Daily Sitka Sentinel

April 2, 2014 Community Happenings

    Skippers Show
    At End of Year
    The Sitka Skippers end-of-the-year appreciation performance and pay-what-you-can FUNdraiser will be 6-7 p.m. April 18 in the Blatchley Middle School gym.
    Donations of any size are welcome and will help send local skippers to the USA Jump Rope National competition in California in June.
    For more information call Twila Keaveny at 738-3050.

    SEARHC Offers
    Digital Machine
    For Mammography
    SouthEast Regional Health Consortium has replaced its film mammography equipment with a new digital one at Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital. The Lorad Selenia from Hologic was installed last week in the radiology department.
    The benefits of digital mammography include less radiation to patients, improved image quality and faster exam times. While digital mammograms still use X-rays, the images are turned into electric signals that can then be stored in a computer much like a digital camera.
    All women are at risk for breast cancer – it is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death, after lung cancer, among Alaskan women, SEARHC said. Early detection of breast cancer through regular screening increases the chances of long-term survival.


    2Preschool Child
    Find Screen Set
    A child-find screening will be offered April 11 for children ages 3 to 5.
    An appointment is required for screening and may be arranged by calling the Baranof Elementary Preschool Program at 966-1334 or Mandy Evans, special education director, at 966-1253.
    The program is provided without charge. Its purpose is to identify children who are having difficulty in their development, and to provide special education services to them when appropriate.
    Parents may have concerns about their child’s development in the areas of hearing, vision, speech/language skills, motor skills, thinking skills and emotional or social skills.
    A screening is a series of short tests and professional observations in various developmental areas.

    PHS PCC Meets
    Pacific High School will hold its monthly Pacific Community Council meeting 5:30 p.m. April 10 at the school.
    Discussion will center around the Behavioral Health Grant from the Department of Education and Division of Health and Human Services and the health needs of young people in Sitka.
    Students, parents and other community members are invited to attend. Call 747-0525 with questions.

Softball Association
Reps Meet April 3
Sitka Softball Association will hold a team representative meeting 6:30 p.m. April 3 at Blatchley Middle School in Room 208.
All interested players and representatives are being asked to attend. Call Dallas Peavey, 747-0643, with questions.

    Douglas-Dornan
    Grants Offered
    The Douglas-Dornan Foundation of the Juneau Community Foundation is accepting applications for funding support April 1-June 1.
    The foundation offers financial grants to organizations that benefit and enhance the health, education and welfare of individuals in Southeast Alaska.
    Application forms may be obtained at www.juneaucf.org or by contacting Paul D. Douglas, Advisor, 3014 Foster Ave., Juneau, Alaska 99801 or (907) 463-3042. Completed applications must be mailed to the above address and postmarked no later than June 1.

    Partner Dance
    Class Scheduled
    The Sitka Fine Arts Camp will offer two sessions of the class Social Partner Dance for Adults with instructor Franni Donohoe.
    Class times are April 13-28 and May 5-19, Mondays, 7-8 p.m. at the Hames Center dance studio.
    This class aims to build on the existing community of those who like to dance and to provide a space for them to meet once a week and boogie.
    Instruction will include basic steps for salsa, fox trot, cha cha cha, two-step, waltz and more. Singles and partners with all levels of dance experience are welcome.
     The cost is $40 plus tax per workshop. To sign up call the Sitka Fine Arts Camp at 747-3085.

2    Kayaani Panel
    Has Open Seats
    Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Kayaani Commission is accepting letters of interest to fill two open commissioner seats – a three-year term tribal citizen seat, and a one-year term general membership seat.
    The deadline is March 28. Letters of interested should be mailed or hand-delivered to the STA’s Resource Protection Department, 456 Katlian Street, attention Heather Riggs, or email letters to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . For more information contact Heather at 747-7167.

    Silent Auction at
    Kettleson Library
    Kettleson Memorial Library is hosting a silent auction of artwork with the final bids being awarded at the end of the Friends of the Library annual meeting April 19.
    The items include a double eagle copper repousse by Vyola Belle, several prints and watercolors. The cookie jar collection, filled with cookies, will also be available to bid on.
    Items are on display at the library. Bidding sheets are posted with value of each item, and a recommended beginning bid. All proceeds will go to the Friends of the Library expansion fundraising campaign.


    Authentic India
    Food to be Served
    Sitkans are invited to an authentic Indian dinner at 6 p.m. April 10 at the Unitarian Hall, 408 Marine Street.
    The dinner will raise funds to sponsor a high school education for a girl in India. Children in India, particularly girls, are often unable to attend school for lack of a modest amount of money required for fees, books and uniforms.
    The suggested donations of $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12 (under 3 free) will go to the Unitarian Universalist Council which sponsors education for students in the northeast hill country of India.

