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Fun Volunteer Activities on Bainbridge Island
Looking for ways to easily volunteer on Bainbridge Island? Here are five fun opportunities. And who knows, you might make a new friend or learn something new. We enjoy giving back to our community and there are many local nonprofits that work so hard to make a difference. We hope this list serves as an inspiring starting point.
Assist and Enjoy Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA)
Bainbridge Island Museum of Art exhibits the art of both masters and emerging artists. If you love BIMA like we do, consider volunteering there. BIMA needs volunteers and will work with your schedule and interests to find a tailored role. In particular, volunteer opportunities can include docents, administrative volunteers, event support, and exhibition installation crew.
Serve as an Assistant Instructor with BI Parks and Recreation
While there are many ways to help out with Bainbridge Island Metro Park and Recreation District, one interesting way is to serve as an assistant instructor during an outdoor program or trip. You can see new sights, learn new skills, help with youth backpacking trips, adult kayaking classes, and more. To volunteer, simply fill out an application on their website.
Greet or Garden at Bloedel Reserve
Bloedel Reserve‘s gorgeous forests, gardens, and trails are enjoyed by people from all over the world, and the Reserve is often looking for different types of volunteers. From greeters to event volunteers, docents to gardeners, there are many volunteer options to choose from.
Support Furry Friends at PAWS of Bainbridge Island & North Kitsap
PAWS aims to reduce pet overpopulation and the unnecessary euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals. They do an incredible job and are looking for volunteers to fill a variety of roles. In particular, they’re seeking adoption counselors, event volunteers, feline enrichment team members, foster homes, and people to work in the pet food bank.
Volunteer at West Sound Wildlife Shelter
Caring for more than 1,600 wildlife patients a year, West Sound Wildlife Shelter greatly appreciates volunteers. No previous experience is required and all volunteers receive training. There are many volunteer options such as feeding orphaned wild songbirds, lending a hand in their garden, and assisting with one of their fundraising events.
Our Community Involvement in 2021
We love Bainbridge Island and our community involvement is an important part of how we operate. So, we thought we would take a moment to share how our Windermere Bainbridge Island office has been involved this year. By doing so, we hope to spread awareness about some of the great events and non-profits that you can connect to and support as well.
Annual Support
We’ve proudly supported Bainbridge Youth Services (BYS) for years. Since 1962, they’ve worked hard to “promote the social and emotional well-being of adolescents and young adults” through a variety of services including free, confidential counseling, and peer tutoring.
Another youth-centered organization that we support on an annual basis is the Boys & Girls Club of Bainbridge Island. They offer a program for K – 4th grade and a separate middle school program for 5th – 8th grade. When the pandemic began, our local Boys & Girls Club chapter began offering discounted rates and extended out-of-school programming.
PAWS of Bainbridge Island and North Kitsap has been helping pets and their people for 45 years, and we love supporting their efforts. PAWS is a volunteer-based nonprofit animal welfare organization. Their services include pet adoption, spay/neuter assistance, pet retention counseling, humane care for elderly cats, and veterinary financial assistance. They have been helping cats and dogs find loving homes since 1975.
Community Events
Bainbridge Island’s Art Walk is a vibrant event, and we love participating in it. It happens the first Friday of every month and it’s a fun way to enjoy local artists’ creations and live music while having a bite to eat and chatting with neighbors and friends. This tradition is brought to you by the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association. This year, we moved our office to downtown Winslow Way, and we’ve loved highlighting local artists and musicians during the Art Walk. We will continue to do so in the new year.
Another fun event we look forward to each year is Shred Fest. It’s a free event where you can safely and securely shred old documents and recycle old electronics. We love to host this event because it helps people get organized and recycle. And, it’s always fun when friends and clients stop by.
Every year, all Windermere offices close for Community Service Day so that we can give back to the communities we serve. This year, some of us helped with the Bainbridge Island Land Trust, which works to “conserve and steward the diverse natural environments of Bainbridge Island for the benefit of all”. They’ve protected 1, 471 acres to date and provided 1,102 public acres. Additionally, we hosted an online fundraiser in an effort to further support Bainbridge Youth Services.
