Quilt Winners
Dear Editor: The Friends of Kettleson Memorial Library would like to thank everyone who bought tickets in our Quilt Raffle. The drawing took place on Nov. 28 at the library.
The incredible ‘‘Library Bookshelf Quilt’’ was won by Pat Irvin, and Lisa Killinger was awarded the ‘‘Butterfly Garden Quilt.’’ The quilts were created and donated to the Friends by Joanna Perensovich, Gerry VonRekowski and the Ocean Wave Quilters.
Our new library is nearing completion. The money from this effort will be used to make it function well for our community. Thank you.
Jan Love, Friends of
Kettleson Memorial Library
Name Change
Dear Editor: Recently, someone proposed the name of Baranof Elementary should be changed. As a Native Alaskan I’m generally for this idea, but I could understand how some people felt there were more pressing issues for our local school system.
I wasn’t surprised when the school board president announced the name change wasn’t happening. I was surprised when he said: “I don’t see how this could benefit our students . . .” This stood out as particularly . . . racist. We all have some racism, and it doesn’t make us bad people, but it’s probably good to know when we’re displaying or acting on it. I can promise you our children can only benefit from learning we no longer honor those who bully, abuse, or exploit others based on their color, language, or culture. It’s a message we need to teach now as much as ever.
I’m not saying we have to change the name. I’m just saying I have no doubt students would benefit from knowing we honor those who teach tolerance, and we do our best to forgive and forget those who did the opposite.
William The Giant, Sitka
Thanksgiving Dinner
Dear Editor: Before the memory fades, and Christmas comes rushing in, about a week ago, we just had the nicest community Thanksgiving dinner at the ANB Founders Hall, which was hosted by the Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 1 and Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4, on Thanksgiving Day. The generosity of so many donors, contributors, and volunteers was overwhelming, made the dinner, and overflows to the community Christmas dinner to come on Dec. 25; news on that to follow! This outpouring of community togetherness, love and caring, was welcome warmth in these darkest days of winter, for this, we are most grateful.
The brothers of ANB Camp 1 and sisters of ANS Camp 4 sincerely thank all the people, businesses, and organizations, and all those who turned out on Thanksgiving Day, who served and were served, including donors: Shee Atiká Inc. Dr. Kenneth Cameron, SEARHC Community Health Services Martha Pearson, Baranof Island Housing Authority Dave Goad, Sealaska Corporation Anthony Mallott, Sitka Tlingit and Haida Community Council Rachel Moreno, First National Bank Alaska, Sitka Elks Lodge 1662, White Elephant Shop Anita Bergey, Devin Stanley of AC Lakeside, Roger Hames of Sea Mart Quality Foods, ALPS Federal Credit Union, Sitka Woman’s Club, Dave and Debra Lyons, Foreign Automotive LLC. Gary Perensovich, White’s Pharmacy Trish and Dirk, Frank and Ruth Roth, Sue Thorsen, Lakrisha Brady in memory of Isabella Brady, Marilyn Licari, Sitka Food Co-op Keith Nyitray, Equal Exchange Coop–Portland, Sitka Woman’s Club, Pauline Fredrickson, Easter Group Ted Laufenberg, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Gary May, Pioneer Bar, Alaska State Employee Association–City of Sitka, Karen Gussendorf, Harold Kitka, anonymous donor of dessert plates, Sheri Mayo, Christine and Charles Horan, Alyse Cadez and Robert Schmidt, Sitka True Value, Spike and Jean Arnold, Alaska Native Sisterhood, Kim Kirkness, Liza Ainsworth, Michael Scarcelli Family, Karen Lucas, Kirk Albrecht, Conley Ward, Linda Blankenship, Allen Marine Tours Inc. Dave Allen and Jamey Cagel and for the borrowed stock pots and chafers, and other anonymous donors of cash and turkeys with thanks to Joy Wood and Debra Lyons for teaming up to seek donations. Gunalchéesh!
And contributors: Highliner Coffee Perry Broschat for grinding the 25 pounds of donated fair trade organic coffee, Homeport Eatery Teal West for the coffee maker, Sea Mart butchers Pat Dodson and Ted Kubacki for thawing the turkeys in the walk-in, ASEA Dan Berlad and Reber Stein for capturing the moment, Mary Magnuson for butter and salad dressings, Pacific High School Neil Christy for food for the volunteers, Sitka Food Coop donation of mushrooms, flour, potatoes and a box of food service gloves, John Ferrick for the decorative fall panels on the balcony walls, Grace Harbor Pastor Paul McArthur for the free much-needed couple dozen chairs and Howard Pendell with his truck to haul them, the Salvation Army and Sitka First Presbyterian food pantries for cranberries, garlic and stuffing, Baranof Island Brewing Rich and Suzan Armstrong and Susan Suarez for the root beers, Kathy Kyle for the assist when the van broke down loaded with food on the way to the hall, the Unitarians for the use of more chairs, Jay Stelzenmueller for getting in the way (I joke, he really did help), Vern Culp for unloading boxes of food, Westmark for use of the kitchen to cook the spuds, and Willie at Northern Sales for the take-out containers.
And turkey roasters: Phyllis Mulligan, Tess Heyburn, Linda Danner, Beth Skeele, Hannah Nelson who can remember the dinners in the 1960s, ANB President Wilbur Brown, Vicki Schatzel, Gary May, Rev. Sandra Hammett, Wendy Longtin and Vicki Keele.
