Recently named Island Treasure Nancy Rekow is a poet, a leader of poetry workshops for over 43 years, a poetry reading organizer, an editor/consultant for various books, and co-founder of NW Trillium Press. Listen here to learn more about her life and work.

Describing herself as a country mouse and a city mouse, Nancy grew up straddling two worlds -- living on a farm in a small town in New Jersey but regularly heading into Manhattan for trips to the ballet, to Broadway, and to the museums.

So it should come as no surprise that when she moved to the Northwest 55 years ago, she chose to live on a 57-acre dairy farm on Bainbridge Island, with easy access to the city of Seattle.

Listen here as Nancy speaks with long-time Bainbridge resident and fellow author, Jeff Wenker, about her gradual evolution into the life of poetry: her earliest published poems, her collaborations with Bob McAllister on the Poetry Workshops, her efforts through the Poulsbohemian poetry readings and Ars Poetica to bring the work of other poets into the public eye, and her forays into publishing with NW Trillium Press and the beloved classic, Minnie Rose Lovgreens's Recipe for Raising Chickens.

Credits: BCB guest host: Jeff Wenker; audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

Can a person ever have too much jewelry? Yes, sometimes, but how do you choose what and how to give it away?

The answer is to donate to The Women's Shelter Jewelry Project! This 20 year old project now has donation boxes at 6 sites on Bainbridge and others in Seattle. Donated jewelry is sorted, cleaned, repaired and sent to domestic violence shelters on both the Kitsap County and Seattle sides to bring a smile to these fragile women who have lost almost everything.

Micki Lippe, founder, and Jane Martin, BARN member -both jewelers- speak about this project and an upcoming sorting event happening on April 8, from 1-4 pm at the BARN.

Everyone is welcome,  ages from 10 on up, to sort through the donated jewelry into sections for repair, fine quality, and so on. Listen here as Micki and Jane tell us about the benefit and fun of donating your un-worn jewelry, which includes all kinds, qualities, and conditions. You, too, can share in the pleasure of turning a luxury item into a feel good item to bring happiness to another woman.

Again, join us at BARN Jewelry Studios Sunday April 8 from 1-4pm to have the fun of sorting donated jewelry. BARN is located at 8890 Three Tree Lane, across from Reliable Storage. All skill levels of jewelry knowledge are welcome!

For more information and a list of donation dropoff sites, visit SeattleMetalsGuild.org.

Credits:  BCB host: Carolyn Goad; audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher Diane Walker.

Swashbuckling adventure, a mustachio'd villain, a maiden on a mission -- all these and more fill the stage in BPA's newest musical, "Peter and the Starcatcher." opening March 9 at Bainbridge Performing Arts.

Listen in as BCB host Carolyn Goad takes us backstage at BPA to talk with assistant director Ryan O'Donnell and two of the leads in the musical, Sophie Eldridge (Molly Aster) and Jason Gingold  (Black Stache).

Despite some of the technical difficulties we encountered with this podcast, we think you'll be enchanted by the characters and their fascinating story, which is based the popular series of Peter and the Starcatchers novels by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson -- plus, you'll get to hear what it's like for fathers and daughters to share a stage!

Who is Peter, and what is a Starcatcher?  Find out as this magical show unfolds March 9-25, with a pay-what-you-can show on March 8. Shows start at 7:30, with a 3:00 pm matinee on Sundays; for tickets or more information, visit bainbridgeperformingarts.org. "

Credits:  BCB host: Carolyn Goad; audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher Diane Walker.

Curious about "Big History?" Dr. Robert Drury can help answer your questions; just come to three sessions at the Bainbridge Island Senior Center to learn more.

Big History is an approach to history that takes in the whole scope of understood time – from the Big Bang to the present. David Christian, a Russian history scholar, coined the term, bringing in scientists, humanities professors, and people from a range of disciplines to help explain history in a unified way.

This way of looking at history is less focused on human culture alone, and certainly less focused on the rise and fall of specific kingdoms and empires or outcomes of military conflicts. Christian's course attracted the attention of Bill Gates, who has supported efforts to put the project in front of high school students worldwide.

Dr. Robert Drury is a psychologist, Bainbridge Island resident and an enthusiast for the Big History approach. He plans to use the online curriculum of Big History ( https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive) to introduce interested people to the concept over the course of three Saturday sessions at the Bainbridge Island Senior Center.

The presentations begin at noon on March 3, 10 and 17 and last 1 1/2 hours each. Please use the West Wing (Thrift Store) entrance. There's no cost to attend, but donations to the Senior Center are appreciated.

Credits: BCB host: Reed Price; audio editor: Chris Walker; social media publisher Diane Walker.

