Central Kitsap Senior Nicole Torcolinin was awarded the Diane E. Sugzda grant named after the retired Kitsap Credit Union President/CEO. It is given to a student displaying outstanding community service as well as academics. Nicole carries a 4.0 Grade Point Average and volunteers for a wide variety of community organizations, including the Peninsula and Washington Councils for the blind Kitsap County Youth Court and Girl Scouts of American. She plans to attend Stanford University, majoring in Computer Science.

Other recipients include twin sisters Dominica and Regina Ogazi. Dominica received the Bill Stremel grant, named after a former KCU Board member, and is awarded to a student who will continue his or her education at a vocational school. Dominica plans to attend The Culinary Institute of America. Regina will attend Seattle Pacific University. Both are seniors at Bremerton High School.

The remaining three grant winners are Central Kitsap senior Leanne Sweet, who will be attending Brigham Young University to pursue a nursing degree; Gig Harbor Senior Kelsey Baker, who will attend Western Washington University in the fall, majoring in Elementary Education; and Bremerton High School student Krystle Membrere, who will attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Engineering.

We congratulate these young adults and wish them well as they continue their education.

You have an opportunity to make it possible for even more area students to defray post-secondary education expenses by making a tax-deductible contribution. Please make your check payable to the Kitsap Credit Union Educational Grants Foundation and mail it to

P.O. Box 990, Bremerton, WA 98337.

Ed Grants Fundraiser Is A Success!

Thanks to the support of over twenty businesses and individuals, the KCU Educational Grants Foundation raised more than $3,500 in a recent silent auction fundraiser. The Foundation wishes to recognize the following for contributing merchandise or services in excess of $100: Ace Hardware, Bayside Broiler, Bill and Lynne Rumbold, Carol Ungren, Good Works, Kitsap Sports, Liberty Bay Auto, Little Bits Daycare, Lorie Dufour, Mike Cain, KCU’s Navy Base Kitsap branches, Okinawan Karate, Parker Lumber, Parr Ford, Silverdale Upholstery and Staci Fuller.