Bus Service
Dear Editor: We really appreciate Island Bus Company’s quality and flexible service.
Our first-grade daughter has gymnastics after school. We asked the school bus company to stop right in front of the gymnastic building, then our daughter doesn’t have to walk all the way from the main road to the building. We were worried about the traffic, miserable weather and the icy road. They considered our needs and changed the bus stop to the gymnastic building the very next day.
On the Elizabeth’s Peratrovich Day, we both forgot to pick up our daughter after the early release. The school bus company called up to make special arrangements and transported her to my work location.
We are thankful for the school bus company and its employees for being so helpful in taking care of our children under their care.
Summer and Michael Mayo, Sitka
Piano Moving
Dear Editor: Moving a 990-pound Steinway piano is no small feat, even in the most ideal conditions. When you need to navigate narrow passageways (such as the sanctuary of St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church), protect brand-new floor coverings (such as those in our beautifully remodeled Centennial Hall), and lift the piano four feet to place it on a stage, things can get tricky. Fortunately, the Sitka Summer Music Festival was able to surmount these challenges last week and return our Steinway D piano to its home on stage at Centennial Hall.
Chris at Reliable Movers is our go-to guy for piano moving these days – he skillfully led a handful of his crew plus volunteers Loyd Platson, Tad Fujioka, Ted Laufenberg, Andrew Hames, James Poulson, Ed Johnson, Dan Jones and Dirk White. Seafood Producers Co-op played a key role by lending us their forklift and Arnie Johnson to operate it, which was critical for raising the piano up onto the stage. Thanks also to J Bradley at the Performing Arts Center for digging out their Steinway D moving board. Huge thanks to Don Kluting and his staff at Centennial Hall for providing guidance and assistance upon our arrival, and for accommodating this wonderful instrument as a resident of Centennial Hall. And our most heartfelt gratitude to the community of St. Peter’s for adopting our piano for the last 18 months.
I hope you can join us to celebrate our first performance back in the remodeled Centennial Hall on March 4 – the phenomenal Piers Lane is returning to Sitka for a wonderful evening of music, food, and friends.
Kayla Boettcher, Executive Director
Sitka Summer Music Festival
Dr. Wein
Dear Editor: In last Friday’s paper on the back page, Sitka was informed that Dr. Richard Wein was asked to leave his post at Sitka Community Hospital. How can that be?
Several years back, Dr. Richard Wein, our local community surgeon, saved my life in an emergency surgery. I was literally on ‘‘death’s door,’’ with no time to spare and without a solid diagnosis, he ‘‘went in, found it, and fixed it.’’ Not only his incredible professional skills, brilliant mental acuity, his heart and humanity, listening ear, and easy-going demeanor, has endeared me to him for life. He saved my life, as I’m sure he has saved so many others’ here in Sitka, and outlying communities, that I am impelled speak up and call for a public outcry in support of reinstating our gifted, and beloved Dr. Richard Wein, who shares many life-saving, local relationships with the many lives he has touched over the more than 17 years he has lived here, and who, as well, has made Sitka his home. I implore Rob Allen, CEO, and the hospital board, to let this man get back to his job; he is much too good to ‘‘let go.’’
As an island community, and as my life is testimony, we need emergent care back in the hands of our local skilled surgeon; the other options might include death, or a medevac to Anchorage or Seattle. A new surgeon? There will be no other like him. I understand there are many ‘ins and outs’ in running a hospital, financial issues, ethics, legalities, liabilities, statutes, regulations, policies, politics, personalities; and that Sitka Community Hospital does provide, and have place for charitable, compassionate health care within the bureaucratic business model, and with creativity, humanity, and forward thinking, perhaps, ‘‘outside of the box,’’ Dr. Wein may resume care for all who come through his door.
I reiterate that I am calling for a public outcry in support of reinstating Dr. Wein to his former post at Sitka Community Hospital. Please let your voice be heard by calling the hospital at 747-3241, and direct your comments and concerns to Rob Allen, CEO, Sitka Community Hospital. Many thanks,
Karen Lucas, Sitka
Banff Festival
Dear Editor: Another amazing Banff festival in the books!
Once again, Sitka shined bright this past weekend by offering its community a fantastic night of inspirational films, awesome prizes, and a one-of-a-kind audience filled with our special community spirit. Friday night, we were honored to be one of hundreds of host sites (all around the globe) for the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. An array of passionate, motivating films played on the big screen at the Performing Arts Center, surrounding us with captivating images and immense sounds, igniting our personal, adventurous spirits.
With a sold-out event, it takes a large effort and many people to create a successful night like this. We want to thank the PAC for providing top-notch equipment (and staff) meeting the high standards that make the screenings possible. Thank you to all the amazing volunteers who ran the show, from our behind-the-scenes tech team to our front-of-house ushers; it would not have been possible without you!
Our Banff “Road Warrior” stayed at the Westmark Hotel which provided incredible, first-rate accommodations, enhancing her first-time visit to Sitka (thank you Joe!). It takes a supportive hand from all the businesses in town who advertised the event with posters and public announcements including KCAW and Sentinel who helped spread the word about the Festival through fantastic and motivational interviews. Old Harbor Books provided an incredible service selling tickets for the event (thank you, Ashia and staff!). Thank you to our wonderful local sponsors, Russell’s, Yellow Jersey Bike Shop, and Work and Rugged who donated generous prizes for the crowd.
Finally, we would like to thank the whole community who took part in making this event known and possible as well as all those who attended and saw the amazing show. Proceeds from the festival go to a variety of non-profits that will motivate and inspire folks to actively meet their fitness and wellness goals through the Hames Wellness Fund, stretching themselves through personal and group exercise, sports, and challenging elements such as the climbing wall and slackline.
Thanks to all who came and joined in that night! You made it a great success and together we will be able to keep the Banff Film Fest coming and goodness happening throughout Sitka!
We already look forward to next year.
Banff Film Fest/Sitka Committee:
Dawn Johnson, Tatum Sornborger, Krisanne Rice, Kari Sagel,
Dan Gunn, Gary Hayes, Jeff Budd
