February 26, 2016 Community Happenings

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Category: News

Created on Friday, 26 February 2016 09:57

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Sitka School Board

Meets at ANB Hall

The Sitka School Board will meet 7 p.m. March 14 at the ANB Founders Hall.

Prior to the meeting at 6 p.m. will be a board gathering organized by Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood. The public is invited.

Alaska Day Festival

To Honor Nursing

“Nursing on the Last Frontier” is the focus of coordinators for Sitka’s 2016 mid-October community Alaska Day Festival. 

Artwork is sought for the commemorative button which might depict traditional Native practices, the Russian era, or more modern times in Alaska medicine.

  Artwork may be submitted prior to April 1 at the Edward Jones office, 223 Harbor Drive. A $100 honorarium is offered for the winning design.

  The Alaska Day Committee meets each third Tuesday of the month at location to be announced. Persons having comments to questions about festival activities or new volunteers are invited to attend the meetings or contact Chairman Ted Allio at 747-5124 or Vice Chair Steve Dalquist at 752-0750.

Village Health

Program Seeks

Applications

SEARHC still has openings in its Ethel Lund Village Health Occupations Program set April 18-21 in Sitka.

Each year, SEARHC selects several Southeast-area Native students interested in health careers for VHOP, and the students spend a week at Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital learning about different health careers and educational opportunities. Last year’s group was the largest to date and included students from high schools all over Southeast. 

The goal is to cultivate and encourage an interest in healthcare. 

Some of the activities for this year’s program include job shadowing with health care professionals at Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital, hands-on activities with SEARHC dental staff, and training at the University of Alaska Southeast-Sitka. The program will conclude with a graduation ceremony.

The deadline for applications from Tribal citizens is March 31. Each application must include the student’s most recent transcript and two letters of recommendation.

For more information about the VHOP program, contact SEARHC Recruiter, Louise Brady at 966-8903 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You may also visit searhc.org/careers/education-training.

‘Quakers’ Topic

Of Program

Sitka Unitarian Universalists will meet 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Unitarian Hall.

Longtime Quaker Kerry MacLane will provide information on: ‘‘Are Quakers just noisy Buddhists?’’ and ‘‘What kind of mindfulness can happen during the shared silence that Quakers practice if you can just talk when the spirit moves you?’’

Discussion will follow. Fellowship will be followed by the program at 10:45 a.m. Soup and bread follows at noon. The Fellowship Hall is located at 408 Marine Street, with parking behind off Spruce Street.

Fireweed Dance

Theatre to Perform

Fireweed Dance Theatre will perform 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Performing Arts Center.

Twenty-seven local dancers range in age from 12 to 17. Two former Sitkans, Cady Lynn Jenkins and Julie Castillo, are returning as guest artists.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $9 for students and seniors, and children ages 5 and younger are free. Tickets are available at Old Harbor Books, from dancers, and at the door.

Birthday Party

For Hames Center

The Hames Center’s fifth birthday party is planned 3-5 p.m. Sunday, March 6.

Refreshments for the free event will be provided by Lakeside Milam Recovery Center. Free 15-minute massages will be given by Bridget from Oceanside Physical Therapy, Tess from Therapeutic Massage, and Nora with Backcountry Bodyworks.

Other activities will include face painting and touring the former pool area and watching the gymnastics team, a surprise from Botanika Spa, and learning about the Rockfit program, the new free weight space and auxiliary cardio loft. The climbing wall, bouncy house and bouncy castle will be available.

Allison Bayne’s birthday cake will be served. New toys for children were given by White Elephant. Free personal training consultations and a drawing for personal training is planned.

Tours of the new spin studio will be given. Attendees can learn about the assistance programs and meet the Hames Center team.

Cancer Survivor’s

Society to Meet

The Sitka Cancer Survivor’s Society annual meeting is planned 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Westmark Sitka. It is a no-host luncheon.

Agenda items include updates, objectives and election of officers.

The current Sitka Cancer Survivor’s Society board of directors include: Susan Suarez, president; Candi Barger, vice president; Carolyn Fredrickson; Bonnie Richards; Jill Scheidt, secretary; Linda Janacek, secretary; Barbara Richards; and Mary Beth Palof, Sitka Cancer Support Group leader.

