2026 is the year to give back

 

Looking for that final push of 2025

 

Last day of 2025 and last chance to take advantage of the 501(c)(3) status our Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation has when you donate to the Bellringer Fund!

 

We've received a few more donations but our goal is $20,000. Help push us farther!

 

Check may be mailed to: Poulsbo Lions, PO Box 1244, Poulsbo, WA 98370. Online via Paypal, use poulsbolions@gmail.com. Thanks!

Join us for our first service project of 2026

Join us as our first project of 2026 is collecting donations for Fishline in front of Safeway on Saturday, Jan. 10. You'll meet some terrific people! For more info,

#fishline #feedthehungry #safeway #poulsbo #poulsbolions #weserve

 

 

Why should you think about becoming a Lion?

There are so many reasons why you should think about becoming a Lion. Any questions? Contact us at poulsbolions@gmail.com.

#poulsbolions #weserve #poulsbowa #makeadifference #servicewithasmile

 

 

What is worth doing

 

It seems when you give, you always get more back. That's the way it is with Lions. You go to help with a food drive or litter pickup or putting quarters in machines at

Poulsbo Lions aren't meeting this week but will start Jan. 8 from 12:15-1:15 pm at Vinland Lutheran Church, 2750 NW Finn Hill Rd., Poulsbo. You are more than welcome to join us! Cookies and coffee are available (and tasty!).

Serve with us

 Want to serve with us? Message us at poulsbolions@gmail.com. We'd love to meet you!

 

Do what matters

If you want to feel like what you do matters, serve with us!

We have a brief break now, but in January, we will help Fishline with a food drive the 2nd Saturday of the month, need volunteers to help set up and take down American flags on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Jan. 19, have our Loads of Change Jan. 21, and need volunteers to help with vision screening for children. 

Email us at poulsbolions@gmail.com.

 

 

Use your smile

 We're always looking for friendly people!

 

On the 12th day of Christmas

 Well, this post finishes our very own 12 Days of Christmas featuring "A Few of Our Favorite Things." Hope you enjoyed it. Merry Christmas!

 

 

The Coffee Oasis reaps part of Bellringer Fund

 

The Coffee Oasis is another recipient of our Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund. Our Bellringer is past the halfway point... can you help?

 

https://www.kitsapdailynews.com/.../coffee-oasis-a.../...

Merry Christmas Eve, Poulsbo

 

On this peaceful Christmas Eve, the Poulsbo Lions send heartfelt wishes to our neighbors across North Kitsap. As lights glow in windows and families gather close, we’re grateful for a community that shows kindness, generosity, and unity all year long.

 

Thank you for supporting our service projects, cheering on our traditions, and helping us lift up those who need it most. May your home be filled with warmth, laughter, and the quiet magic that makes this night so special.

 

From our Lions family to yours — Merry Christmas, Poulsbo.

11th day of Christmas

 

We have exceptional students in our school district!

#nksd, #nkhs #nkhsleos #pmsleos #poulsbowa #poulsbolions #weserve

 

ShareNet gets help from Bellringer

Read here about ShareNet Food Bank, which is one of the agencies we help every year with our Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund.

#sharenet

10th Day of Christmas

Hunger is one of our Lions Club global initiatives. One project - one garden - produced 1,399 lbs of organic veggies this year for our community food bank.

 

More about our Bellringer Fund

Here's a link to a Bellringer article in the Kitsap Daily News: https://www.kitsapdailynews.com/.../community-service.../...

More photos from Loads of Change Christmas event

We have yet more photos to share from our wonderful laundromat Christmas Dec. 17 for Loads of Change.

We were able to help a few unhoused people out with propane, a tent and sleeping pad... some gas money for those sleeping in their cars.... There really is a need for kindness now.

Lion Ray McMahon shows up every month.

One of our clients, Tonya, with gifts for her and her boys

Lion Pat Rae

Lion Dennis Tesch puts quarters in a big washer.

 

 

9th Day of Christmas: Litter

We're counting down to the final 4 "Favorite Things" mini-series of posts.

Picking up litter is a good time! Lion Gretchen Dunmire is the head of our crew currently (pictured below). Do you want to serve with us? Message us at poulsbolions@gmail.com. We'd love to meet you!

 

 

8th Day of Christmas: American flags

Poulsbo Lions have been setting up American flags and taking them down on 11 national holidays throughout the year since the '70s.

Businesses along Front Street, Viking Avenue and Highway 305 may have a flag set up/taken down all year for only $50. All funds collected go back into our NK community. Lion Greg Neal (an incredible metal artist) created this flag rack for us this year.

Lions gift Seattle Children's Hospital with 80 stuffies

 Lion David Damazo has officially delivered 80 stuffed animals to Seattle Children's Hospital and they were thrilled! They seemed to be the only toys of this kind, Damazo said.

 

 

Serve with purpose... Be a Lion

Lions don’t just see needs — they step forward to serve.

With compassion in our hearts and leadership in our actions, we uplift communities, inspire change, and build hope where it’s needed most.

Together, as Lions, we transform service into impact and leadership into love.

Join us. Serve with purpose. Lead with courage.

 

Photo dump of cookie fundraiser and Loads of Change Christmas event

Lions have been busy during this holiday season. Here are photos from a couple of recent events.

Poulsbo Evening Pride Branch Club's fundraiser, decorating Christmas cookies, was a fun event complete with all kinds of sprinkles, apple cider and cocoa with marshmellows! Above, Poulsbo Lions Beth Olsen and her daughter, Gretchen Dunmire, try out different decorating techniques.

Liz asked for leggings and received a 3-pack! She was happy.

Poulsbo Lion Lee Metcalf typically shows up the 3rd Wednesday of every month to volunteer a couple of hours just inserting quarters into dryers.