Every year, we participate in Pacific Northwest Title’s annual food drive. This year marked their 17th year. There are many in need in our community, and a food drive is an easy way to give back. In fact, in Kitsap County, approximately one-third of adults are food insecure and over a third of local children are in need of free and reduced lunch. Our local food banks serve about 48,000 residents per year.
This year we also supported Kitsap Humane Society‘s drive sponsored by Pacific Northwest Title, and we promoted Kitsap Humane Society for Kitsap Great Give. Dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming pets, Kitsap Humane Society has been serving our community since 1908. It’s one of the leading animal welfare organizations in the Pacific Northwest. Last year alone, KHS rehomed 3,676 animals. Check out our video promoting Kitsap Humane Society, which features some of our agents and their pets.
Other fun events that we were happy to support this year include Hometown Halloween and the senior class graduation parade.
Additionally, a couple of our agents sponsored some of the studios for the Bainbridge Island Studio Art Tour. This free, self-guided tour celebrates locally made art. It’s a chance to appreciate local artisans, see works in progress, and purchase beautiful art. The Winter Studio Tour 2021 was December 3rd – 5th. If you weren’t able to attend, you can explore the featured artists’ work online.
Windermere Foundation, Bainbridge Island
A portion of every agent’s commission is donated to the Windermere Foundation of Bainbridge Island. All of our agents participate, and we’re also proud to be part of the broader Windermere Foundation. It impacts communities across 10 states and we’ve collectively raised over $41 million for programs that provide shelter, food, children’s programs, and more.
Every year, our Foundation awards two or three Bainbridge High School graduates a total of $6,000 in scholarships based on their community service, academic achievement, and financial need. We have also supported a variety of local nonprofits. This year we awarded grants to Peacock Family Services, Helpline House, Arms Around Bainbridge, Housing Resources Bainbridge, and Bainbridge Youth Services. All of these organizations strengthen our community, providing vital resources and support to those in need.
While we recognize that there are many different ways to give back, we’re proud of what we’ve done so far. If you’re looking to get more involved in our community, we hope this has sparked some ideas. We should note that our agents also support a variety of charities on their own. So this only reflects our office-wide community involvement.
Community Spotlight: Bainbridge Youth Services
Since 1970, Bainbridge Youth Services (BYS) has focused on young adults’ social and emotional wellbeing. As a proud community partner, we strongly support the vital work that their staff and volunteers do. From their youth outreach events to the services they provide, they are impacting many lives.
History of Bainbridge Youth Services
In 1962, youth counseling was only available in Bremerton, making it difficult for young adults on Bainbridge Island to find mental health services. Bainbridge residents created Bainbridge Youth Services to provide a safe space for the community’s youth. BYS was monumental in supporting young adults on their mental health journey. Taking inspiration from Bremerton’s Child Guidance Center, BYS started a confidential counseling program, and their programs and events grew over time. Their offerings include Summer Work Internships in partnership with the Rotary Club of Bainbridge and the Peer Tutoring Program.
Our Windermere Bainbridge Island colleagues greatly appreciate these important programs. “I’ve worked with BYS in the past through Raising Resilience, and I’ve supported BYS’s programs and events. I see tremendous value in their on-site, free counseling services and their student empowerment events. Students have shared very moving testimonials at fundraising breakfasts,” says Broker Julie Miller, M.Ed.
Community Impact
2020 was a challenging year for many organizations across Kitsap County, but that didn’t stop BYS. In 2020, BYS shifted focus to virtual events in order to continue supporting youth on Bainbridge Island. “We have been so impressed by how the youth in Kitsap County are so resilient during the pandemic. BYS’s counseling services have given youth a safe place to explore their feelings around the pandemic, grieve over missing events, friendships, and in-person learning,” says Courtney Oliver, Executive Director of Bainbridge Youth Services. “Our youth have persevered through creative outlets like the creation of a Pandemic Bucket List and Pen Pal letters.”
In 2020, Bainbridge Youth Services provided 414 youth with counseling services and skill-building programs, served 161 students of all ages through Peer Tutoring, recognized 16 youth through the Compassionate Act Celebration, connected 118 students to Career Exploration Services, and worked with 342 parents in Parent Education programs.
