Bainbridge Island Women's Club

Hopefully, all our members had some very Happy Holidays with family and friends and are looking for some exciting adventures for the New Year!

We’re having a White Elephant Exchange at our next meeting along with some social activities. This way our new members can meet more folks and enjoy even more happy times together. So look around and find that white elephant that you’re dying to get out of your house. This could be a back scratcher, a lava lamp, or a chia pet. You could even make something that’s unusual or funny. Whatever!! Wrap it up and bring it to the January meeting. This should provide a few laughs here and there.

Hope to see lots of you in attendance.

Sandy Schyler

Enter for a chance to Win...

Everyone wants to be a BIWC member, but this month the names of 3 imposters have made their way onto our Membership Roster. Help us find them !!!

Since this is a "Members Only" contest, please refer to your January Newsletter for instructions on how to play.

Drawing takes place at the January 20th General Meeting. You don’t need to be present to win; but we hope you are!

Grand Prize is a gift certificate to a local merchant.

Deadline to submit entries is January 17^th

Contact Judy Grossman if you have any questions jgdroid13@gmail.com

COVID 19 POLICY

The board unanimously approved the following Covid 19 policy on August 31, 2021.

All BIWC General Meetings, program presentations, activity groups, and any other BIWC-affiliated event shall follow the mandates and recommendations of regulatory agencies as they pertain to Covid 19 current to the specific date of each event. This may result in cancellations, venue changes, social distancing, masks, and/or other safety measures.
We respect the decisions of members to participate or not within their comfort zone.
We ask that members who have not been vaccinated or are feeling unwell not participate in in-person indoor or outdoor events. For those who are unvaccinated or do not wish to attend in-person events, we will try to provide an online option.

Contact me with questions/concerns on this policy.

Focus on the positives, practice gratitude, and “Make it a Fall to Remember!”

Joanna Lyons, President

Sixty-five BIWC members and guests whistled in the holiday season at a spectacular luncheon under the festive open-air tent at Pleasant Beach Village, thanks to Vice President Jan Weber and her team.

Raffle prizes galore! Handmade table runners! Creative chapeaus! Home-baked cupcake treats for all! Wise, witty, wonderful women in abundance!

The November meeting included a fun presentation by this local boy and cool author.

Jonathan Evison is the New York Times Bestselling author of seven novels, including:

All About Lulu, West of Here, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving (also a movie), This Is Your Life, Harriet Chance!, Lawn Boy, Legends of the North Cascades, and Small World.

As a teen, Evison, was the founding member of the punk band March of Crimes, which included future members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. He lives on Bainbridge Island with his family.

On Thursday Oct. 21 we were joined by local author, Mary Lou Sanelli, will inspire strength and resilience in your human spirit!

“Mary Lou is an awesome speaker. She spoke to the General Federation of Women's Conferences, Western State Region meeting and you could hear a pin drop at one time and the laughter was contagious at another. She was a highlight of the four-day conference for many attendees. Her message was perfect for a group of women ranging in age from 40-90.”

Bonnie Walden, WSR President

Oct. 14th from 4 PM - 6 PM

at Heart and Soul Art Studio

Winslow Green, Bainbridge Island

We will be given step-by-step instructions on how to paint an awesome picture on canvas. The cost is $32.00 and all supplies will be provided.

Email Sandy at: sandy7nt@gmail.com for more info
Very limited spaces as we will be social distancing inside the studio.
Please RSVP to Sandy by Oct. 11 at noon.
Vaccinated members only and a Face Mask is required.

Come and have some fun and leave with a masterpiece.

Fifty-two members and guests basked in the sunshine, sipped beverages, and socialized over lunch at Eleven Winery in June. Thank you! What a joy to re-connect! We never expected to “sell out” the venue, and sadly could not accommodate inquiries after the deadline. Much appreciation to “Our Friendly BIWC Board Members” who volunteered and organized.

Outreach: Thanks to All
The wonderful turnout at our June luncheon also resulted in an impressive amount of donations for Helpline House: 42 pounds of food and a total of $95 in cash and checks. Thanks to everyone!

Join your BIWC sisters for coffee and conversation at:

The Marketplace at Pleasant Beach, 4738 Lynwood Center Road NE

Dress warmly for outdoor seating. Come and go as your schedule allows.

Patti Frank will lead a 1-hour walk along Pleasant Beach Drive. The group will stroll along flat, paved streets, finishing at the Marketplace for the coffee social.

Park in the lot just past the theatre, and gather by 9:30 AM in front of Treehouse Café. Email Patti so she looks for you: pmkfrank@gmail.com

Those attending either event can bring food or cash donations for Helpline House. Patti will be there and can bring donated items to the food bank.

The sunshine was most welcome when BIWC members met up to stroll through the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, admire the spring collection, browse the gift shop and enjoy each other’s company,

It was so nice to run into familiar faces. We then made our way to the Fletcher Bay Winery downtown Winslow location for some refreshment and conviviality.

Thanks to all who attended, not only did we have fun, but members donated 22 pounds of food and $165 to Helpline House!

Kimberly Trowbridge: Into the Garden

BIWC has been invited to participate in an uplifting event hosted by Bainbridge Youth Services. (Please see the letter below from Cezanne Allen, Executive Director of BYS.) The event involves decorating luminaria bags that will be used to decorate downtown Winslow. On February 5^th, BIWC will join the rest of Bainbridge Island to enjoy this community expression of hope. The BIWC Board is developing a plan for members to access the materials and perhaps a way to celebrate together. More information is coming soon, so stay tuned!

The capacity for hope is the most significant fact of life. It provides human beings with a

sense of destination and the energy to get started.”

–Norman Cousins

Dear Bainbridge Women’s Club,

We welcome your full participation in the “Hope Glows” event. We also wish to benefit organizations that take part by featuring you on our social media and other media outlets.

Why: Bainbridge Youth Services, in collaboration with multiple local organizations and individuals, invite fellow residents of all ages to contribute to a community building event, called “Hope Glows” on Friday 2/5 from 5:30-7:30pm.

This event is designed to inspire hope, normalize struggle and foster community connection. In the midst of a dark, cold and rainy time of year with an expected surge of COVID-19, “Hope Glows" is meant to support community resilience and wellbeing.

What: During the month of December, white paper bags with instructions will be available for pick up at numerous locations around Bainbridge Island. We have many organizations that have said they are interested in participating. There will be instructions in the bag with ideas for decorating the bags with various hope-themed topics. Alternatively, participants can express themselves through any medium of their choice that still allows light to show through the paper bag.

Decorated bags can be dropped off at BYS until 2/1/2021.

Vision: White paper bags will be lit with LED tea lights and become luminaria that line the street of Winslow Way and the corner of Madison and Winslow on Friday, 2/5 from 5:30-7:30 pm.

Residents can drive by or walk the sidewalk with masks, staying 10 feet apart, inspired by the beauty our community collaboratively created.

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Desmond Tutu.

Cezanne Allen, M.D.

If you did not have an opportunity to participate in our October Program, we have posted a link to the pre-recorded presentation by the Ascend Fund. Click on the link below to learn about the challenges facing women who choose to run for office, the strategies for promoting gender parity and the other organizations working in coordination with the Ascend Fund.

Our Program Committee Chair, Karla Sammons, (highroadevents@msn.com) will be contacting the Ascend Fund with follow-up questions and comments from our members, and we invite you to contact Karla if you would like your feedback included.

We were so fortunate to have April Avey Trabuco from Raising Resilience speak to us about the role of Raising Resilience on Bainbridge Island. April also addressed available research/tips about coping with stress and developing our own resilience. If you were not able to join us last Thursday, you are welcome to watch the recording below. (Please note that there’s a brief audio pause near the beginning when a video April planned to show us was not able to stream – She then continues her presentation).

Video Link: https://vimeo.com/459115033 Password: BIWC20

Golf activity group enjoying the sunny weather
Members and guests have ample time to chat and network during the coffee time prior to the monthly meeting
The Spicy Ladies having fun together
Members of our golfing group
Having fun at our monthly meeting
Having fun with our "In Home Dining Group"
Wine and Garden Party
HIking/Walking Group
Sip & Shop Auction Items
Sip and Shop - Music and Dancing
Holiday Party - IslandWood
Holiday Party - Members Celebrating
Holiday Party
Raffle Items at June Luncheon
June Luncheon - Members wiho won the table hat decor