‘‘Because we have cancer in our past, we help Sitkans who are dealing with cancer in the present through grant assistance, the Sitka Cancer Support Group and the Path of Hope,’’ the organization said.

Republican Vote

Set for March 1

The Alaska Republican Presidential Preference Poll will be held on ‘‘Super Tuesday,’’ March 1. Registered Republicans can vote locally at the University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka Campus, 1332 Seward Avenue, Room 106. Voting is open 3-8 p.m.

For questions or more information, call Lureen Stedman at 747-8905 or visit alaskagop.org.

Hartwig Earns

Law Degree

Former Sitkan Thor Hartwig, of Seffner, Fla., earned his juris doctor degree from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School on Jan. 9.

He is also a graduate of Montana State University and of Sitka High School.

Hartwig is the son of Tanya Bonorden and Mark Hartwig. He has two children, Soleil Hartwig and Holden Hartwig.

‘Heart of Stress’

Program on Tap

The Hames Center will present ‘‘The Heart of Stress,’’ a hands-on stress management workshop with Sitka Community Hospital, 7-8:15 p.m. Mondays, March 14-April 4.

Instructors Julie Schanno and Doug Osborne will help participants examine stress and practice a myriad of techniques to manage it.

Registration is open at hamescenter.org or call 747-5080.

Drill Conductor

Class for Fishers

The Alaska Marine Safety Education Association will offer a 10-hour Fishing Vessel Drill Conductor workshop in Sitka 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday, March 18, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 19.

The Friday session will meet at Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, 1308 Sawmill Creek Rd. The Saturday session will meet at AMSEA, 2924 Halibut Point Road.

The workshop is an opportunity for commercial fishermen and other mariners to gain hands-on training with marine safety equipment and learn best practices for surviving emergencies at sea. The workshop covers cold-water survival skills; EPIRBs, flares and maydays; man-overboard recovery and firefighting; immersion suits and PFDs, helicopter rescue, life rafts, abandon ship procedures, and emergency drills. 

It meets the U.S. Coast Guard training requirements for drill conductors on documented commercial fishing vessels operating beyond the federal boundary line. The workshop is offered to commercial fishermen at no cost, thanks to support from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The cost is $175 for all others. Interested mariners can register online at www.amsea.org or call 747-3287.

Mariners First Aid,

CPR Class on Tap

The Alaska Marine Safety Education Association will conduct a first aid and CPR workshop designed for commercial fishermen and other mariners in Sitka 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 17, at NSRAA, 1308 Sawmill Creek Road.

Instructor Eric Van Cise will cover CPR and automatic external defibrillators; treatment of choking; medical emergencies; trauma; environmental hazards; patient assessment; medical communications; drowning and hypothermia; and common fishing injuries.

Attendees will receive a U.S. Coast Guard accepted, two-year certificate issued by the American Safety and Health Institute. The cost for the workshop is $95. Register online at www.amsea.org or call 747-3287.

Crews Repair Flood-Hit Trails

Sitka Trail Works has announced that repairs to the Heart Lake Trail stream crossing at the Blue Lake Road drainage are complete.

STW’s trail crew, headed by Troy Bayne, restored full access this week. State Disaster Repair funds from the Aug. 18 flood were used for trail restoration projects on Thimbleberry/Heart Lake and on the Cross Trail.  

Call the Sitka Trail Works office at 747-7244 for more information.

Comedy Jam Set

For March 18

The Greater Sitka Arts Council and Sitka Tribe of Alaska will host the Pow Wow Comedy Jam, a three-person Native American comedy act, Friday, March 18. 

Two shows will be presented: a family-friendly show at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi at 5:30 p.m.; and an adult show at the Bayview Pub at 9:30 p.m. Tickets to the family-friendly show can be purchased at the STA administrative building, 456 Katlian Street.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Tickets for the adult show are $20 at the Pub. 

