Rainwater free
To the editor:
An enormous amount of rainwater falls on rooftops, runs off gutters, and then travels down ditches to rivers and streams. The earth cannot absorb it fast enough to restore the water table for our wells — drilled or dug. This water can be collected, stored, and used to water plants, shrubs and trees. If you do not try to use it as potable water, no permits are required.
Thanks to Ralph Bickerton, a Bainbridge Island contractor, we have two 500-gallon tanks collecting and storing rainwater from our shop roof, which we use to water 28 cedar trees that we planted for privacy for ourselves and neighbors. It took one rainy weekend for the tanks to fill.
When I purchased the trees from Harui Gardens, I inserted a short black plastic corrugated pipe next to the root balls. Using a garden hose, I put about a gallon of the collected water down the pipe. The trees get enough water to grow faster than you can imagine. In three years, the cedar trees that were 8 feet tall are now almost 12 feet.
We are happy with our rainwater. You should try it. Many homes and farms in the San Juan Islands function only because of collection and storage of rooftop rainfall. Rainwater is free.
Dick Krutch
Bainbridge
Join Kiwanis
To the editor:
The Kiwanis Club of Bainbridge Island would like to thank the community for its continued support. Your community spirit made our annual Holiday Wreath sales a tremendous success. And your donations through One Call for All support our programs for children. Such generosity will allow the club to continue sponsoring the Key Club at the high school and Builders Club at the middle school where the leaders of tomorrow are making a difference today. Kiwanis also gives scholarships to graduating high school seniors and an Educator of The Year Award with supporting funds.
We are always looking for volunteers and new members to support our family-friendly events like the summertime All Comers Track Meets, 4th of July Miniature Golf, ShredFest and Holiday Wreath sales.
Optional meetings are held at the Boys & Girls Club in Coppertop Business Park. Dinner meetings are 6-7 p.m. the first Wednesdays of each month and breakfast meetings from 8-9 a.m. the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Please join us.
Jim Copen
Bainbridge
Retract Polman
To the editor:
I saved an article, by Dick Polman, titled “6 reasons to say goodbye to the Hunter Biden fiasco.” The article appeared in the Nov. 6, 2020 issue of The Review. It struck a chord in in my psyche. In the article, Polman viciously lampooned anyone, and everyone, who mentioned the Laptop, as a possible expose’ of a veritable litany of corrupt actions, on the part of both Hunter and President Biden, stretching back to Joe’s vice presidency.
Corruptness that bestowed millions, of ill begotten dollars, on the Biden family. I have been informed that if the contents, of the Hunter Biden laptop, had been made public, before the 2020 November election, there was a strong chance that the outcome would have been different.
I would like to suggest that you request a written retraction, from Polman, for all of the vile misinformation he managed to tarnish, and stigmatize our precious, hometown newspaper with, The Review.
Fred McGinnis
Bainbridge
