Holiday Dinners
Dear Editor: The holidays are upon us, and everyone is busy going here and there making their list and checking it twice. Yes, we are all very busy with plans to make this Christmas a special one for our friends and family.
I apologize for the fact that I am just now writing this thank you letter to you, Sitka, for the grand turnout among volunteers and local Sitkans who enjoyed or worked at the Community Thanksgiving Dinner.
Every year, I am amazed and awed at the generosity of spirit that is found in this beautiful and amazing place we get to call home. We had over 20 volunteers who worked with our phenominal Executive Chef Gary May in the kitchen days and days before the dinner, prepping in advance so the holiday dinner would be a fun, happy, joy filled event. Altogether, we had over 30 volunteers who helped decorate the hall, served at the dinner, did kitchen prep or did clean up. We even had a very special couple, Lanelle and Tom Bacon, who did one thing all day, garbage control.
For an event of this magnitude, volunteers are the absolute key to success. To all those special people, please accept our humble gratitude for your service to our community from the Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 1 and the Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4. We have been sponsoring this dinner for more than forty years because of you.
I would also like to mention something of importance to our Community Christmas Dinner coming up soon. Our next planning meeting will be Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. at the ANB Founders Hall at 235 Katlian Drive. Yes, it is time to do it all over again! Fundraising efforts have not brought forth the bounty of donations we received last year. We have about $2,400 in our holiday dinner’s account and it takes from $3,500-$4,500 for the Christmas dinner as more people attend this event. We also have a Santa and Mrs. Claus who deliver toys to all the children in attendance on Christmas Day. I have no doubt that we will raise the amount needed to successfully organize this event that will feed over 400 people, plus the shut-ins, the fire department, police department and rescue squad.
I realize that this time of year we are bombarded by requests for donations from the many worthy causes and organizations here in Sitka. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank you all for your support, encouragement, volunteer service and the philanthropic heart that makes up this incredible community.
Christmas wishes and blessings to you all,
Debe K. Brincefield,
Holiday Dinners chairperson,
Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4
Kerry Maclane,
Holiday Dinners co-chairperson,
Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 1
Transformer
Dear Editor: On Tuesday morning Sitka High School experienced a transformer malfunction that necessitated an early release for students due to smoke combined with a reduction in electricity and heat.
The situation could have been much worse if not for the quick actions of many, and the Sitka School District would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude for the individuals involved in this situation. Thank you to the City of Sitka’s electrical department and specifically Bryan Bertacchi, Jeff Wheeler, and their staff for their immediate response that resolved the transformer issue so that only one day of school was missed, which meant they had a transformer on standby and made this a top priority.
Thank you to Trudy Prewitt of Prewitt Enterprises who heard of the smoke situation at Sitka High School and asked the bus drivers to stand by in case buses were needed to transport Sitka High School students safely home, which they were.
Additionally, the smoke was first identified by Sitka High School Principal Lyle Sparrowgrove who alerted Assistant Principal Sondra Lundvick and Maintenance Director Mark Bautista.
Thank you for your combined efforts that helped to make sure that the smoke did not become more of a serious issue. Special note of appreciation to Sitka High School staff for their flexibility and commitment to students. We are lucky to live in Sitka where student safety is a top priority for everyone in the community.
Mary Wegner, Superintendent,
Sitka School District