Spring Art Walk

Listed April 1

Greater Sitka Arts Council has announced the date for the Spring Art Walk as April 1, 5-8 p.m.

For a list of participating venues, or to participate, visit www.ThinkArtThinkSitka.com or call Sarah at 747-2787.

Childbirth Education

Schedule Changes

Sitka Community Hospital has announced childbirth education schedule changes.

No childbirth education class will be held on Monday, Feb. 29.

Class three of the session, ‘‘Informed Choices of Pregnancy, Labor and Birth,’’ will be 6-9 p.m. Monday, March 7.

Classes 4 and 5 will be combined. ‘‘Breastfeeding/Postpartum Recovery/Newborn Care’’ will be 6-9 p.m. Monday, March 28.

The next full, five-week session will begin again on Monday, April 4.

Classes have been combined and rescheduled to meet the needs of those registered.

 Hames Center

Hockey Class Set

Indoor hockey classes are being offered 8-9 p.m. Mondays 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesdays at the Hames Center.

Hockey blades are recommended, but shoes will work, organizers said. Hames has spare sticks which may be borrowed. Helmets, gloves, mouth and shin guards are recommended, especially if using skates. Those age 16 and younger must have a parent or guardian present. For more information check out hamescenter.org or call 747-5080.

Dinner to Benefit

Youth Basketball

A spaghetti dinner and dessert auction will be held at the Elks Lodge 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 6.

The fundraiser for youth boys and girls basketball will help get teams to Juneau for the Mike Jackson Basketball Tournament in March.

Adult dinner price is $14.95 and children, $9.95. All Elks members and invited guests are invited.

For more information contact Kealoha Harmon at 738-0046. 

Spin at Hames

All are invited to join Carrie Spackman 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Hames Center as she instructs a “spack-tacular’’ cardio class on stationary bikes. Sign up for the class at 747-5080 or Hamescenter.org.

House Finance

To Discuss

State Budget

The House Finance Committee will accept statewide public testimony on the 2017 Operating Budget HB 256. In Sitka, testimony will be accepted 4:45-6:45 p.m. March 2 at the Sitka Legislative Information Office.

Contact the LIO to testify or listen in. In order to be heard, arrive by 4:30 p.m. to sign up. Those wanting to email comment, the address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or take them them by the L10 before the meeting.

For information, call Marie Murray, Sitka LIO, 201 Katlian Street, Suite 103, 747-6276 or fax 747-5806.

Public testimony will be limited to 2 minutes. 

On Dean’s List

Emerson College student Benjamin Gordon of Sitka has been named to the Emerson College dean’s list for the fall 2015 semester.

Gordon is majoring in writing, lit and publishing. The requirement to make Emerson’s dean’s list is a grade point average of 3.7 or higher.

Love Canon

Set to Perform

All are invited to listen and dance to 1980s hits played by world-class bluegrass band Love Canon 7:30 p.m. March 12 in Odess Theater at Allen Hall on the SJ Campus.

Doors open at 7 p.m. The event and beverages are sponsored by Baranof Island Brewing Company. Tickets are $20 general admission and $15 students and seniors, on sale at Old Harbor Books and at the door.

Alcohol will be available for purchase for those 21 and older. Call Sitka Fine Arts Camp at 747-3085 for more details.

Anthropological

Society to Meet

Here March 2-6

The organizing committee for the 43rd annual meeting of the Alaska Anthropological Association will be held in Sitka March 2-6.

Highlights of the meeting include a keynote dinner presentation by Jim Delgado, underwater archaeologist for NOAA, on Friday, March 4, and a luncheon keynote presentation on Saturday at noon by Rosita Worl, president and CEO of Sealaska Heritage Institute.

Delgado will describe recent discoveries in Alaskan and Canadian Arctic waters, and Worl will review lessons learned from 30 years working on repatriating individuals and sacred objects under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

The public is invited to register and attend sessions, special events, and meals to be held on the campus of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp.  Registration details are available on the Alaska Anthropological Association website: https://www.alaskaanthropology.org/annual-meeting/.  Registration will also be open on-site in the Odess Theater at Allen Hall on the SJ campus during the conference.

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