Daily Sitka Sentinel

February 25, 2020, Community Happenings

Designs Sought

For City Seal

The city is seeking individuals to design the new official seal. The deadline to submit is 4 p.m. March 31.

Contest procedures, entry qualifications and entry forms may be found on the front page of the city website at www.cityofsitka.com.

For information, contact Municipal Clerk Sara Peterson at 747-1811 or sara.peterson@cityofsitka.org.

Uncommon Music

Festival Planned

The Uncommon Music Festival, in collaboration with the UAS Whale Lab and Native storyteller Chuck Miller, will present a program with new vocal music on texts by Sitka authors July 31, Aug. 1 and 2.

Visit bit.ly/UMFive or follow @uncommonmusicfest for information.

Solo Recitals

At Music Festival

Uncommon Music Festival musicians will present short, free and colorful solo recitals on organ, lute and voice Aug. 6-7 at Sitka Lutheran and St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal churches.

Visit bit.ly/UMFive or follow @uncommonmusicfest for more.

Festival Favorites

At August Event

The Uncommon Music Festival’s free Uncommon Favorites series revisits some of the meaningful events and collaborations from festival’s past four seasons, in observance of its fifth anniversary, Aug. 7-9.

Visit bit.ly/UMFive or follow @uncommonmusicfest for more.

Nominees Sought for

School Principal Title

The Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals is accepting nominations for Regional Principal of the Year and Regional Assistant Principal of the Year.

Nominations can be made by anyone in the community or school.

Nominations are due Friday, Feb. 28. Go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NFHF27Z and https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NP3QFX2 to nominate.

A secondary school is considered a school that includes some or all of grades 6-12.

Call AASSP at 907-586-9702 or email hjsmith@alaskaacsa.org with any questions. 

Marine Safety

Training Set

The Alaska Marine Safety Education Association will conduct a marine safety instructor training class June 1-5 in New Bedford, Massachusetts, at UMASS-Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology. 

The intensive train-the-trainer course cold-water survival procedures, the use of marine safety equipment, and vessel safety drills. The MSIT is the only marine safety instructor course, specific to commercial fishing, that is nationally accepted by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The cost for the class is $995. Partial scholarships are available for qualifying commercial fishermen, thanks to support from the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health and the U.S. Coast Guard. Mariners can register online at www.asmsea.org or call 747-3287. 

SCLT to Meet

The Sitka Community Land Trust will meet 6:15-7:45 p.m. Monday, March 9, at the Sitka Public Library.

The public is invited to attend. The SCLT is a non-profit organization that relies on community support and participation. For information contact Mim McConnell at 738-2888.    

Purim Celebrated

At Calvary Chapel

The public is invited to celebrate Purim – the Jewish festival recorded in the Hebrew Bible book known as Megillah (the Scroll) – in the reading through the Book of Esther at Calvary Chapel Sitka 3 p.m. Sunday, March 8.

The readings include: ‘‘The plot to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews in a single day is thwarted. Evil is set back. Some Jews say that ‘coincidence’ is not a kosher word to the Torah trusting Jew.’’

Purim begins March 9 at sundown. Call Pastor Dug at 747-5454 with questions.

Dating Violence

Month Noted

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and the Sitka Youth Leadership Committee has launched the “Healthy Me, Healthy We” campaign again this year to focus on promoting healthy relationships and education about dating violence.

‘‘It is important to know any person of any identity can be in an unhealthy relationship and dating violence is simply too common an issue to ignore – 1.5 million high schoolers report having experienced either abusive or controlling behaviors in a dating relationship,’’ SYLC said in a press release.

‘‘In a healthy relationship, you have the right to be yourself and have the freedom to be independent. You also have the responsibility to respect your partner’s privacy, independence, interests, etc.,’’ the release said.

SYLC is committed to educating  peers about the red flags or warning signs of unhealthy and abusive relationships and their rights and responsibilities in every relationship, it said. Those who think a friend or family member might be in an unhealthy or abusive relationship can show support by listening to them, acknowledging their feelings and respecting their decisions.

For resources, contact Sitkans Against Family Violence (747-3370 or safv.org) and loveisrespect.org. 

‘‘And remember, everyone has the right to feel safe in their relationship,’’ SYLC said.