Climate Connection:
Connecting to the issues, the solutions and each other – a collaborative effort by Sitkans concerned about climate change.
While Alaska Airlines has been ranked by the International Council on Clean Transportation as the most fuel-efficient carrier in the United States for 7 years in a row (it burns 12-13% less fuel and emits 12-13% less CO2 than the average US carrier), jet travel causes nearly one-fifth (18%) of Alaska’s greenhouse gas emissions. A one-way ticket to Seattle generates roughly nine 50-pound suitcases of CO2 per passenger? YIKES!
Can we all consider flying less? Even one trip less per year could keep a tremendous amount of carbon out of the atmosphere. But what about when Sitkans need to travel south for medical services or to connect with family and friends? Is there any way to offset the production locally?
Yes! Consider making a donation to the Sitka Carbon Offset fund, which debuted in 2018 as part of a Sitka Health Summit priority, each time you fly. This is really quite amazing for a community of our size. The suggested donation is $5 per round trip to a west coast destination; $12 for Mexico or Hawaii. The resources generated help businesses and households convert to heat pumps as well as fund other activities that draw down carbon. There are other suggested amounts for auto and marine travel as well as home heating and an annual per capita amount. All the money stays in Sitka and helps Sitka reduce its carbon footprint.
To offset your next trip or find out more, go to https://www.sitkacarbonoffset.com/
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Lisa Sadleir-Hart is a member of the Sitka Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
Tony Guevin
Dies at Age 69
Tony Guevin, a Sitka resident since 2005, passed away peacefully Thursday night at Sitka Community Hospital, surrounded by family. He was 69.
The family expresses its gratitude to the medical staff and caregivers, and home health department, for the wonderful care Tony received at Sitka Community Hospital. No services are planned.
Life Celebration
For Mark Short
A gathering in celebration of the life of Mark Short, 63, will be 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15, at the Sitka Elks Lodge.
Short died early Feb. 2 in Sealing Cove Harbor.
Celebration of Life
For Gussie Aloysius
A celebration of life for Gussie Aloysius will be 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 18, at the American Legion Hall in Sitka.
Friends and family are welcome to join and share stories if they wish. It will be a potluck lunch, so attendees can take their favorite dish, salad or dessert to share.
A full obituary will follow later in the Sentinel.
Logo Contest for
Sitka Cloud Set
Entries for a Sitka Cloud logo contest are now being accepted.
‘‘Creating a fun, accepting, healthy, and safe place for teens’’ was selected to be a top community goal at the 2018 Sitka Health Summit Planning Day. Teens are being encouraged to incorporate the theme as well as empowerment, community, comfort and clouds.
Local artists between the ages of 14 and 19 are invited to submit entries on Instagram with the #sitka’scloud or on Facebook by posting on the Sitka’s Cloud page.
First prize is $100, second place is $50, and third prize is $25. The deadline is March 15.
School Board Sets
Budget Hearing
The Sitka School Board will hold a budget hearing with school district staff 3:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, at the Keet Gooshi Heen multipurpose room.
Sauces, Dressings
Recipes Shared
SEARHC Health Educators Holly Marban and Heleena van Veen will teach students how to liven up their meals with sauces and dressings during a Celebrate Food demonstration at the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen.
The free food demonstration will be 5:30-6:30 p.m. March 12 at the Sitka Kitch, on the lower level of Sitka Lutheran Church.
Students will learn how to make fresh basil pumpkin seed pesto, lemon tahini dressing, roasted red pepper romesco sauce, and a Thai almond butter sauce. All sauces will be served with small tasting portions. The free event is open to the public and is in celebration of National Nutrition Month.
The free food demonstration does not require registration; however, pre-registering at https://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com/events/celebrate-food-demonstration-easy-plant-based-sauces-and-dressings-to-liven-up-your-meals/ does give organizers an idea of how many people plan to attend.
Indian Cooking
Class at Kitch
Students can learn how to make chicken curry at the Sitka Kitch class, ‘‘Indian Cooking with Dr. Supriya Mathur,’’ 6-8:30 p.m. Friday, March 22, at the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen, downstairs at the Sitka Lutheran Church. The class is part of the Cooking Around the World series and is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch.
Mathur, who grew up in India, works at SEARHC in Sitka as an ear, nose and throat specialist. She received her doctorate from Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi, India.
“Coming to the United States caused my food world to expand and grow at an explosive pace; however, after living here for 20 plus years and having kids, my go-to food is Indian,’’ Mathur said. ‘‘I am now more aware of all the health benefits of the different Indian spices that are used and my background as a physician and a mother makes me strive to find healthy, flavorful meals that are not very labor intensive. I grew up on lentils and rice but chicken curry or goat curry was always a treat in my house.”
