Large Community Projects
Approximately a third of Auction & Rummage Sale net proceeds are allocated to the Rotary Club’s Large Community Grants (Huney) Committee Fund. Money in this fund can accumulate from year to year while the Committee searches for projects that will have a significant impact on the Bainbridge Island community. Thus, the Club’s contribution to a community project can range from less than $100,000 to much more. In some cases, we team with other organizations to help fund and/or complete a project.
For information about the Large Community Grants (Huney) Committee Guidelines, visit Large Grants Guidelines.
A Tradition Is Born
The first Rotary Auction was held in 1960 to raise money to buy land for the Bainbridge Island Public Library. Not only did this mark the beginning of a unique and revered community event, it also represented the first instance when the event’s revenues were used to support a major community project.
For 63 years, money from the Large Community Grants (Huney) Committee Fund has been used to help fund a wide variety of projects that have vastly improved the quality of life on Bainbridge Island. The Committee is named after Judd Huney, an inspirational early member of the Club. Large projects funded include the following:
Parks and the Park District
- Rotary Field Park (1962, 2013 & 2015)
- Funding a ballot measure to create the Bainbridge Island Park District (1965)
- Eagledale Park land purchase (1968)
- Strawberry Park:
- Land purchase (1968)
- Facility improvements (1971)
- Addition of restroom facilities and Pee Wee field (1989)
- Rotary Skate Bowl (2001)
- Fort Ward State Park Boat Launch Ramp (1972)
- Pritchard Park (2003)
- Rotary Centennial Park (2005 & 2018)
- Bainbridge Aquatic Center:
- Ray Williamson Pool (1999)
- Don Nakata Pool (2004)
- Remodel entrance including added study area (2018)
- Battle Point Park:
- Ritchie Observatory Building (1990)
- Kids Up Playground (2001)
- Transmitter Building (2004)
- Two new Soccer Fields (2008)
- Astronomical Assoc. Planetarium improvements
- A movable stage for the Park District (2009)
- The Waypoint (2012)
- Owen's Playground (2015)
- Sakai Park Tennis Courts (2023)
Additional support for Bainbridge Island Public Library
- Furnishings for the Library (1961)
- Remodeling the Library (1981)
- Funding to help double the size of the Library (1996)
- Refresh, Revitalize and Renovate Project (2016)
Other funded projects include:
- Bainbridge Island Historical Museum
- Move school building to current site (1969 & 1970)
- Repair of building and heating system
- Reference Library (2003)
- Bainbridge Island Commons facility construction funding (1994)
- Helpline House Storage Facility (1989 & 1992)
- Boys and Girls Club facility construction funding (2006)
- WWII Nikkei Internment and Exclusion Memorial (2003)
- Children’s Museum improvements (2003))
- Island Wood fourth sleeping lodge (2008)
- West Sound Wildlife Shelter installation and improvements to donated building (2008)
- Fire Protection District new medical aid vehicle (1987)
- Morrow Manor (Poulsbo) facility construction funding (2016)
- Fort Ward Community Hall facility construction funding (2016)
- Kitsap Humane Society facility construction funding (2018)
- Bainbridge Youth Services facility construction funding (2019)
- Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) placements throughout Bainbridge Island (2019-23)
- Filipino Hall Improvements (2022)
- BARN for land purchase (2022)
- Finch Place Affordable Housing (2023)
- Helpline House Expansion (2023)
