Community Connections

Key Peninsula Community Organizations

Food Backbacks 4 Kids
Key Pen Parks
Key Pen Parks and Recreation Foundation
​Key Peninsula Bischoff Food Bank
Key Peninsula Business Association 
Key Peninsula Family Resource Center and Children's Home Society
Key Peninsula Free Clinic 
​Key Peninsula Civic Center Association
Key Peninsula Community Services
Key Peninsula Historical Society and Museum
Key Center Pierce County Library
Key Peninsula Little League
​Key Peninsula Lions Club
Key Peninsula News
​Key Peninsula Veterans
Longbranch Improvement Club
Peninsula Athletic Association
Pierce County Fire District 16
​Pierce County Sheriff's Department
Red Barn Youth Facility 
Safe Streets 
​Soundview Camp  
The Mustard Seed Project
​Two Waters Arts Alliance
VIA Unlimited
​Washington State Parks
YMCA Camp Colman
YMCA Camp Seymour


​Key Peninsula Community Office​
9013 Key Peninsula Hwy NW Suite D
Lakebay, WA 98349
(Located in the heart of Key Center KC Corral)
​
​253 432 4948 M-F 10-2
​Email us! keypencouncil@gmail.com



​
2020 KPC Executive Board​
President Don Swensen,
Vice President-Irene Torres
Treasurer-Robert McCrossin
Executive Secretary-Marcia Harris
Executive Liaison-Danna Webster
KPC Ofrice Manager- Lisa Larson


​





Thank you to Ben and Susan from the Key Peninsula Partnership for a Healthy Community for providing us with daily updates during our Covid-19 pandemic. We appreciate all you are doing!

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Covid-19 Updates
Friday, August 7th, 2020
These updates are a joint effort by the KP Partnership, The KP Council, and numerous other local organizations
 
Timely News
 
To put on calendar: Free Covid-19 Testing, August 12th (next Wednesday) from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm at Longbranch Improvement Club.  Free, no appointment necessary, drive-up process.  See FAQs below for more info.
 
Tonight – from 6:00 to 8:00, Band Together presents Flock of Beagles! Stream this live event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHKPband2gether/
OR on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ghkpbandtogether
 
KP Business & Organization Info
 
Key Center Library is now open for curb-side pick-up! Pierce County Library System expanded its curbside pick-up service for books, movies, magazines and other items. People can use this fast, easy service, by reserving their items and scheduling a pick-up time.  For more information, visit: https://www.piercecountylibrary.org/
 
Food Backpacks 4 Kids (FB4K) just released a report covering their work and some big changes that have happened.  They distribute over 7,500 pounds of food each week and have distributed over 90,000 tons since the Covid-19 crisis began. Amazing!!
They have 2 distribution sites every Saturday from noon to 1:00 pm, at Henderson Bay HS and one at their KP headquarters Families in need can sign up for these distributions either through an online form at: https://forms.gle/MukxPhvyVecpmWTH7  or by contacting: info@foodbackpacks4kids.org FB4K has moved all their operations under 1 roof!  Stop by or see it on-line at: 9127 Ave Ct NW, Lakebay, WA 98349. This is the old fire house up near The Mustard See Project in Key Center. FB4K has also updated their website – please take a look!  www.FoodBackpacks4Kids.org  
A reminder: Next Thursday, August 13th, the Key Medical Center will be open at 3:00 pm for first come, first serve (no appointment needed) for Sports Physicals and Immunizations needed for school attendance.  They are asking for a $15 donation for all children under the age of 19 who live on the Key Peninsula.  Bring a parent/guardian and your shot records. 
 
Links 
 
Pierce Transit is offering a new type of service for the Rustin waterfront area, “Pierce Transit Runner”.  This is an on-demand service to help get people to and from the Rustin area to other Pierce Transit travel options.  To find out more, visit: https://www.piercetransit.org/Runner/
 
Important update on the 2020 Census: The Census Borough has changed its plan to extend counting through the end of October.  Now, all counts must be in by the end of September.  If you, or people you know, have not yet been counted, please go to:  www.my2020cencus.gov
Additionally, many organizations in the area are happy to help you complete your Census. For more help, contact: director@kphealthycommunity.org
 
Do you appreciate art and a good road trip?  AAA Washington has compiled some road-trip worthy outdoor art destinations.  For more, visit: https://blog.wa.aaa.com/travel/road-trips/outdoor-art-destinations/?cmpid=int_eml_out_txx-0820-weekends-01&cm_ven=ExactTarget&cm_cat=080520-Weekends&cm_pla=All+Subscribers&cm_ite=Button%3a+Outdoor+Destinations+for+Art+Lovers&cm_lm=scp1966@yahoo.com&cm_ainfo=&&&&&&ajs_uid=ce903867562a1b56fae3fe5c4c065c7b
 
