April 15, 2015 Community Happenings

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Category: News

Created on Wednesday, 15 April 2015 10:28

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Sitka Science Sharing Night highlights work by student scientists

The Fourth Annual Sitka Science Sharing Night 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, April 20, at the UAS-Sitka Campus Room 229 will highlight the work by student scientists from Sitka schools.

The event gives students a chance to share with the general public about their projects on forest, marine, and stream health, experimenting with robotics, and developing critical thinking skills through scientific research.

Students will be available to share their work and answer questions. 

The event features students from many of our fine schools in Sitka. Student projects are funded by the Sitka Alaska Permanent Charitable Trust, the National Forest Foundation, and the Bio-Prep Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Many of the projects are supported by community volunteers and local teachers.

The Sitka Science Sharing Night is a joint project of the Sitka Conservation Society, UAS Sitka Campus, Sitka School District, and Mt. Edgecumbe High School. For more information, contact Kitty LaBounty at 747-9432 or Scott Harris at   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

This Week in Girls on the Run 

Girls on the Run is an empowerment-based program for girls in third-fifth grade, currently in its sixth season at Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School. GOTR is more than an after-school activity; it is a program designed to bring girls together with strength and resilience and prepare them for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.  

Recently in GOTR participants have been learning to stand up for themselves and others, and participants explored why it is important to be intentional when choosing and cultivating our friendships. Teams discussed the kinds of qualities one seeks in friends, and examined difficult situations that young girls can face when in a friendship. Here is what girls had to say about choosing friends:

–“It’s important to choose your friends because you want friends who are nice to you, not mean.”

–“People might hang out with girls who are negative because they think they would bring them popularity, or they’re scared of being picked on so they protect themselves in a negative way.”

–“If (you are hanging out with people who are) negative you can pick up on what they’re doing.”

–“I think some girls put others down because it makes them feel powerful, but in a bad way. If they change their mind about that and are a positive friend, then they are powerful in a good way!”

–“You like being their friend because they like you the way that you are”

Throughout this season, GOTR will keep providing the Sitka community with updates from the program.  We also hope to give mentors and parents an opportunity to pass on skills from GOTR to the youth in your life! 

Here are some conversation starters for talking with kids about friendships: 

–What do you think “people pleasing” means? (stop standing up for what we believe and alter our behavior in order to be liked by others) Have you seen kids doing this? Why is it okay to not be best friends with everyone?

–Why is it important to treat others the way we want to be treated?

–How do we feel when we are with positive friends? 

Save the date for the final GOTR community 5K “1 in a Million Fun Run” from 10 a.m.-noon on May 2, starting at the basketball courts along the Seawalk. Stay tuned for more details. Girls on the Run of Greater Alaska is brought to you in Sitka by Sitkans Against Family Violence. Call 747-3370 for more information.

Cancer Support

Group to Meet

Sitka Cancer Support Group will meet 1 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at Brave Heart Volunteers in the Pioneers Home Manager’s House.

Those in cancer treatment,  cancer survivors, and family members are invited to attend to spend some time with others who understand what they are going through.

The support group is sponsored by Sitka Cancer Survivors Society. Call or email Mary Beth with questions or if  a ride is needed to attend, at 623-0842, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

National Poetry

Month at Library

April is National Poetry Month and the library is celebrating 7 p.m. Sunday, April 26, for a feast of poetry.

John Straley will host an evening of local poets reading their original poetry. Coffee, tea and homemade treats will be served and a special drum trio will set the mood for the celebration of poetry in Sitka.

Poets of every age and style, from the Kettleson Poetry Club poets to former Writer Laureate of Alaska John Straley, will read. Contact Brooke at 747-4028 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions.

Krispy Kreme 

Donuts for Sale

The Sitka Skippers will sell Krispy Kreme donuts at 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (or until sold out) Saturday, April 18 at both AC Lakeside and Sea Mart.

Community Hospital

Town Hall Meeting 

The public is invited to a roundtable discussion and town hall meeting sponsored by the Sitka Community Hospital 6:30-8 p.m. Monday, April 27, in the Centennial Hall Exhibit Room.