On Feb. 5, 2021, over 600 community members’ decorated luminaria bags were on display in downtown Winslow for BYS’s “Hope Glows”, a free event to celebrate hope in action. Photo courtesy of BYS. View decorated luminarias.
How You Can Get Involved
Bainbridge Youth Services welcomes community members’ support. To get connected, visit their Get Involved page, where you can volunteer, share ideas, and nominate youth. “Consistently offering free counseling, employment help, tutoring and so much more has proven to literally save lives on Bainbridge Island,” says Broker Shannon Dierickx, who is a former BYS board member. “BYS believes in our youth and being a small part of this organization is one of my proudest endeavors.” Bainbridge Youth Services is part of the fabric of our strong community, and we thank all those involved for their continued efforts to support and empower future generations.
Community Spotlight: Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation
If great schools top the list of what draws new homebuyers to Bainbridge Island, great parks aren’t far behind. With more than 1,500 acres of public park land and a trails system that stretches 40 miles in all directions, exploring and enjoying Bainbridge parks goes to the very heart of island living.
Just ask Windermere Bainbridge Island Broker Jason Shutt. Serving on the board of the Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation, Jason sees firsthand the payback that comes from the community’s investment in parks and trails.
“I grew up across the street from a large urban park and spent vacations going to national parks. So recreation is in my blood,” says Jason. He lives near Winslow town center with his wife Mairead and their three children. “I joined the Parks Foundation to ensure I live in a place that gives these same opportunities to others.”
An Island Rich in Parks
The island’s sprawling park system is managed by the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District, a municipal agency. But islanders consistently ask for amenities above and beyond what general tax funding affords. That’s where the Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation comes in.
Closely aligned with, but independent from the Park District, the nonprofit Parks Foundation has raised more than $1,000,000 in private funds over the past five years. All funds raised have been for parks and trails projects, which benefit young and old alike. The Foundation led the development of Owen’s Playground, the island’s first accessible playground for kids of all abilities, at Rotary Park.
Photos of Owen’s Playground by Leo Phillips.
The new Pickleball Founders Courts at Battle Point Park opened last summer, built by Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District with support from the Parks Foundation. The six dedicated courts and plaza are pickleball’s first-ever permanent home on Bainbridge, honoring the game that was invented on Bainbridge Island in 1965.
Founders Courts. Photo by Leo Phillips.
Various Initiatives and Programs
The Foundation’s Community Grants program has supported countless smaller projects, from the high school sailing team’s fleet to diving boards and water stations at the Aquatic Center. Joe Richards, a Windermere Bainbridge Island Managing Broker and 22-year resident, has been involved with the Aquatic Center for over nine years and knows first-hand how beneficial it is. “The Masters swimming program, under the leadership of our world-class coach April Cheadle, has exceeded anything I could have hoped for. Thank you BI Parks for providing this person, this program, and this place for our community.”
The Foundation’s support also extends to environmental stewardship and restoration year-round, from Blakely Harbor Park to the Grand Forest, to smaller neighborhood parks islandwide. This is done through the Summer Trails Crew, Nonprofits Helping Parks, and other programs.
The Foundation’s current initiative, KidsUp! The Next Generation of Play at Battle Point Park is rebuilding the original KidsUp! as another inclusive, accessible playground. The centerpiece will be a giant, one-of-a-kind ferry boat play structure with climbable Orca whales. They will be “swimming” nearby to delight and educate kids about the natural environment of the Salish Sea.
“The more you learn about the Parks Foundation, the more you have to be impressed with its impact. Serving on the Foundation board has certainly opened my eyes,” Jason says. “I’m glad to share it with my clients, colleagues in the real estate community, and anyone else who asks. We have world-class parks here, and the Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation is a big reason why.”
The Leader in Trails
When it comes to Bainbridge’s trails, you can quickly see Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation’s impact. The Foundation works with the Park District, the City of Bainbridge Island, and other stakeholders to plan and fund new trails connecting parks and neighborhoods. Soon you’ll be able to hike from Winslow all the way to Gazzam Lake Nature Preserve – an unprecedented cross-island route. It’s sure to be a real draw for visitors. And, it’s already drawing people to the island. Online guides like TripAdvisor are full of testimonials from around the country, including hikers wowed by our trails.
