Daily Sitka Sentinel

April 10, 2020, Community Happenings

Services Pending

For Zane Bacon

Zane Joel Bacon, 46, of Sitka, died April 9 in the critical care unit at Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage due to complications from meningitis. His sister, Gillian Havrilla, was in the room with him when he passed. The rest of the family was with him telephonically due to the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

Services are pending. 

Those with questions can call Zane’s brother, Charlie Bacon, at 738-1024.

DelMoral Named Director

Of Brave Heart Volunteers

Angie DelMoral, who has been a volunteer with Brave Heart Volunteers for five years, will take over as its executive director Monday.

“When I consider the mission of BHV, I realize how closely it aligns with my own mission to serve others and offer them ‘compassionate care, companionship, respite and education,’ most especially in my current role as a counselor,” DelMoral said in a press release from Brave Heart Volunteers.

DelMoral has lived in Sitka for 36 years. She and her late husband Tony raised two daughters, Brit and Lindsay, who are now grown and raising families of their own.

‘‘Angie brings so much valuable experience to Brave Heart,’’ the press release said. ‘‘This includes raising her family, managerial and administrative positions, volunteer experience in her church and various schools, and establishing her own private counseling practice after obtaining her credentials in Christian counseling.’’

DelMoral also brings experience as a BHV volunteer. 

“I have witnessed the valuable contributions and immense goodness this organization brings to our community. I have personally benefited from the services of BHV – not only as a widow receiving grief support, but also in my encounters as a volunteer,’’ she said. ‘‘BHV has allowed me the honor of companioning Pioneers Home residents, keeping vigil at the bedsides of those who are near death, lending support to other grieving widows, and making presentations at end-of-life care trainings.” 

DelMoral said viewing BHV from such varied, intimate perspectives has helped her develop a keener understanding and deeper passion for the organization, and she looks forward to furthering that passion as executive director.

BHV’s mission is to provide compassionate care, companionship, respite and education to those facing illness, isolation, end of life and grief.

‘‘This is more important than ever as a growing number of people are experiencing the effects of illness, isolation, end of life and grief due to the Covid-19 pandemic,’’ a BHV spokesperson said. ‘‘We are committed to carrying out our mission in this uncertain environment by encouraging virtual visiting and modifying our programs to transition online.’’

Because of the pandemic, BHV has suspended in-person volunteer programs and volunteers are sheltering at home. Virtual visiting is being facilitated instead of in-person visits where volunteers can call or video chat with their care receivers.

Recognizing the need for community education on grief and loss surrounding COVID-19, Brave Heart Volunteers has collaborated with Erin Matthes to offer a “Let’s Talk About Loss” conversation over Zoom. The next will be 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 14. To sign up, email anna@braveheartvolunteers.org.

Holy Week,

Easter Services

For St. Gregory’s

St. Gregory’s Church continues to suspend all daily and weekend Masses, along with all gatherings at the church.

Private prayer at the church will be suspended until further notice. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday Masses will be live-streamed through churches in the Diocese of Juneau and the Archdiocese of Anchorage. The links for the live-stream Masses and other spiritual resources can be found on the parish website. 

On Good Friday, April 10, individuals should refer to the parish website for a special pilgrimage through Sitka for the Stations of the Cross.  

Easter Services

Set for St. Peter’s

St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Eposcopal Church has announce Holy Week, Palm Sunday and Easter services.

–Palm Sunday, 10 a.m. April 5.

–Holy Week, noon Monday through Saturday, April 6-11.

–Easter Sunday, 10 a.m. April 12.

Worship services at St. Peter’s are currently being held online or can be accessed by phone. For information on how to join the service online or by phone, or for any other questions, email the church at stpetersbytheseak@gmail.com. 

 The church building and the See House building are currently closed, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Easter Celebration

At Grace Harbor

The Grace Harbor congregation invites the Sitka community to join them online for its Easter service. A recorded service of praise and of the word will be available on the church’s website, sitkagraceharbor.com, on the church app under the “media” tab, and will be provided as a link on the church Facebook page.

