christian wood provision program called “A
Gift Of Warmth.”
I provide clean dry wood for those in emergency need who have an accredited wood stove as a heat source. Next winter I will register with various Kitsap County organization and churches who may come in contact with residents who for unknown reasons cannot afford to purchase wood to heat their homes and has become an emergent need. My organization locates wood from various sources, picks it up, processes it and stores it until it’s ready to burn (cedar kindling also) and then will deliver 1/2 cord per year.
Since this is my first year working full-time on this I don’t have as much “ready” wood as I’d like, but I do have some (at least 20 cord at this time, with possible availability from others in the community).
I can be reached at 360-895-1482 or cell 360-440-2587. I am usually working on some stage of this process so please leave me a message on the 360-895-1482 number as I will be checking it.
Dear Juliua,
PRAISE THE LORD! Yours is exactly the kind of resource I have been
wanting to create for years! We do have clients every winter who
come to us asking for wood. I also have a source of wood for you
who has lots of downed trees that they want to get off their
property.
Dear Major Baker,
There are too many wood resources here in Kitsap County to allow
anyone to go cold so please let me know if I can help. Through this
process I’ve injured my elbow tendons and would need help loading
and unloading my truck. We have wood being volunteered from all
directions but I am but one person. I have probably 20 cords so far
split and stacked, but we could have so much more available for
next winter if I could recruit some helpers. -Juliua”
This will the first entry under my new heading “Cheap Thrills.” What with economic indicators reaching new lows daily, I’m looking for free and low-cost ideas on homemaking, entertainment, home repair and decor, and car maintenance.
The Port Orchard Save-A-Lot grocery will offer free the fixings for a spaghetti dinner to anyone who visits the store between 8 a.m. and noon on Saturday.
Not only does your family get a free meal, but for the first 1,000 meals given away, Save-A-Lot will make the same donation to South Kitsap Helpline.
The “kit” includes noodles, sauce, garlic sticks, two cans of vegetables and a Save-A-Lot bag. Selected other Save-A-Lot locations are participating in the trial give-away that is meant to offer a hand up in these tough economic times, said Port Orchard Save-A-Lot assistant manger Aggie Covey.
They’re understanding people are having a hard time with the economy right now, and they just want to help out,” said Covey. “They know people are struggling out there.
You’ll need a voucher to redeem your dinner, but the store will honor all requests between the designated hours. Go to the store’s Web site to download a voucher.
“I’m excited,” said Covey. “It’s going to be a long day.”
To make a suggestion for the “Cheap Thrills” feature of Speaking of South Kitsap, contact me at chenry@kitsapsun.com or (360) 792-9219.
