Island Church will be warming center

Published 11:30 am Saturday, January 16, 2016

Island Church on Bainbridge Island has been awarded a grant by the Puget Sound Energy Foundation for the installation of a high-capacity generator so the church on Sportsman Club Road NE can become an emergency shelter and warming center when needed.

“Getting a generator for our church is a huge deal,” said Pastor Jenni Brewster of Island Church. “Ever since we moved into our new building in 2008, we realized our building could become a warming station and even a triage facility in the case of a more serious island-wide event.”

The foundation is paying for a majority of the equipment and installation costs, and the generator will be installed at the church in the coming months.

The grant was part of an ongoing effort to better prepare Washington communities in the event of a disaster, according to the foundation.

The gift was the fifth generator to be awarded to a nonprofit organization in Puget Sound Energy’s service area; others have been installed since late summer in Cle Elum, Lakewood, Sedro-Wooley and Langley.

“This campaign is a $1 million effort by PSE Foundation to award generators to deserving organizations over the next five years, with $200,000 allocated each year. We think it’ll make a big difference in our communities, including on Bainbridge,” said Andy Wappler, PSE foundation chairman and president.

The PSE Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates independently of PSE. Its endowment comes from previous sales within Puget Energy, PSE’s parent company, and none of the foundation’s funds come from PSE’s utility customers, foundations officials said.