The Madrona School
Kitsap Community and Agricultural Alliance
Bainbridge Island Grange Hall
10340 Madison Ave NE
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 855-8956
New Years Day, 2009 (Thursday) 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
No Cover Charge, Donations Accepted For Event Beneficiaries
Local farmers including Sara and Jared Hankins of Handsown and Homegrown will be present with information about their upcoming CSA shares for next season. The band Sasson will be playing their traditional and original Klezmer music for listening and dance. A representative will be there for the KCAA, pressing the flesh and giving out information. Hopefully Betsey Wittick of the Laughing Crow Farm and Nikki Johannson of Pheasant Fields Farm may make an appearance.
One of the best things about building local networks is getting to meet great people. Jeff and Jocelyn Waite are two examples. They are Bainbridge Island entrepreneurs who run their own businesses and help out with management of other family enterprises including The Harbour Pub in Winslow, Pegasus Coffee House and the Harbour Marina. It is hard working folks that “get it” about buying local that make all of the work and time used to network on behalf of local farmers so worth it and we are happy to place them on our honor roll of local food vendors.
Jeff and Jocelyn along with Chef Jeff McClelland at the Pub do all that they can to procure, prepare and re-sell locally produced foods at their establishments. Like many others, they find it somewhat difficult to procure locals foods throughout the year. That’s just further evidence that the Kitsap Community and Agricultural Alliance and organizations like ours need to work a little harder to understand what exactly is holding back prospective local producers and help them get over their hurdles to produce more. Farmers take note. The market demand for your local farm products is growing as well as the community that wants to help you.
Jocelyn (Evans) is a graduate of Bainbridge High and UC Santa Cruz. After graduating from UCSC in 1992 she returned to Winslow to become general manager of The Harbour Pub and has been there ever since. Jeff was raised in northern New York State on a family farm that has just celebrated its centennial year of family ownership. A graduate of Lowville Academy and the US Naval Academy, Jeff found his way to Kitsap through the US Marine Corp. He and Jocelyn met when Jeff became a customer of the pub after leaving the marines and taking a job with the City of Bainbridge Island as a Public Works supervisor. So, that seems to have worked out well for both Jeff and Jocelyn as they are now married and have two boys, Abe (11) and Henry (8) who attend the Madrona School in Winslow. Since 1997, Jeff has been a co-manager of the Pub.
The Pub has quite a local history of its own. Read that here.
Since the beginning, the Pub has served only local Washington brews. In 2002 they moved to serve only organic and free range protein dishes. In 2006 the Pegasus Coffee house was added and seeks to use locally produced servings. The family also owns and operates the Harbour Marina. Jeff and Jocelyn are great examples of why local entrepreneurs are so valuable to our communities because they have served as volunteers for important organizations like the board of the Madrona School, the Bainbridge Chamber of Commerce and the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association.
So here is the Waite/KCAA connection. Chef Jeff McClelland attended one of our meetings in December of 2008 where along with Chef Chris Plemmons of Olympic College, folks who wanted to buy more local produce had an opportunity to meet and network with a dozen or so of the best and most successful farmers in Kitsap. It was sort of a first date night for farmers and vendors. Well, apparently, Chef Jeff talked to manager Jeff and manager Jeff called me with an idea to help out the KCAA.
For several years, the Pub has thrown a New Year’s Day party as a thank you for their loyal customers including food on the house and a band. After seeing what KCAA is attempting to do he offered to throw the party this year as a fund raiser for the KCAA. I love entrepreneurs. They get a good idea…and take action.
When he told me that his two boys were Madrona School students and suggested that we include them I was all for it for two reasons. The C in KCAA stands for Community and it is a good opportunity for us to highlight some of our work as a community builder supporting a fine school like Madrona. The second reason? I guess it didn’t hurt that a few years ago I was also on the board of Madrona School and know it to be a really fine school. Parents with 5 and 6 year olds that plan to live on the Island should definitely look into it for their children.
Beyond that, I am just really happy to support two lively business people that buy local food in Kitsap and around the peninsula. Maybe the next time you are looking for good meal and want to support those who support local farmers, you might consider the Harbour Pub and Pegasus Coffee House for your outing.
Oh, and see you at the party! It should be a hoot.
New Year’s Day Meetup and Fundraiser for
The Madrona School
Kitsap Community and Agricultural Alliance
Bainbridge Island Grange Hall
10340 Madison Ave NE
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 855-8956
New Years Day, 2009 (Thursday) 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
No Cover Charge, Donations Accepted For Event Beneficiaries
Sasson, a traditional and original Klexmer band
Jared Hankins of Broken Ground Farm and other farmers would like to meet you.
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