In this podcast, Sallie Maron, winner of Bainbridge Island's first ever Cultural Champion award, is interviewed by Catherine Camp, Sallie's successor as the Board Chair of Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN).

Just what IS a Cultural Champion? Bainbridge Island's new Cultural Champion award defines it as person who works tirelessly to enhance the cultural riches of the island without necessarily being a practitioner in the arts and humanities -- and Sallie Maron is the perfect exemplar of that role.

The child of a US Marine, Sallie spent her early years moving to a new town every two years or so, a process which led her to develop a certain flexibility and fearlessness that have helped her to become a natural leader.

When she and her husband decided to raise their five children on Bainbridge, Sallie began applying those hard-earned skills, bringing projects like The Land Trust, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial Association, Sustainable Bainbridge, Sound Food, and BARN to fruition by actively engaging the interests, strengths and commitments of those around her.

Listen here to hear more about Sallie, and how her passion for community has inspired her to give back in such incredible ways.

Credits: BCB guest host: Catherine Camp; audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

What does it mean to be human, and what is it about our stories, our interpretation of our reality, our consciousness that seems to be leading us down the path to self-extinction?

Can changing the way we talk about our lives affect the sustainability of our future? Listen here as Jeremy Lent, author of The Patterning Instinct, talks with YES! Magazine's's David Korten about how culture and language wire our brains and affect how we interpret and react to the world around us.

It's an exciting conversation -- and you can join them both to pursue these questions when they continue their conversation at Eagle Harbor Books at 3pm Sunday, Feb. 25. Don't miss it!

Credits:  BCB host: Jo Jenkins; BCB audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and publisher Diane Walker.

The community of Fort Ward is working together to restore the fort's historic bakery building for use as a community hall and gathering place.

A collaborative effort of Friends of Fort Ward, the Fort Ward Youth Advisory Committee, the Bainbridge Island Metro Park and Recreation District, Kitsap County Sewer District No. 7, and residents of the Fort Ward neighborhood, the project also has the support of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

In this podcast, BCB host and Fort Ward resident Christina Hulet talks with Friends of Fort Ward board president Douglas Crist about the project and the building's history. Listen here to learn more about these exciting restoration plans, the Fort Ward neighborhood, and the key historic role Fort Ward played in WWII.

For more information about the project, visit https://fortwardhall.org/.

Credits:  BCB host: Christina Hulet; BCB audio editor and social media publisher: Diane Walker.

Looking to celebrate Women's History month? Get inspired by local artist Suzette Ruys' portraits of 15 "Persistent Women," opening Friday, March 2 from 6-9 pm at the Bainbridge Public Library.

The paintings feature fifteen tenacious women, each of whom took a stand against injustice. Their work falls into a variety of arenas, including politics, environmental defense, women’s rights, labor organizing, civil rights, and more.

“There were so many great women to pick from that I could have painted for years,” says Ruys, a local artist and designer who studied at the Rhode Island School of Design. “Researching these paintings was fascinating. Some of the women are well-known, others less so, but each story about their lives made them very real and impressive. There is always a need for people to speak up when they see inequality," adds Ruys. "These women did it with the grit and grace that makes them heroes.”

Listen here as Ruys explains some of her decisions, talks about her intriguing process, and shares some of the stories of the women in her paintings. And be sure to stop by the library in March to see these Persistent Women!

Credits: BCB host: John Fossett; audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher, Diane Walker.

Actor, artist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and Edge co-founder John Ellis has just been named an Island Treasure. In this podcast interview, John talks with his daughter Liz about his lifelong interest in art and theater.

On the Island John is perhaps best known as co-founder (with the late Frank Buxton) of the Edge Improv troupe, which has been performing monthly at BPA for over 22 years. But he has a number of other talents as well:

   • As an actor, he has delighted audiences in numerous roles at BPA, such as Nick Bottom in Midsummer Night's Dream and, most recently, as Sir John Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor.

   • He co-wrote Harry Tracy, a Bainbridge Bandit with fellow Edge troupe member Andrew Shields.

   • As an artist, he had a brief career as a cartoonist in high school and, more recently, an exhibit of his elephant drawings helped raise money for the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Currently his ravens and monoprints, made under the mentorship of Wendy Orville at BARN, are popular items at Bainbridge Arts and Crafts.

   • As a devoted community member, John has served on the boards of both the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and Bainbridge Performing Arts as well as hosting a variety of events for other organizations on the island.

But John is also a father, and this podcast gives us a charming glimpse into his relationship with his daughter Liz, who currently serves as Education Director of Bainbridge Performing Arts. Listen here as they reminisce together about John's lifelong contributions to the arts.

Credits: BCB guest host: Liz Ellis; audio tech: Chris Walker; audio editor and social media publisher, Diane Walker.