 The Good Friday service will be a livestream presentation of Christ in the Passover at 6 p.m. Friday night. Email the church at graceharbor@acsalaska.net to request a link to be sent.

 The message this year by Pastor Paul McArthur is from John 20:1-10 and John 5:21-29, “The Dead Will Hear His Voice, and Live!”

 Those with a question, a need, or desire that someone from Grace Harbor would pray for, contact the church office at 747-5706.

City Creates New Process

For Giving Public Testimony

The city has created an alternative process for citizens to stay connected with the Assembly and provide public testimony on agenda items.

The new process is in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and local/state regulations requiring residents to stay at home, practice social distancing, and limit gatherings.

Written testimony is being encouraged. Individuals can submit comments by using the public comment form, sending an email to clerk@cityofsitka.org, or calling 747-1826 prior to 4 p.m. the day of the meeting. The agenda item name and number that testimony is being provided for should be indicated in the subject line.

To sign up for telephonic testimony call the clerk’s office at 747-1826, send an email to clerk@cityofsitka.org, or complete the online public comment form and state wanting to be called and for what item prior to 4 p.m. the day of the meeting.

While in-person testimony during regular and special meetings will still be taken, the city strongly encourages citizens to provide testimony in written or by telephonic form in an effort to comply with local/state health mandates regarding social distancing and group gatherings of 10 or fewer.

To view the online comment form, go to www.cityofsitka.com and click on “Public Comment Submission Form” on the bottom right side of the screen. It may also be accessed directly at http://www.cityofsitka.com/government/assembly/PublicCommentForm.html.

Public testimony will be heard first from citizens who are at the meeting. Next, public testimony will be heard from citizens who have signed up to testify telephonically at the phone number provided. The clerk will call those citizens when it is their turn to speak. The next person on the list will be called if someone doesn’t answer the phone. Once placed into the meeting, the presiding officer will individuals will be given three minutes to talk. The clerk will then read written testimony submitted.

For further information or clarification, contact the municipal clerk’s office at 747-1826 or 747- 1811.

 Sitka Online

Art Event Set

“Hunker Down For Climate Change with Ellie Schmidt” is slated 6 p.m. Friday, April 17, through Google Meet video.

All are invited to join Sitka artist Ellie Schmidt for an online art night, and to learn how to make a zine. RSVP for the online-only event hosted by Southeast Alaska Conservation Council at seacc.org. 

City Boards

Seek Volunteers

Volunteer positions are available on the following municipal boards and commissions: Animal Hearing Board, Building Department Appeals Board, Gary Paxton Industrial Park Board of Directors, Health Needs and Human Services Commission, Local Emergency Planning Committee, Parks and Recreation Committee, Police and Fire Commission, and Tree and Landscape Committee.

A letter of interest and board application can be submitted to the Municipal Clerk’s office at 100 Lincoln Street. Applications are available online at www.cityofsitka.com or at the office. For further information, call Melissa at 747-1826.

Sign-Up Opens

For Rural Alaska

Health Grants

Grant applications are being accepted for projects designed to improve rural Alaska health care systems, including emergency preparedness and pandemic response. The application period will close April 24. Awards will be announced in early May.

Eligible projects include medical and dental equipment, technology and vehicles, as well as ancillary equipment for emergency services, facility renovations, restorations and furnishings. Supplies related to COVID-19 response are eligible. Health care organizations are urged to target projects in the $25,000 to $50,000 range.

Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska established the time-limited grant program in late 2019, providing $3 million to improve access to care in Alaska communities. The Premera Rural Health Care Fund is being administered by Rasmuson Foundation and is held at The Alaska Community Foundation. The first round of 10 grants was approved in February.

The deadline for applications in this cycle was moved up by a month because clinics have urgent needs now, a press release from the organization said.

Upgrades to dental equipment, X-ray and ultrasound machines, and a clinic vehicle were among the projects funded in the earlier round.

