Renowned both locally and beyond, the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island is celebrated as the driving force behind the iconic Rotary Auction & Rummage Sale, an annual event held each July. This huge undertaking not only brings scores of bargain hunters to the island, but also serves as a catalyst for funding numerous impactful initiatives, including generous community grants, scholarships, and international humanitarian projects. Around one-third of the net proceeds from the Auction & Rummage Sale are dedicated to the Rotary Club’s Large Community Grants (Huney) Committee Fund.
In 2003, the Rotary Club demonstrated its commitment to justice and community healing by awarding a substantial $25,000 grant to the “WWII Nikkei Internment and Exclusion Memorial.” At that time, the memorial was a nascent community project conceived by the North Kitsap Interfaith Council in collaboration with the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community. Founders of the Exclusion Memorial, including Don Nakata, Junkoh Harui, and Frank Kitamoto, joined Clarence Moriwaki and Kay Nakao in receiving the check from Rotarian Joanne Croghan.
Fast forward two decades to February 12th, 2024, when the Rotary Club once again demonstrated its support for the Exclusion Memorial. This time, the club awarded a substantial $100,000 Huney Grant to assist in funding the final phase of the Memorial—the Visitor Center. Amid the myriad of supporters for the Visitor Center, the Rotary Club stands out, showcasing its leadership within the community and its longstanding dedication to a project that extends far beyond the confines of Bainbridge Island. Today, thousands of visitors annually tour the Memorial, delving into the events of World War II that wrought injustice and violated the constitutional rights of islanders of Japanese descent. Through the Bainbridge Island story, they also glean insights into the transformative power of community in preserving and revitalizing relationships that fortify a community’s strength. The Huney Grant award serves as a fitting bookend, underscoring the Rotary’s enduring commitment to both the establishment and completion of the Memorial, and its steadfast dedication to “advancing local community and world understanding.
Thank you, Bainbridge Island Rotary Club.
