June 12, 2014 Community Happenings

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Category: News

Created on Thursday, 12 June 2014 12:01

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    Father’s Day
    Service Sunday
    Calvary Chapel Sitka will have a special Father’s Day service, “D-Day Battlefield Fathers,” 3 p.m. Sunday at the Methodist Church.
    Men will be offered a free “Matthew” DVD or “Multiply” book about making disciples. Call Pastor Dug Jensen at 747-5454 with questions.


    Story Time Set
    ‘‘Color Magic’’ will be the theme of the Fizz, Boom, Read preschool story time program 10:30 a.m. June 19 at Kettleson Library.
    The program includes readings, rhymes, songs and a craft project. Everybody is welcome.
    For more information call the library at 747-8708.

    Summer Read
    Event on Tap
    Children 6 and older are invited to the RU Curious program at Kettleson Memorial Library 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 21.
    Experiments, scientific crafts and games will be part of the event. Registration is required and space is limited. All are welcome. For more information call the library at 747-8708.


    Adult Summer
    Reading Listed
    The Adult Summer Reading Program is under way at Kettleson Memorial Library. This year’s theme is ‘‘Literary Elements.’’
    Participants can go to the library, register, pick up a log book and start reading. The reader’s name will be entered into a weekly drawing for every book read. Both print and audio books are acceptable. Drawings are on Sundays.

    Deadline Extended
    The nomination deadline has been extended for Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Tribal Citizen of the Year and Tribal Elder of the Year.
    Nomination letters must include the name of the person being nominated, their contributions and accomplishments, and contact information for both the nominee and nominator.
    Send nominations to: Tribal Council Chairman Michael Baines, citizen nomination, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, 456 Katlian Street, Sitka  AK  99835.
    The acceptance deadline has been extended to 11 a.m. Monday, June 30.  Questions may be directed to KathyHope Erickson, 747-7352.
 
    Community
    Picnic on Tap
    Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Community Picnic will be held noon-3 p.m. July 19  at the Halibut Point Recreation main shelter.
    The menu includes picnic/barbecue fare as well as traditional Native food.  Guests are being encouraged to take picnic side dishes to share.
    All are invited to take advantage of the free transportation provided through “the RIDE” from many locations throughout Sitka. The schedule for transportation will be posted in town, and available on the STA website:  www.sitkatribe.org. 
    The no-smoking event is open to all. Those with questions may contact staff at 747-3207.
 
 
    Historian-Author to Speak in
    Sitka About Russian Empire
    Historian Ryan Jones will visit Sitka this weekend to speak about his new book, ‘‘Empire of Extinction,’’ published through Oxford University Press.
    His Sitka presentation is hosted by the Island Institute, and will be held at 6 p.m. June 14 in the Del Shirley room on the second floor of Allen Hall on the SJ Campus. His book will be available at the event.
    Jones’ book explores the environmental legacy of the Russian fur traders in the Pacific Northwest.
    Jones, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, has made a number of trips to Alaska as he has researched his book over the past seven years.
    His book studies the Russian Empire as it expanded into the Pacific Northwest and Alaska in the second half of the 18th century. As the Russians established colonies in Kamchatka and Alaska and developed a network of Siberian and Alaskan Native hunters collecting furs on their behalf, the emergent fur trade quickly became unsustainable. In a matter of years, the empire radically transformed the North Pacific and caused environmental catastrophe. The populations of sea otters and other fur-bearing animals collapsed and, in the case of the Stellar sea cow, went extinct.
    Before too long, natural historians became aware of the threat of widespread species extinction. These experts drew upon Enlightenment and Romantic-era ideas about nature and imperialism but their ideas were refracted through Russian scientific culture and influenced by the region’s ecology, Jones said. Heeding the advice of these scientific experts, Russian colonial governors began long-term management of marine mammal stocks and instituted some of the colonial world’s most forward-thinking conservationist policies.
    Jones sais this overlooked era in the history of the Pacific Northwest had a lasting role in shaping global environmental understanding: “Alaska may have been at the periphery of world history in the 18th and 19th centuries, but it turned out to be extremely important for the way people thought about the environment at that time.” 
    Highlighting the importance of the North Pacific in Russian imperial and global environmental history, ‘‘Empire of Extinction’’ focuses on the development of ideas about the natural world in a crucial location far from what has been considered the center of progressive environmental attitudes. By bringing this history to light, Jones hopes to “increase appreciation for the Russian era of Alaska history.  It was more than just pretty churches and the exploitation of Native Alaskans – it also produced important new ideas.  This history also shows how important scientists have been in Alaskan history for three centuries.”
    Jones has been to Sitka twice, and looks forward to returning, “because of the city’s rich Russian heritage, beautiful setting and friendly people.”
    Jones has been touring the Northwest recently, and will present his book in Juneau before visiting Sitka and then continuing on to Anchorage.
 

    Children’s Chorus
    Performs in Sitka
    The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus Young Men’s Ensemble will perform in concert 7 p.m. June 22 at the Sitka Performing Arts Center.
    The group is under the direction of Dr. Steven Kronauer.
    Described as “astonishingly polished,” “hauntingly beautiful” and “one heck of a talented group of kids,”  the YME is designed to help young men sing throughout their voice changes while learning the details of classical music, said Classical Movements, the group’s concert-touring company representative.
    Founded in 2009, with Kronauer as the director, the YME has toured in Italy, Germany and Austria. While in Alaska, the group will perform in Sitka, Anchorage and Soldotna.
    The Sitka event is sponsored by the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. Admission is free; however, donations to SFAC are being accepted.
    For more information email Roger Schmidt at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

    SAFV Board Meets
    The board of Sitkans Against Family Violence will meet 5:30 p.m. June 23 at the shelter.
    The meeting is open to the public. For directions and more information,  call 747-3370.

Karen Bretz

    Organ Concerts
    At Sitka Lutheran
    Anchorage organist Karen Bretz will play the 1844 Kessler organ at the Sitka Lutheran Church on June 13, 14, 16 and 17 during the noon hour.
    Selections will include Italian and Spanish music from the Renaissance, “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Bach, and familiar hymns.  All are welcome.  There is no charge.
    For more information contact Bretz at 351-6591 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

    Reception Set for
    White E Director
    The White Elephant Shop will host a welcome reception for  Karen Martinsen, newly hired executive director. The reception will be held 4-6 p.m. Tuesday June 17 at the shop. The public is invited to attend.

    Veterans Meet
    Sitka veterans will meet 4 p.m. June 13 on the first floor conference room in the Community Health Building on the SEARHC campus in the building by the totem pole.
    Discussion will be on the July 4 parade, and building the float for veterans. Also discussed will be establishing a Sitka Veterans Association.
    For further information call George at 738-3688.

TAP Class Set
A Training for Alcohol Professions class will be held 9 a.m. June 14 at Westmark Sitka in the banquet room.
The class fulfills the State of Alaska education requirements for servers and sellers of beverage alcohol. Cost is $45 and ID cards required.
Those who have an expired TAM card less than 6 months expired may simply take the test. Cost is $45.
Call Helen at 738-6738 for more information.

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