The purpose of this meeting is to gather constructive feedback on what the public wants from its community hospital and ideas for improvement. Members of the leadership team, including hospital CEO Rob Allen, will be available after the meeting to answer questions. 

For more information contact meeting facilitator Lily Herwald from Trestle LLC at 738-0560.

BIHA to Meet

Baranof Island Housing Authority Board of Commissioners will meet 5 p.m. April 21 at 245 Katlian Street. The public is welcome to attend.

Chamber to Meet

The Sitka Chamber of Commerce will hold roundtable discussions during the weekly Chamber luncheon noon Wednesday, April 15, at Westmark Sitka.

The topic of the discussions will be ideas for increasing Sitka’s revenue streams. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m.

Luncheons are open to the public. For more information, call the Sitka Chamber office at 747-8604.

‘Penguins’ Topic

Of Program 

A special Earth Day natural history seminar with speaker Gemma Carroll will take place 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, at the Alaska Raptor Center.

Carroll will discuss her research on the effects of climate change on the world’s smallest penguins in Sydney, Australia.

Spring Troll

Fishery Slated

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has announced the commercial spring troll fishery.

The following spring trolling areas will open at 12:01 a.m. April 16 and will remain open through April 30: Neets Bay Terminal Harvest Area (101-95), Ernest Sound (107-10), Frederick Sound (110-31), and Hidden Falls Terminal Harvest Area (112-22).

Spring trolling areas listed will open from 12:01 a.m. April 16 through 11:59 p.m. April 22, and from 12:01 a.m. April 26 through 11:59 p.m. April 29: Ketchikan Area (101-29), Mountain Point (101-45), North Sumner Strait (106-43), Chatham Strait (112-12), Sitka Sound (113-41), Lisianski Inlet (113-95), and Point Sophia (114-27).

Opening times and dates for other spring areas will be announced in a future new release, Fish and Game said. Details will be provided in the 2015 Spring Troll Management Plan, which will be available prior to May 1.

Earth Day Parade

Of Species April 24

The 14th Annual Earth Day Parade of the Species, hosted by the Sitka Conservation Society, will be held 3:15 p.m. Friday, April 24.

Parade participants are invited to dress as their favorite animal or plant and gallop, slither, swim, or fly. Participants will meet in Totem Square parking lot near the Pioneers Home at 2:45 p.m. The parade will go down Lincoln Street to Centennial Hall.

Prizes will be awarded for Best Use of Recycled Material, Most Realistic, and Best Local Plant or Animal.

Earth Day-inspired games and activities for the family will follow the parade from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Centennial Hall. For more information contact Sarah at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 747-7509.

Emblem Club

Meets April 23

The Sitka Emblem Club will hold a social meeting 7 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at the Sitka Elks Lodge.

The awards social will be hosted by Junior Past President Glade Morales.

Awards for years of service will be given.

Meeting Set to

Discuss Traveling

Group’s Visit

Paul Magin of New Old Time Chautaqua will present an information session about the troupe and its June visit 5:15 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at UAS-Sitka Campus, Room 106.

The New Old Time Chautauqua is a community of performers, friends, and families who see live performance as a way to share laughter, friendship and wonder.

The traveling troupe works with local organizations and service groups with the intention of inspiring creativity and supporting community.

‘‘New Old Time Chautauqua tours annually with our ever-changing troupe of more-than 60 members, bringing our brand of new vaudeville to entertain and inspire, to educate, and to support local community organizations,’’ Magin said. ‘‘We strive to serve all ages, by performing large-scale public shows, and smaller scale performances to local groups and populations including senior centers, nursing homes, soup kitchens, boys and girls clubs, youth detention centers and prisons.’’ 

The group offers free workshops on topics ranging from circus skills to environmental sustainability.

The band, The Fighting Instruments of Karma Marching Chamber Band/Orchestra, provides the music for the shows, and leads the parades, filled  with stilters, jugglers and costumed community members, through the main streets.

‘‘Throughout the year, we perform shows to bring our far-flung community together, to increase awareness of what we do, and to raise money to run our summer tours,’’ he said. ‘‘We look forward to working with you to bring New Old Time Chautauqua to your community.’’

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