FAQ’s
I hear there will be a free Covid-19 testing site on the KP again, where and when? It will be on August 12th (next Wednesday) from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Longbranch Improvement Club. Kudos to all the people and organizations that are coordinating this event so we can have a location more convenient for many on the KP! Do I need ID or insurance to be tested? No! The mobile testing sites do not require ID or insurance. Workers will need a phone number or some other way to contact you with results. Can unaccompanied minors get a test? Yes, but they need a written note from a parent or guardian with permission to test for Covid-19. Who should get tested? Everyone should, but especially those who: Believe they were exposed to someone who has Covid-19 People with symptoms People who have been in large group settings People caring for a member of a vulnerable or at-risk group What type of test is it? A nasal swab – momentarily uncomfortable but not painful When will we get results? Dispatch Health, who is conducting the tests, usually gets results within 48 hours They will contact people with positive results as quickly as possible, normally within 24 hours of receiving results People with negative results are normally contacted within 5 to 7 days of receiving test results Backlogs at the testing lab can delay notification Those with positive results are contacted before those with negative results If you do not receive results after 5 to 7 days, contact Dispatch Health at (833) 723-0490 Where can I get more information on this and other mobile testing sites? Contact Pierce County or Tacoma Pierce County Health Department: https://piercecountywa.gov/6758/Covid-19-Mobile-Testing https://www.tpchd.org/healthy-people/diseases/covid-19/testing-information#mobile​ 
Covid-19 Updates
Wednesday, August 5th, 2020
These updates are a joint effort by the KP Partnership, The KP Council, and numerous other local organizations
 
Timely News
 
Tonight - at 6:30 pm the Gig Harbor Peninsula Suicide Prevention Coalition/Survivors of Suicide will be holding their regular meeting via Zoom.  To access: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7330131103?pwd=c3RjcHZ4ZGErSkRUMGVlV1doblgxUT09
Meeting ID: 733 013 1103
Passcode: 12345
Dial in: (253) 215-8782
 
Also tonight - from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, there will be a virtual forum on rent and mortgage assistance for Pierce County and Tacoma.  It is being hosted by Safe St.  To take part in the forum, RSVP to RoxAnne Simon at rsimon@safest.org or (253) 289-1784
 
KP Business & Organization Info
 
Of interest to the KP – Broadband Access!!  The broadband access survey being run by Washington State Department of Commerce is still running.  To reach it and contribute, as well as to access other links to broadband information, grants, and plans visit: https://www.commerce.wa.gov/building-infrastructure/washington-statewide-broadband-act/
To see results (so far of the survey) go to: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3yIlk6su-ITDnzuPXVCe888gTfp8NNUMr2QsVczYPSY0uJVk9HlexcQIA#/4bcf7c77ecac475eb467e9df0028d05b
 
Correction: The Mustard Seed Project has a 400 sq. ft. office space for rent.  To find out more, contact Maureen Reilly (not Heather Anthony) at: operations@themustardseedproject.org
 
Links 
 
Point Defiance Zoo, in partnership with UW Tacoma, Northwest Trek and others, have launched the “Grit City Carnivore Project”.  This project helps to map carnivores (racoons, coyotes, bears, etc.)  in the Puget Sound region, and our impact on them, by having people report sightings to a website.  To find out more, or report a sighting, visit: https://gritcitycarnivores.org/
https://carnivorespotter.org/tacoma
https://www.pdza.org/coyote-spotting/
 
Pierce Transit is still working on revised routes and schedules. You can take a survey to give input on changes that may take place in March of 2021 at: https://www.piercetransit.org/2020septemberrecommendedservicechanges/#survey
 
 
A reminder for businesses: Pierce County Economic Development is running a survey through Thursday, Aug. 6th about availability and ease of getting Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). To take part, go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6MXWSZS
 
FAQ’s
What is ”response fatigue”? It is a term I am hearing more often now in the news. This term was used in a recent press release from the World Health Organization (WHO).  In this context, it refers to countries, communities, and people getting exhausted from the continued effort of responding to the Covid-19 crisis. “Exhaustion” can mean a number of things: Resources such as money or supplies being used up faster than they can be replenished  Emergency systems and/or response mechanisms that are meant to be temporary rather than long-term As an example, Pierce County has a well-organized Emergency Operations Center (EOC) that went into action back in March.  Now we’re 5 months on and some aspects of the EOC are winding down while others are still going strong.  The EOC combines resource from a number of entities, and while still working well, those resources are not limitless. The mental and physical effort all of us deal with as we adjust to the fact that life as we knew it six months ago is not going to reappear any time soon. Does “response fatigue” have other meanings? Yes - do not confuse it with a more well-known use of the term which is a documented phenomenon regarding survey and/or test taking.  People taking surveys and/or tests get overwhelmed, or fatigued, by so many choices and then stop answering honestly or accurately.  This “fatigue” needs to be addressed by survey and test creators since it can throw off survey responses.  Is it similar to “compassion fatigue”? Probably, as it is used by the general public.  Those that study these things would most likely take issue with comparing the two. Compassion fatigue and burn-out (they do not mean the same thing) are often found in people who are caregivers.  The act of caring, of emphasizing, over a long period of time can take its toll. For more on this, visit: https://www.stress.org/military/for-practitionersleaders/compassion-fatigue https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/compassion-fatigue