Health care providers in much of Alaska are eligible for these awards. For Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, projects must serve communities outside of the urban area.

Go to https://alaskacf.org/blog/grants/premera-rural-health-care/

School Board

Budget Discussed

The Sitka School Board will hold a budget work session and hearing 6 p.m. Thursday, April 16.

The meeting will be virtual using the Zoom remote video-conferencing service. The link to the meeting will be posted on the front page of the School District Website under announcements.

Virtual Playgroup

Offered Next Week

The Early Learning Program is offering its Teach Your Children Well Playgroup for ages birth through 3 years 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays via Zoom.  

‘‘This can be a time for parents to connect with each other and we will share some parent-child activities we can all do together,’’ the organization said. ‘‘We would love to hear all of your awesome ideas as well.’’

To join the Zoom meeting go to https://zoom.us/j/490432949. The meeting ID is 490 432 949. 

COVID-19 Virus

Survey on Tap

The Sitka Sound Science Center is conducting an anonymous attitudinal survey about the novel COVID-19 virus. 

The purpose of the survey is to collect information that can help design policies and support services for isolated rural communities in Southeast Alaska to help minimize any impact of COVID-19 on our communities as well as their cultural knowledge and heritage, the science center said in a press release.

 To fill-out the survey go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfG_T0R_Rnzau8ah2YDbXr_NGZvya9fvEYF6RGnRAhpBL4GYw/viewform?usp=sf_link.

Climate Connection: 

Working Toward a Smaller Footprint

By Leah Mason

I hear that we might be hunkering down for another month, so I am looking for bright spots to focus on. One of the things giving me joy are the animal stories. You might have heard about the Welsh town overrun by wild goats? My favorite is hearing that swans and dolphins have joined the fish and octopi in the empty canals of Venice. Although at least one of these stories isn’t quite true, there are less publicized examples of animal populations taking advantage of our empty outdoor spaces. And it’s only been a couple of weeks. Why am I finding this so charming? We are used to hearing that nothing we can do as individuals makes a difference, but we are seeing changes - and all we’ve done is stay put. Some of these changes can be seen from space. 

The air is clearer. Our carbon dioxide emissions are going down. It’s not quite enough yet, but it shows us how the discipline and the can-do spirit that we’re showing today could help us flatten another dangerous curve. According to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, we would need to reduce our use of fossil fuels by 10% and stay that way for a full year to make a measurable difference. That seems doable to me. And if we can do that, why stop at 10%?

So, now that we can SEE the impact of stopping what we were doing, I really hope we can keep doing video and phone conferencing, and working from home.  I work a lot more without other distractions, but I also gain at least an hour of me-time because I don’t have to travel to and from my workplace. And meetings? Moving between a meeting hosted in Juneau and one in Sitka, takes 5 seconds and saves a lot of money and carbon dioxide. How many conferences or meetings that we usually attend in person could stay online? I hope we choose to find out.

Another thing I hope we can keep is the initiative, care, and concern that we are showing each other as communities. Many state and national leaders are not giving the clearest directions, but locally we are working effectively with imperfect knowledge and a surprising amount of grace! There’s a phrase that I like which covers this:  optimal ignorance, meaning even if we don’t know everything we still know “enough.” With the pandemic, we don’t know what’s going to happen, but we know what we need to do. The same goes for climate change. Although nobody is comfortable about finding silver linings in devastation, finding ways to act even if we don’t have all the answers, is all great practice for reducing our impacts on the earth. 

So, that is what I will take into the next month of hunkering. My delight in watching how well we’re dealing with our leadership roles, my dream of a much smaller footprint for human beings, and more space for everything else. We’ll be exploring a little bit of what we’re learning from the changes that we’re making in next week’s Drawdown Learning Circle.

To keep each other safe we will be taking place using Zoom, and you can email nosam.m.hael@gmail.com to get an invitation to the meeting. Join us from 5:45 - 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 16. 

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Leah Mason is a member of the Sitka Citizens’ Climate Lobby.