    02Sport Fishing
    Regulations Set
    For S.E., Yakutat
    The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has announced sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and Yakutat effective 12:01 a.m. today through 11:59 p.m. April 30.
    The resident bag and possession limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length, except during May and June the bag and possession limit is two king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
     The nonresident annual limit is six king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
    From October 1, 2014, through March 31, 2015, sport anglers may use two rods when fishing for king salmon.
    The king salmon sport fishery is managed under provisions of the Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan, which prescribes management measures based upon the preseason abundance index determined by the Chinook Technical Committee of the Pacific Salmon Commission.
    The preseason abundance index for the 2014 season is 2.57 which equates to 81,353 king salmon allocated to the sport fishery. The plan prescribes the regulations listed above when the king salmon abundance index is above 2.00.
    For further information regarding sport fisheries in Southeast Alaska, contact the nearest ADF&G office or visit: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.eonr.

    ANS to Meet
    The Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4 will meet 6:30 p.m. April 8 at the ANB Founders Hall. All are welcome to attend. The group will continue nominations for Grand Camp delegates. Grand Camp is set in the fall in Petersburg.
    All those interested in being delegates are especially being encouraged to attend. Those with questions may call Jean at 623-7355.


    Plant Coldframes Class Set   
Doug Osborne prepares a coldframe for spring planting during a 2012 work party at St. Peter’s Fellowship Farm. (Photo provided to the Sentinel)

    The Sitka Local Foods Network reminds the public that it’s time to get out in the garden and plant coldframes.
    Michelle Putz will present a free, short, on-the-ground coldframe planting class and open discussion at 3 p.m. on April 6. A coldframe is like a miniature greenhouse, usually a raised garden bed with a glass or fiberglass cover that helps warm the plants to extend the growing season.
    Because of limited space, those interested in participating in the class should pre-register by calling Putz at 747-2708.
    They will be told the event’s location when they call.
    The Sitka Local Foods Network will be hosting a series of “It’s time to …” workshops this spring and summer designed to help local residents with various aspects of vegetable gardening and fruit growing. Many will be informal get-togethers at various gardens around town.
    In addition, the Sitka Local Foods Network education committee will meet 5:30-7 p.m. April 7 at Centennial Hall to discuss future workshops and classes for the upcoming spring and summer.
    ‘‘We are still looking to expand our network of local volunteers who can teach classes – formal and informal – this year about growing food, so please attend if you’re interested,’’ said Charles Bingham of the SLFN.
    Those able to  teach classes can email Charles Bingham at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with information about topics, gardening experience, and contact information.

    Canoe Paddle
    Workshop on Tap
    SEARHC, in partnership with the One People Canoe Society, will host a canoe paddle workshop April 18-21 in preparation for the 2014 Paddle to Celebration Canoe Journey.
    SEARHC Behavioral Health Prevention Program and One People Canoe Society have joined together for the four-day workshop that will include a 20-minute youth suicide prevention training each day.
    The Alaska Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention and Intervention training, which features the QPR approach, teaches participants the warning signs, risk factors and protective factors and then provides information on how to reduce the risk of suicide by use of questioning, persuading and referring.
    The primary focus of the workshop will be on making 20 paddles for the SEARHC canoe team to use on the 2014 Paddle to Celebration Canoe Journey.
    Twenty-four red cedar boards are available to make adult size paddles, and 21 red cedar boards to make youth-size paddles. There are also a number of unfinished paddles from previous years that may be completed during the workshop as well. Participants may be given the option to keep any paddles made that exceed the 20 required to paddle to Celebration.
     The workshop is open to the public, but participants must be at least age 15. It will be held at the Sitka High School woodshop 3-9 p.m. April 18, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. April 19,  10 a.m.-9 p.m. April 20,  and 3:30-9 p.m. April 21.
    Those wanting to participate, are asked to contact Rena Wallace at 966-8755 or 738-5593.

    Woman’s Club
    Meets Saturday
    Sitka Woman’s Club will meet 11:30 a.m. April 5 at the Fly-In Fish Inn on Katlian Street.
    The Woman’s Club is a community service organization with Sitka roots dating to the late 1800s.

02    Women’s Book
    Group to Meet
    The Women’s Book Group will read ‘‘In the Shadow of the Banyan’’ by Vaddey Ratner and meet at the Pioneers Home Chapel 7 p.m. April 8.
    All interested women are being encouraged to participate. Call Dorothy, 747-3412, with questions.

    Mid-Day Swims
    Thursday’s mid-day swim will be 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. at Blatchley pool. For more information call 747-5677.