Sandy asked only for a mug. And she said she loved the red color, the size, EVERYTHING. Sometimes it's the simplest things that make people happy.
 

One of my favorite things - New members!

New members, new blood! It seems every time we add a new Poulsbo Lion we get new ideas for changing up things, and we LOVE it! Do you want to start out 2026 making a difference in your community? Come to any Thursday noon meeting (technically 12:15-1:15 pm) at Vinland Lutheran Church, 2750 NW Finn Hill Rd., Poulsbo. Or you may choose our Evening Pride Branch Club, which meets downtown at Western Red Brewing at 7 pm the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month (ask for David!).

 

Favorite thing: free fishing derby for kids

This is something families look forward to every year - and we wish it could be more than just one day! We have ospreys that always try to steal fish and Canada geese with their babies. Our 2026 date: April 25.
 

Bellringer Fund almost halfway to $20k goal

 

With Christmas just days away, our Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund stands at $9,100—less than half of our $20,000 goal.

 

We can do this, people!

 

This fund touches every corner of our community:

-  Food banks keeping shelves full for families in need

- Veterans who deserve dignity and support

- At-risk youth searching for guidance and safe spaces

- Low-income neighbors facing hunger and hardship

 

If each of us gives just $20—or whatever you can afford—we’ll cross the finish line together.

 

Every dollar is a lifeline. Every gift is a promise that no one in Poulsbo and North Kitsap will be forgotten this holiday season.

 

Tax-deductible donations may be mailed to: Poulsbo Lions Bellringer, PO Box 1244, Poulsbo, WA 98370

Favorite thing: Getting things done

 Really it just takes one person to mention an idea or a project.... Then we try to make it happen!

 

Favorite thing: Helping the unhoused and needy with clean laundry

We started Loads of Change in 2018 on the third Wednesday of every month and it's been going strong ever since.

 

Loads of Change Christmas event features pizza, presents and clean laundry, of course!

It was a magical night in the Village Laundromat. Well, not really. After all, it's a laundromat.

But Poulsbo Lions brought wrapped presents for some of our Loads of Change clients who'd signed up for things they needed last month (for many it's their only Christmas present), Ray bought 10 pizzas that were quickly devoured, Sharmon dropped by with several packages of cookies and mozzarella cheese sticks, we had 48 pairs of thermal socks, along with body wipes, toothbrushes, toilet paper, paper towels and many other items.

Many of our unhoused and low-income clients were blessed with propane and Safeway gift cards (for gas or groceries). By the end of the night, we'd gone through $930 ($330 was donations) for 40 people doing laundry for 64, washed 200 loads and dried 142.

Many thanks to our Lion volunteers - Ray McMahon, Ken Hatton, Pat Rae, Lee Metcalf, Dennis Deitch, Dennis Tesch and Terry Blais. We'll see you in the New Year!

Kathy loved her new sheet set.

Mariah was happy with her gift.

McQ felt happy with her heated lap blanket.

 

Favorite thing: Unselfish people

 

Favorite thing: Helping people

New to the area? Want to make your area of the world a better place?

You're welcome to a Poulsbo Lions meeting. Our Noon Club meets from 12-1 every Thursday at Vinland Lutheran Church, and our Evening Pride Branch Club meets the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month at7 pm either at Western Red Brewing.

 

PMS Leos complete winter clothing drive

Poulsbo Middle School Leos completed their winter clothing drive collecting socks and boots among other things.

The recipients of these items are the Severe Weather facilities in Silverdale and Kingston as well as Georgia's House, a home for battered women and their children.

 

My favorite things mini-series of posts about Poulsbo Lions

When you join Poulsbo Lions, you get a whole new family of characters - funny, sweet, hard-working, generous, kind - you'll love to be a part of.

This is a festive “mini-series” of posts that highlight the personalities, traditions, and projects that make the Poulsbo Lions special.

 

Bellringer climbs to $6,900

 

We've got a slight uptick in donations for our Bellringer Fund - we're at $6,900 as of today! Thanks to those who have contributed. You make a difference!

 

Our Poulsbo Lions Raab Foundation Bellringer Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations may be mailed to: Poulsbo Lions (checks written to Raab Foundation), PO Box 1244, Poulsbo, WA 98370.

Two more sleeps till Loads of Change Christmas event

 

Only two more sleeps till we make clean laundry happen.

Save your eyeglasses for us

 

Your old pair of glasses can change someone else’s life.

 

Poulsbo Lions collect hundreds of used eyeglasses every year. These glasses are cleaned, graded, and sent to communities where access to vision care is limited or unaffordable.

 

Who do they help?

- Children struggling to learn at school because they can’t see the board.

- Adults whose vision challenges limit their ability to work. 

- Seniors who have lived years with blurry vision simply because glasses are out of reach.

- Remote and under-served communities.

 

Your old glasses don’t belong in a drawer — they can restore independence, improve education, and open doors.

 

Here are where we have eyeglass collection boxes:

 

Poulsbo:

NK Fishline, Viking Ave

Pacific Eye Care, 20669 Bond Rd NE

Poulsbo Eyecare Center, 19220 8th Ave NE

Poulsbo Library, 700 NE Lincoln Way

Walmart, 21200 Olhava Way NE

Safeway Pharmacy

CVS Pharmacy

JRO Insurance, 8th Avenue

 

Kingston:

Safeway Pharmacy, 8196 NE State Hwy 104

20-20 Eyecare, 25989 Barber Cut-off Rd

 

Bainbridge Island:

Ace Hardware, 635 High School Rd

Bainbridge Vision, 345 Knechtel Way

 

#poulsbolions #WeServe #RecycleForSight #EyeglassCollection #ChangingLives #poulsbowa

Serve and make new friends

 Drop us a line at poulsbolions@gmail.com.