Blessings
Dear Editor: We would like to give a huge thank you to Alaska Marine Lines. They donated the shipping cost of our Costco order in support of the Blessings in a Backpack program. We purchase food from Costco in Juneau once a year and this donation allows us to direct 100% of all donations to purchasing food for Sitka students.
We also purchase food from Sea Mart, who watches the sales for us and has been a wonderful local partner.
This year, the program feeds 105 students from Baranof, Keet and Blatchley. These students are identified by school staff as in need of some food over the weekend. Many studies show that a student will show up on Monday with a little more enthusiasm and a little more focus if they have eaten healthy food over the weekend.
If you would like to donate to this program, please call 738-0580. This is a non-profit National organization and is tax deductible. You can also donate to other programs throughout the nation by going to blessingsinabackpack.org and selecting the community of your choice.
If you know a Sitka student in need of this program, please contact the principal or counselor at the school where they attend. Thank you so much.
the Falvey family, Sitka
Response
Dear Editor: Last Friday early evening, Mom and I were in a packed but very quiet room listening to John Straley and Nancy Ricketts at Sitka Public Library when my cell phone went nuts in my pocket. I discovered emergency crews had responded to a summons to Mom’s house.
My sister Tori was also called and told the responders Mom was fine and at the library so the team disbanded. (Lifeline lost no time in replacing Mom’s unit, which had malfunctioned.)
We know the numbers of emergency calls costs a lot in resources from our city, personal time from our friends and neighbors and so much more. To the Fire Department, the Police Department to the engineer and volunteers of our Emergency Response Team – our friends Craig, Mayor Matt, Sierra, Howie and Denise – THANK YOU! We have so many reasons to be grateful and thankful for our island home. God Bless You.
Trish White, Sitka