Current and Future Benefits
The Foundation is about to launch a major Trails Campaign. This will fund the development of 10 miles of new trails over the next five years. With museums, restaurants, and other cultural spaces largely closed down and/or limited due to the pandemic, many of us have turned to the outdoors for connection and health. No matter where you live on Bainbridge Island, there’s a park or trail near you. The Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation has probably done something to make it better.
“COVID has really brought the importance of our Bainbridge parks into focus,” says Jason, who co-chaired the Sakai Park bond campaign, to create the 23-acre park five years ago. “The lockdown and social distancing have kept us all pretty close to home for the past year. But we have our parks and trails as an outlet to stay active and healthy and grounded. Our community is extremely fortunate, and it shows what a great investment our parks have been and continue to be.”
You can find out more about the Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation on their website, and you can support a park project that’s important to you.
Learn More about Bainbridge Island
If you’d like to learn more about our wonderful island community, check out our Newcomer’s Guide to Bainbridge Island. In it, you’ll find videos, articles, and helpful links to learn about our neighborhoods, schools, outdoor activities, local home buying resources, and much more.
Join Windermere in Supporting Bainbridge Island Businesses
Now, more than ever, Windermere Bainbridge fiercely supports our beloved Bainbridge Island businesses – and we’re asking you to join us. We’re all experiencing some of the most challenging, unprecedented changes to what we know as normal life. We are grateful for a resilient real estate market on our beautiful island. But our hearts and actions support our vital, local-business culture. It’s a large part of what makes our island so unique, and it needs support from all of us – right now.
SOS Bainbridge Island
The Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association to create SOS Bainbridge Island. This informative community effort aims to save our stores and businesses. Its website includes updates on how you can safely shop, dine, and support local merchants. Windermere Bainbridge Broker, Jackie Syvertsen notes, “I love how Bainbridge businesses have evolved to stay open through the Covid crisis. They’re happily creating distancing and extra safety features to accommodate.”
According to the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce, many businesses, especially on Winslow Way, rely on summer visitors and tourism to help them survive through the rest of the year. Since this year’s visitor season was significantly quiet, we can all help now by shopping, dining, and supporting Bainbridge Island businesses.
Local Windermere Broker, Susan Grosten brings to light that “most of our businesses are owned by our own Bainbridge neighbors and friends, all who regularly add back to the community as locals. I’ve enjoyed so many of them, for 31 years and counting!”
How the Windermere Bainbridge Team
Supports our Community
Since 2005, a portion of every Windermere Bainbridge agent’s commission is donated to the Windermere Foundation of Bainbridge Island. Each year, the foundation donates funds and provides scholarships and support to essential community service organizations on Bainbridge Island.
Additionally, we are passionate locals who regularly shop, dine, and support merchants within our community. Our Broker, Shannon Dierickx says, “I have so many great experiences with local shopping and dining. I’m an original island girl who loves to keep our local businesses thriving!” Broker Cheryl Mauer adds, “I love stopping in at Covet Boutique to pick up a special gift, or to find myself the perfect outfit or jewelry.”
For our Bainbridge treats and dining favorites, the list is endless. Our marketing team notes a gamut including Bene Pizza, Streamliner Diner, Hitchcock, Treehouse Cafe, Sawatdy Thai Cuisine, Doc’s Marina Grill, and so many more. We all have many dear, personal favorites on the island, and now is the time to support them all.
In addition to listing current updates on how restaurants and cafes have adjusted to serve the community, SOS Bainbridge Island’s website also includes information on how many other businesses and services have shifted.
“One of my very favorite businesses on Bainbridge is Barrecor! Owner Emiliana and her wonderful instructors are offering their amazing classes online,” raves our Broker, Susan Grosten. Another business that stands out to our team is the local non-profit, Bainbridge Island Saddle Club. The organization aims to promote good horsemanship and foster equestrian sports locally. Windermere Broker, Maureen Buckley appreciates its programs and favors that “it’s an old-fashioned horse club for local kids to adults.”
We are truly all in this together. The more we all support the Bainbridge Island businesses we love, the more we’ll endure these trying times as a community.
