Kitsap Providers Breakfast Returns to Bainbridge

“I Came Through and I Shall Return”

Return to Bainbridge with breakfast, community and networking on Tuesday, April 16th at Madrona House, 8800 Madison Ave, BI, 98110. The fun begins at 8:40 am and ends at 10:00 am. Carrie Chavez and her team will be hosting while our fellow Breakfaster and friend Lori Dreier takes a leave of absence.  The friendly folks at Bainbridge First Baptist Church have offered the use of their parking lot so please take advantage of that. Many thanks to them.

The featured guest will be one of our own Breakfasters, Johanna Munson, Peace of Mind Guide. Johanna works with seniors and their families in a very close way to help them discuss and plan for what comes to all of us at end of life. These discussions include practical matters but begin with a more gentle approach to the topic of death itself.

The quote in the headline is from General Douglas MacArthur when he was forced to leave the Island of Corregidor in the Philippines and make his way to Australia to take command of Allied Forces Forces that would eventually provide the means for his return. My family has a connection with the story of the war in the Pacific. Read to the end to find out more but first you might find this brief Wikipedia  biography of his amazing life interesting.

Priscilla Adkins organized the March breakfast at Bonaventure Park Vista in Port Orchard. Thanks Priscilla and your team for a delicious meal in a room that was nearly perfect for our group of friends to meet. Our presentation was impromptu by new Breakfasters Susan, Ned and Grant Anderton of Anderton Medicare Advisors. They gave us some important information about an augmented Medicare Advantage Plan that provides a help desk for seniors to call and get answers to complex insurance challenges including making appointments and arranging for transportation to visits.

We Have Hosts For May, June and October of 2024

The May breakfast will be held May 21st at Liberty Shores in Poulsbo. Our own Candace Meadows and her associates will be the hosts at that meeting. Hosting opportunities are available for July, August, September, November and December. If you would like to host the breakfast at your community, just contact me to discuss details.

Thanks to all who have and will host.

Welcome New Breakfasters

Welcome and thanks for attending to new or nearly new attendees Heather Syrovy of Westsound Visiting Angels, Dana Laguna of Care Partners Living, Lois Jasmer and Alicia Austin of Crista Shores and Kathleen McAloon of Liberty Place.  A growing community of friends improves service to seniors.

The Rest of the Story

General McArthur left the Philippines on March 11, 1942. My uncle Donald Thomas Freeman, my dad’s older brother, was a marine stationed on an outpost observation island of the Bataan Peninsula when the Japanese occupied the peninsula. D.T. (or Double Trouble as his mother, Margaret called him) managed to evade capture or death but weighed only 70 pounds when he was liberated in 1945 with the return of Allied Forces to the Bataan.

My dad, Bernard Joseph James Freeman (B.J.), was 16 years old in 1943 where with the aid of a falsified ID card earned by 2 years service in the Merchant Marine he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps with the aim of finding his brother and bringing him back alive. Dad was unable to complete his rescue directly but served honorably as a marine in the war in the Pacific and the Korean conflict.

I was visiting Kathleen McAloon at Liberty Place when I saw a photo of another young marine, probably about the same age as my dad, hanging on the wall. I am grateful to have been born and live in a country with such great people. Thanks to all men and women who serve and thanks to all of you who serve each other in your family and working lives.