And Elvia Torres’ connection to the bakers of the 4H/Blatchley Cooking Club led by Amy Sweeney: Katie Sweeney, Maxine Hutton, Ashley Coonradt, Marty Brown, Tyla Gleason, Jaden Hall, Steven Ricketts, and Ryan Bartlett, who whipped out 32 pumpkin pies; and Steve Warren for 600 freshly baked sesame dinner rolls. Gunalchéesh!
And set up: Committee Chair Thomas Bell, Amy Sutton, Andrea Craig, Russel Ruuti, Adam Geiger and Marie Lawson who set up and arranged the tables and chairs.
And decorations: Grateful appreciation to Marilyn Licari for her zest, from the beginning to the end, organizing, decorating, serving desserts, donating with helpers Debra Lyons, Sandra Hammett, and Jean Frank and others who wrapped silverware, and loaded up the tables with apples oranges and candies.
And kitchen sanitizers: Marcia Strand, Marie Lawson, and ANS President Paulette Moreno, and State DEC Environmental Health Officer Greg Johnstone for his stamp of approval.
And food prep: Anita Van Dyck, Natalie Howard, Chip Korngiebel, Sandra Hammett, Amy Sutton, Adam Geiger, Marie Lawson, with special thanks to Arthur Bentley who spent two full days (and nights?) a galley slave, Karen Lucas apple crisp, Colin Herforth the colorful salads, and Mike Miller for making sure the cooking crew had enough coffee and the creamer donation.
A very special thank you to Loyd Platson and Rev. Julie Platson for their
donation to the ANS kitchen of brand new kitchen items: a Bunn coffee maker, chafing dishes, crock pots, knives, food warmers and three beverage dispensers, all items lacking in the ANS kitchen, and given just as the need arose, and for tirelessly attending meetings, communicating on behalf of the holiday dinners, for the banner recognizing donors hung in the hall, and for serving. Gunalchéesh!
And greeters: Karoline Vargas, Romy Bekeris, Marie Lawson, Josephine Johnson, Lisa Killinger and Keith Nyitray who spontaneously facilitated the army of volunteers.
And servers: Alex Vargas, Kathy Hillburn, Bernadette Rasmussen, Nancy Jo Bleier, Janine Jorgensen, Steve Hartford, Lois Verbaan, Darren Heath, Lois Denherder, Michael Scarcelli, Alejandro Hernandez, Edgar Ramos, Janie Thomas, Sitka High School National Honor Society members Misha Bekeris, Kariel Galbraith and Lea Ramil, Kaatyé, Debbie LeVeck, Margie Lim-Morison, barista Shira Kahan, and Emmitt Williams who kept the coffee brewing and pots filled, Paola Montes, Donna and Andrew Callistini, Rosemary Thomas, Clara Williams, Lacey Pennington, Stephanie and Lisa Gilardi, Amy Sutton, Shanthee Acker, Joshua Houston, Vicki Schatzel, Rose Demmert, with a very special thanks to Jeannie Boyle, and Michael Perrino, USCG Cutter Maple, who both served and stayed until the last pot was washed and the sinks were clean.
And drivers: Cabbie Matt Salinas, Kori Lindstrom for standing by, Michelle Putz, and Ryan, Angie and Woods Hill for delivering 130 dinners to those who called in with special thanks to Angie for taking the calls and being the dispatch keeping the dinners rolling out the ANS kitchen door.
And Native foods, desserts and other food donations: Marie Guthrie, Bryan L. Johnson, Harold Kitka, Vicki Keele, the George House family, Joy and Hali Wood, Carl See, Steve Warren fry bread, Patricia Welsh pie, Marie Young salmonberry crisp, Kate Norgon pumpkin cheesecake, Nancy Bunt pecan maple pumpkin pie and eggnog pound cake, Jamie Ackley, Bernadette Rasmussen, and Mick and Marie Diamond. Gunalchéesh!
And the program: Paul Chulik, ANB Chaplain, Scripture Reading and Opening Prayer; Andrew Roberts ANB Vice President and Paulette Moreno ANS President for their words of welcome and thanks; and Paulette for the closing prayer; and piano players Rev. Julie Platson and Lydia May, whose heavenly music filled the hall, and singers Jean Arnold, Debra Lyons, Steve Hartford, and Karen Lucas who led ‘‘Let All Things Now Living, a song of thanksgiving...’’ and the ‘‘Doxology’’ for all to sing.
And the last shall be first, Chef Gary May and Chef John Gallagher were the heartbeat of the a traditional, very tasty Thanksgiving dinner which included 16 roasted deboned turkeys, 16 hams with pineapple glaze, 200 pounds of creamy mashed potatoes, 75 pounds of yams sweet and savory, 50 pounds of carrots, 50 pounds of onions, 50 pounds of green beans, 30 pounds of vegetable variety, 30 gallons of gravy, 70 pounds of stuffing with zero leftover. This would not have happened without you two, yes, many hands did make light work, but without Gary and John taking the wheel, and steering the course, we might have foundered. That was a lot of food, for a lot of Sitkans. An estimated 380 to 400 people were fed on Thanksgiving Day, thanks to the many who made it all possible. On behalf of the ANB and ANS, we were pleased and happy to host such a joyous occasion, to edify and build up our community, and we are humbled by the rallying of supporters, diners and volunteers. Gunalchéesh!
Thanks to Dan Eutalin of KSCT-TV for once again documenting our community events, a diligent recorder of our rich history, and to you dear Editors Thad and Sandy Poulson for the PSAs, and publishing this rather lengthy letter. There really was no way to shorten it, that I could see. There was such abundance of all good things.
With grateful appreciation,
Karen Lucas,
Alaska Native Sisterhood
Holiday Dinners Committee Chair
Kerry MacLane,
Alaska Native Brotherhood
Holiday Dinners Committee Chair
