Auction take down this year

The Bainbridge Island Rotary Club says that its June 27-28 rummage sale and auction grossed $353,000 – down $17,000 from last year. Nonetheless, said Marisa Lanning, Rotary’s new public relations chair, no one is feeling discouraged and Rotary considers the auction a success.

“I work with a number of different charities and everyone’s been seeing an 8-to-10 percent decrease, so it’s pretty much in keeping with the economy,” she said. “Success is more than monetary. We had fabulous volunteers who just made it all worthwhile, and people dropped off amazing objects.”

Lanning said that because attendance was down slightly compared to previous years, many people got steals. “It was just amazing what people were able to get away with,” she said. “We had a piece of artwork by an artist who passed away in the early 1900s. A dealer came and auctioned it off in an art house for $10,000.”

The proceeds from the auction – an estimated net of $263,000 – will fund a number of grants, but these beneficiaries have not yet been determined by the Community Grants Committee.

The grants have not yet been processed, though Lanning offered the names of some of last year’s recipients: “The funds for last year went to things like Helpline House and to build a new shed for the wildlife shelter; part of it went to IslandWood.”

Rotary will soon begin accepting grants for community services and events.

Leftovers from the rummage sale have diminished from year to year, but Lanning said Rotary wants to be as “green” as possible. To that end, she suggested that people involved with charities and nonprofits should contact the auction chair or email the webmaster. Rotary will be able to pass along a lot of items to them – including books and clothing.

See www.bainbridgeislandrotary.org for contact information.

– Julia Ringo

Beil is ‘Citizen of the Year’

What do Wini Jones, Walt Woodward, Kate Carruthers and Darlene Kordonowy have in common?

All have been honored as a Bainbridge Island Citizen of the Year by the Kiwanis Club, and islander Len Beil will join the founding member of Reclaim Our Waterfront, the former Bainbridge Review editor, the city’s Municipal Court judge and the mayor, respectively, as the 2008 honoree.

Jane Sutherland, committee chair of Kiwanis on Bainbridge Island, said Beil has been a tireless volunteer with several island nonprofits, including Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers, which performs services for the elderly and disabled such as providing transportation, bringing them groceries and repairing their homes.

Beil is also a member of the Bainbridge Island Weed Warriors, a club devoted to the eradication of the noxious weeds that plague island gardens and roadsides. “He was also the main organizer of the blood drive at St. Cecelia (Catholic Church),” Sutherland said.

Beil was chosen through a public nomination process organized by the Kiwanis Club.

“Anybody can nominate anyone,” Sutherland said. “Normally what happens is one person will spearhead it and nominate (someone), and then numerous others will send supporting information. The Kiwanis board of directors is looking for people who are inspirational, who are influential in the community.”

Beil will be the guest of honor at an installation dinner at IslandWood on Oct. 5. The public is welcome to attend the 6 p.m. dinner; reservations may be made by Sept. 20 by calling Sutherland at 842-3253.

Beil also will be included in the Fourth of July parade.

– Julia Ringo

Parks forming committee

The Bainbridge Metropolitan Park and Recreation District is looking for candidates for a five- to seven-member Parkland Aquisition Committee that will help plan new land purchases if the district’s proposed lid lift passes in November.

The park board passed a resolution approving the formation of the committee Thursday evening, though the committee will only be used if the lid lift passes.

The district is adding a proposal to the Nov. 4 general election ballot that would lift its property tax rate and raise roughly $1.2 million annually for the purchase and development of new parkland. If the lift passes, the district would not receive the added revenue until April 2009.

“One of the things we want to do very much is bring the community in on planning,” park board member Lee Cross said.

Residents interested in joining the advisory committee should contact Executive Director Terry Lande at 842-2306 or terry@biparks.org.

– Tad Sooter