The menu will include chicken curry – a staple of many Indian households.
The registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 19. The class costs $40, which includes the food/supply fee. Register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal at the EventSmart page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com (click on class title). For those wanting to pre-pay with cash or check, call Claire Sanchez or Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society 747-7509 to arrange a payment.
For information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440.
Mediterranean
Diet Discussed
March is National Nutrition Month, and SEARHC dietitian Katie Carroll will teach ‘‘Cooking the Mediterranean Diet’’ 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, at the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen on the lower level of Sitka Lutheran Church.
The class is a fundraiser for the Sitka Kitch.
Carroll grew up in Nashville, Tenn., and lived there until she moved to Knoxville to complete her undergraduate degree at the University of Tennessee with a bachelor of science in nutrition. She then worked for two years for East Tennessee (Women, Infant, Children) as a nutrition educator and certified lactation counselor. She completed her dietetic internship through Priority Nutrition Care, Boston, Mass., where she focused on clinical dietetics and after completion became a registered dietitian.
“I believe in a lifestyle approach to health where no one size fits all,” she said. “Outside of work I enjoy hiking, dancing, reading and cooking.”
The registration deadline for the Mediterranean diet cooking class is 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 23. It costs $40, which includes the class fee. Register and pre-pay using credit/debit cards or PayPal on the EventSmart page, http://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com. To pre-pay with cash or check, call Claire Sanchez or Clarice Johnson at Sitka Conservation Society, 747-7509. For more information about the class, contact Jasmine Shaw at 747-9440.
Bears Topic of
UAS Seminar
The next Natural History seminar will feature retired Fish and Game biologist Phil Mooney presenting “A Year in the Life of a Bear’’ 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in Room 229 at UAS-Sitka Campus.
The annual cycle of brown bears differs depending on the age, sex and status. In his presentation, Mooney will describe how the annual behavior and ecology looks for first year cubs, how that changes for a juvenile sub-adult no longer hanging out with his or her mother, an adult female of breeding age, and a mature adult male with a defined home range.
The Natural History seminar series is supported by a grant from the Sitka Alaska Permanent Charitable Trust to the Sitka Sound Science Center and by UAS and the National Park Service.
Those with questions can contact Kitty LaBounty at 747-9432 or kllabounty@alaska.edu.
Indian Cooking
Class Scheduled
The Sitka Kitch’s Cooking Around the World series class, ‘‘Indian Cooking With Mohan Raj Arul,’’ has been rescheduled for 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen on the lower level of Sitka Lutheran Church.
The class originally was scheduled for January, but was postponed due to a death in Mohan’s family.
Five open slots remain in the rescheduled class. Registration cost is $40, and registration information is at https://sitkakitch.eventsmart.com/events/cooking-around-the-world-indian-cooking-with-mohan-raj-arul/. The registration deadline is late Saturday night, Feb. 16.
School Board
Survey Online
Sitka School Board is seeking input from students, families, staff and community members as it considers budget decisions for the next school year.
The budget survey is available to fill out to help the district understand what priorities are important.
Go to http://bit.ly/SSD_FY20_Budget or the link from the school district website at www.sitkaschools.org. The survey closes March 5.
Tribal Council Meets
Sitka Tribe of Alaska’s Tribal Council will meet 6:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi.
Conservation Society
Annual Meeting Set
Sitka Conservation Society will hold its annual meeting 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Mean Queen.
‘‘We will come together for the Tongass and enjoy pizza, desserts and community,’’ organizers said.
Door prizes and opportunities to take action are planned.
The public is invited to ‘‘celebrate the advocacy that community members participated in during 2018, and learn what you can do to help protect our way of life in the year ahead,’’ organizers said.
Call 747-7509 for information.
Help Sought for
Maritime Exhibit
Sitka Maritime Heritage Society is seeking public participation in designing a new exhibit for the Japonski Island Boathouse east wing.
The society and museum intern Andrew Gianotti are working to have a no-frills exhibit open for the summer season that will be interesting to locals, informative for visitors, accurate, and relevant, the society said.
Submit ideas for themes or content or for specific displays, take the survey or send a comment on the Sitka Maritime Heritage Society Exhibit page at www.sitkamaritime.org/new-exhibit before the annual meeting on March 6.
For information, contact sitkamaritime@gmail.com or call 738-7448.
Arctic Sailors
Pub Talk Slated
All are invited to join the Sitka Maritime Heritage Society 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at the Baranof Island Brewery to find out what it’s like to sail far into the Arctic for science, discovery and public advocacy.
Sailors Erik de Jong and Krystina Scheller will share their experiences aboard their sailing vessel Bagheera as they venture north with scientists, researchers, photographers and outdoor enthusiasts.
For information, call 738-7448, or go to www.sitkamaritime.org.
