NEWSLETTER

HELP!!!  AT THE HATCHERIES
I am out of volunteers!!!     And I need help now.
We need volunteers to help harvest fish at the Suquamish hatcheries at Gorst and Grovers' Creek from now until Thanksgiving.  It's fun and you might learn a little fish science.  If you're interested call or text Norm at 360.271.0519.   This is where the fish comes from for our food program.  First, you have to be a Kitsap Poggie Club member. then we will need to submit for a background check (I have the paperwork for that) and we will need to be masked per tribal guidance.  Give me a call or text, or even email me!  If you think your already on the list and I haven't called you, call me, kick me in the butt and I'll get you scheduled.
 
Chief Poggie Norm


Poggies,
All in person Poggie Club general attendance meetings are CANCELED until January 1st, 2022.   It is with regret that I write this.  The board looked at the current situation with the Covid-19 Delta variant. The current outbreak on the Delta variant of Covid-19 in the county and state is very fluid and  the governmental requirements for people meeting are changing weekly.  To adjust to all of the potential last-minute requirements is daunting.  Your board is very concerned for the safety of both our vaccinated and especially unvaccinated members and any young people who may attend the meeting.  Out of an abundance of caution and respect for all our members we decided to cancel our meetings and reconsider the situation at the first of the year.   We will be discussing whether we should also cancel the planned Christmas Party this upcoming board meeting.
 
With regret,
Chief Poggie Norm Reinhardt

There is light at the end of the tunnel and much work has been done in the tunnel:

From The Chief Poggie:                                                                                                               4 September 2021
Hi Poggies,
So, what is going on with our club?
First, we struggled with canceling our meetings. The decision was not made lightly. Ultimately it distilled down to one issue. Making sure we all stay healthy. We want to start meetings as soon as it is safe. So, what happened?
 It started with Covid-19 Alpha and now Covid-19 Delta, it does not seem to end. Canceled picnics, canceled meetings, canceled fishing derbies, it just never seems to stop. It is almost discouraging. But do not be! I decided that I should pen this note to all of you to let you know what your club has been doing, because we have been active, just in a much more low-keyed way and the story is anything but discouraging.
Your Board has been very dedicated to keeping our Club alive and as active as possible. Every board member deserves a great big THANK-YOU for their commitment and dedication to this Club during this very trying 2 years.
So, what have we done? Well for starters, our editor Ron Kirkland has kept our newsletter alive and transitioned it into a new email format. It is keeping us all informed with what is going on. Thank you, Ron.
Our Salmon in The Classroom program is still alive thanks to Louie Morton and Marlene Keltner. Currently there is a possibility to expand the program. If that happens, we will  need volunteers to help make it happen. Louie and Marlene cannot do it alone. They deserve a thank you for keeping this program alive.
How about a new, more user-friendly web page? We have been working on that also. Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future we will debut a fresh look. Thanks Ron and Louie.
We have had a few small work parties at Gorst to repair the fish science station.
Ron Shuts has been working in keeping us in the loop at Camp Easter Seals and the kids' summer camp program. Thanks Ron!
We are still feeding fish at Gorst! Thanks to Randy, Andrew, Karen, and Nick.
Art Bruner is keeping our trailer event ready just in case we need it. Excellent job Art!
The City of Bremerton is asking us to co-host Salmon Tours again this year. We will need some help there.
Our Salmon in the community Program is still alive. Currently we have volunteers at both hatcheries helping with the fish science and spawning the fish. We are challenged here with a critical shortage of volunteers. If more people do not step up and help, we will need to significantly change the program that has put 10's of thousands of pounds of salmon into our community. I just sent out a request for volunteers and to date have received no responses. If you think you are on the approved list and I have not called you, please contact me via my cell 360.271.0519.  If you have never done this but think you might like to try - give me a call. Right now, we volunteer every day.
A big Thank-You goes to Nick Blickhan. Nick is our secretary and has made sure that our monthly board meetings are documented and are relevant. His professionalism in maintaining the accuracy of our activity keeps your Chief Poggie on track and focused on what I need to do next.
Our treasurer Louie Morton has done an outstanding job in managing our fiscal wellbeing. He has insured that we will have the financial resources ready and available to restart everything that is paused plus keeping all our bills paid. (Yes, we still have bills even though we are not having meetings.
And lastly, we still have a voice a WDFW salmon advisory groups.
So, in closing, our Kitsap Poggie Club is still active and engaged with promoting fishing and outdoor recreation thanks to your dedicated board. If you talk to one of them, thank them. They deserve it.
 
In Service,
Norm Reinhardt
Chief Poggie
 

From Board Member Troy Hatler: