Fingers crossed that in Autumn, we can resume our General Meetings and Speaker Programs in a socially distanced setting on the third Thursday of each month.

Meanwhile, mark your calendar for the following BIWC social activities. Stay tuned for details!

Thursday, May 20: Bainbridge Vineyards/Suyetsama Farms

Thursday, June 17: End of Year Box Luncheon – Outdoors!

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Mark your calendars! Look for details on registration and location in the June newsletter.

Monthly Programs Postponed

Due to low participation in our ZOOM Monthly Programs, we are postponing our monthly speakers until we can invite them to present in person; hopefully, fall of 2021. We have some exciting speakers lined up in our Women of Power themed programs, and we want to both honor our speakers’ efforts as well as make sure our programs are more accessible to our members. Karla Sammons is tentatively rescheduling these speakers for the second half of 2021. We hope these changes will encourage greater participation.

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