‘Earthquake’ Program
Dear Editor: Thank you to everyone who attended the Sitka Maritime Heritage Society and the Sitka Historical Society’s joint program “Earthquake.” The event commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Good Friday Earthquake, the largest earthquake ever recorded in North America.
We are grateful for our panelists, Bill Davis, Bob Allen, Willis Osbakken and Larry Calvin, who shared their harrowing personal accounts of what they experienced in Anchorage, Kodiak and here in Sitka. Even after 50 years, the memories were as fresh as if the earthquake had just happened. We thank you all for being so open and honest with your stories.
Special thanks go out to the Valdez Museum for allowing us to show the documentary “Between the Glacier and the Sea” about how Valdez residents experienced and rebuilt after the earthquake. Thank you to Sitka Fire Chief Dave Miller for providing handouts on earthquake and tsunami preparedness. Thank you to Sitka Historical Society Director Hal Spackman for moderating the event. Thank you to the Centennial Hall staff for assisting with the setup and cleanup after the program.
Special thanks to Sitka Maritime Heritage Society Director Carole Gibb and board member Rebecca Poulson. Your energy and enthusiasm helped make the event a smashing success.
If you have a story you would like to share with us regarding how you experienced the earthquake, please contact the Sitka Historical Society at 747-6455 or the Sitka Maritime Heritage Society at sitkamaritime@gmail.com.
Sitka Historical Society Curator and Sitka Maritime Heritage Society Board Member Hayley Chambers
MEHS Health Fair
Dear Editor: On Saturday, March 15, the SEARHC/Mt. Edgecumbe High School Student Health Center held a student health fair during Mt. Edgecumbe High School’s Saturday School. About 325 students participated in this event where they learned about nutrition, diabetes, tobacco cessation, immersion suits, bone health, health careers, reproductive health, stress management and bullying, and received fluoride treatments.
Multiple agencies put together informative, interactive, and fun displays for our students. We would like to thank SEARHC’s Health Promotion/ Tobacco, Diabetes, Dental, Pharmacy, and Raven’s Way programs as well as AMSEA, Planned Parenthood, UAS, UAA’s School of Nursing, Sitka Community Hospital, SAFV, and the Sitka Youth Leadership Committee for all of the time, effort, and energy they put into this event.
We would also like to thank Harry Race Pharmacy, Russell’s, Sea Mart, and Highliner Coffee for their generous donations to our student raffle.
This annual event is designed to offer up-to-date health information on topics that are relevant to teens and to expose students to a variety of health careers. We could not have done this without the support of our local businesses and health care community.
Thanks, again!
Kristen Homer,
SEARHC/MEHS
Student Health Center
St. Baldrick’s Event
Dear Editor: This year’s St. Baldrick’s event can only be summed up as, ‘‘WOW.’’ This is the eighth consecutive year for Sitka to help raise money for children’s cancer research. Our first year we easily fit into the Pour House, and this year we overflowed the Elks Lodge. When it comes to a sense of community and giving, I’m not sure many communities in the United States can match Sitka. What a spectacular place we live in.
This year’s event was so large that we had not anticipated the numbers of supporters who were going to show up. Our sound system couldn’t reach the back of the room tables actually got in the way, and picture-takers blocked the view of the shavees for the rest of the crowd. These were all pleasant problems to have, but issues that we will have solved for next year. Yes, there will be a next year, and we have high hopes that it will surpass this record-setting year.
In just over two hours four barbers shaved 77 heads – 21 kids, 27 men and 29 women. These folks brought in about $37,000 before the event even started. The counting hasn’t started yet, but a quick glance at the numbers show that we will surpass $45,000 towards this cause.
We have more people to thank for this even being such a success than we have time, but the biggest thanks need to go to the Elks Lodge and staff or all the hard work, the barbers for donating their time and clippers, the shavees who donated their hair, the donators to the shavees, and all the volunteers who helped this event happen.
Thank you, Sitka, for helping this event to be spectacular. It is not too late to donate if you would like. Just go to www.stbaldricks.org and search Sitka to find our event and lend your support. Thanks, again, to everyone who helped this worthy cause for children’s cancer research.
Craig Warren, Dave Vastola,
St. Baldrick’s Event, Sitka
