Vitalize Kitsap was co-founded by Holly Aardal, an educator and administrator in special education; and by Deb Payne, a special education para-educator and parent of one of the founding members. The catalyst was a birthday party in the fall of 2000. The birthday girl and her guests had a range of intellectual disabilities. While they sometimes crossed paths in school, they hadn’t yet connected just for fun, outside of classes. The girls enjoyed their time together so much that another gathering was planned for the following week. This led to plans for the next week, then the next. As the years passed and the girls grew, so did the size, scale, and scope of the programs and activities. Eventually ​Island Time Activities (ITA) was born and gained official status as 501c3 nonprofit in 2011. Currently we serve all genders and both teens and adults. In 2020 ITA became Vitalize Kitsap to celebrate its 20th anniversary and reflect our growth and outreach to include the entire Kitsap County. We look forward to another 20 years of service in this wonderful community.