Events
Please Note: Some events are remote (via Zoom) and some events or classes are in-person. Email class coordinators with questions.
Monthly meetings are hybrid: in-person AND via zoom.
KCS hosts several different types of events. Read the event descriptions below to choose the one that suits your interests. Click on the title or button to find out the event details.
General Meetings
Come to a General Meeting to listen to informative speakers, connect with other members and participate in governance of the group. Coffee and light refreshments will be served. Members and non-members welcome.
Special Interest Groups
SIGs are comprised of KCS members who share a common interest or hobby and want to learn from one another on a specific topic. Previous SIGs have included: Genealogy, Creative Writing, and Mac Users.
Classes
Larry DuSavage hosts classes for intermediate users. Mary Ann Confar works with "Absolute Beginners". Although each usually has a specific agenda, there is always ample opportunity to get your questions answered.
General Meetings (Open)
Meets monthly (except June, July & August) on the 2nd Monday from 11am to 12pm at the new Kitsap Regional Library branch in Silverdale – 3650 NW Anderson Hill Road – ground floor meeting room right inside the door. Parking in front and the building is handicapped accessible. At every General Meeting help is needed, both to bring snacks and to make coffee for the attendees.
See our Calendar for the dates of the next General Meetings.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs)
Investor Discussion Group:
Open to KCS Members only: Meets via Zoom. Past topics discussed include Investing Online Tools and Features, Google Finance Portfolios, Stock Central and ICLUBcentral Features and more.
Coordinator: Al Valencia – as of March 13, 2023, Al is on Medical Leave – Stay tuned.
See Calendar for the dates of the next Stock Investors Group meeting.
Classes
Open Forum Windows Class: Classes are geared toward intermediate to advanced PC users, and typically cover security issues, bugs and more. Interactive Q&A session at the end of class will address your PC challenges and help solve them.
Important Note: Classes are currently held via Zoom.
Coordinator: Larry DuSavage See the Calendar for dates, times and a sample agenda.
“Absolute Beginner” hands-on classes – Windows + (some Apple & Android) Mary Ann teaches “Absolute Beginner” hands-on classes at the Sylvan Way branch of the Kitsap Regional Library on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays each month in the Henninger Meeting Room from 11am to 12:30pm. Classes are limited to 20 people (Covid) so contact her to sign up in advance.
Coordinator: Mary Ann Confar See Calendar for the dates of the next hands-on class.
“Absolute Beginner” Zoom Q&A – Windows + (some Apple & Android) Mary Ann hosts”Absolute Beginner” Zoom classes on the 1st, 3rd & 5th Thursdays.
See Calendar for information and the zoom link.
our Volunteer teachers
Larry DuSavage
Windows 10 Classes, Library Labs
Larry joined KCS in 2006 because he wanted to help teach others. He has previously served as President, and is currently our Historian and assistant Treasurer.
After serving as a submarine sailor for 21 years, Larry went back to school and earned his B.S. in Computer Science. He went on to work for local companies such as AMSEC and Anteon performing computer programming and database administration.
Besides teaching KCS classes and helping at labs, he is the KCS historian keeping all KCS records.
Mary Ann Confar
Instructor
Mary Ann Confar followed a summer boat job in Alaska to Poulsbo in 1996 and decided to stay.
When she got tired of being gone for 5 months at a time she spent 4 ½ years installing donated computers for the Gates Foundation in over 500 libraries across 38 states and teaching elderly, rural librarians to use them.
After that program ended she went thru Library School at UW, got a job as a reference Librarian at OC and has continued to teach Beginning Computer Users ever since.
Al Valencia
Investor Discussion Group
Al has been a member of KCS since 2008. His background is in construction and he owned a firm locally. He is from the Port Orchard area. He is a Trustee for KCS and serves as the membership chair, works with project coordination and has been on KCS’s main fundraiser, Kitsap Great Give committee.
He has been involved with and is a member of a local investment club and has served as the president and secretary for the club. He recently was elected to serve as a director with the Puget Sound Chapter of BetterInvesting. He is the coordinator for the Investor Education Conference for the western region of the state.
