Generous Donation
Dear Editor: The Sitka Babies and Books Committee would like to publicly state our gratitude to the White Elephant Shop for donating funds to our non-profit organization. Sitka Babies and Books serves to encourage the children of Sitka to become lifelong readers by providing books, education, and support to children and their parents in the first three years of a child’s life. The generous donation from the White Elephant will be used to purchase board books for Sitka’s children, ages birth to three.
Once again, we would like to earnestly thank the White Elephant Shop for their continued support of our mission.
Sitka Babies and Books
Committee Members
Peratrovich Celebration
Dear Editor: The Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 1 and Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4, our hearts filled with gratitude, would like to acknowledge and thank all those who helped to make the Elizabeth Peratrovich Day celebration a day to remember, and a day to remind us of her spirit and passion for ‘‘fair and equal citizenship’’ for all people living in the Territory of Alaska.
In a key role, Alaska Native Sisterhood Grand President Elizabeth Peratrovich’s testimony before the Alaska Legislature is credited with the signing of the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945. All Alaskans are protected against racial discrimination by this Act, and the ANB and ANS, as civil rights organizations, will ever uphold her accomplishments, and carry her message forward to future generations.
We would like to thank: Chief Sheldon Schmitt of the Sitka Police Department for the parade assist; Pauline Duncan for sharing her educational materials with the Mt. Edgecumbe High School and Sitka School District students; MEHS Academic Principal Bernie Gurule for honoring and promoting Elizabeth Peratrovich Day at MEHS, allowing all students to participate in the festivities with an early release marked on the MEHS academic calendar every year; Director Heather Powell, Sitka Native Education Program, and Gaája Heen dance group coordinator, for bringing the children, and young adults to celebrate civil rights and Alaska Native heritage; Sitka High School teachers Howard Wayne, Alaska studies/American government, and Kersten Christianson, English 9 and 10, for sharing educational materials and promoting the event at Sitka High School; teacher Dionne Brady Howard, MEHS social studies, for her inspirational, dynamic keynote address; student essay winners Michael Unger, Ivy Cawthon, Mariyah Harrell and Braden Case for standing against racial discrimination and letting their voices be heard, and a special thanks to Sandy Poulson, co-editor of the Daily Sitka Sentinel, for collaborating in partnership on the essay event; Blossom Twitchell, MEHS cultural doodinator, for all of her communications organizing the event, and watching over the MEHS Native dance groups, and to the Yupi’ik, Athabaskan and Inupiaq dancers, your spirit and presence so completely enhanced and made this a statewide event; Emily Kwong and the Blatchley Middle School students who covered the event with interviews as part of Discovery Week; the commendable performance of the MEHS players in the Alaska Territorial Legislative re-enactment skit, Fredrick Coolidge, Anthony Lekanof, William Lekanof, Ruth Phillips, James Kelly, David Walcott, Korbin Storms, Albert Dundas, Tristen Bradley, Daniel Active, you were excellent; Dan Etulain and Karren Upcraft for recording and filming the day’s events; Raven Radio, KIFW and Daily Sitka Sentinel for all the great press.
The ANB/ANS would like to extend a hearty thanks to our donors: Silver Bay Seafoods for their generous annual contribution; Sitka Chapter of Tlingit and Haida, and Rachel Moreno, president, and vice chair of Sitka Tribe of Alaska for the candy for the parade; Carl and Marianne Peterson for the gift card at AC Lakeside, purchasing the popcorn, oil, hot chocolate and then some; and President Paulette Moreno, and Alaska Native Sisterhood, Camp 4, and ANB President Wilbur Brown for the venue.
The weather cooperated during the parade downtown to the ANB Founders Hall, almost balmy winds, the sky was smiling, and the sidewalks lined with spectators, we so appreciated you coming out to be such an important part of the procession. Many thanks to those who participated in the parade: Chad Titell, ANB sergeant at arms, for organizing the parade line up, and with Brian McDonald and Dennis ‘‘Scooby’’ Geiger, setting up, resetting up, and cleaning the ANB Founders Hall at day’s end, and Andrea Craig for lending a hand; George Bennett, veterans coordinator, and our honored veterans; the MEHS Athabaskan, Inupiaq and Yup’ik dancers; the SNEP students; Gaája Heen; General Manager Lawrence Spottedbird, Chris and John Paul, Sitka Tribe of Alaska representation; the Katlian Street Group for marching, and for their work improving the Sitka Indian Village; the Sitka Woman’s Club, and president Robin Shull for their presence; manager Sandra Koval, Swan Lake Senior Center, and driver Ralph Junker, for bringing the bus to the Hall to pick up elders to ride in the parade; and all of the ANS and ANB members.
Heartfelt appreciation to: John Gallagher, chief cook for the delicious sisterhood stew; Steve Warren for the 650 yummy fresh rolls (only 24 were left over!); the Unitarian Universalist Association, Sheri Mayo and Kerry MacLane, for the best-ever, abundant chowder donation; after the luncheon, both soups and rolls fed the afternoon crowd, as well; BMS teacher Alexander Allison, English, for the use of the popcorn machine; food and dessert donations from Jean Arnold, Pat Svetlak, Margaret Gross-Hope, Hannah Nelson, Steve and Amelia Gage, Phyllis Moore, Lawrence and Lonnie Spottedbird, Bertha Karras, Karen Lucas and Steve Warren for all the wonderful desserts; Pioneer Bar for the ice; Harriet Beleal, for the beautiful roses to adorn the entry and elders table; John and Sharyn Ferrick for their tireless volunteerism for the sound system, and movie set up; Director Robb Farmer, Kettleson Memorial Library, for promoting Elizabeth Peratrovich Day at the library; all those who participated in the program, especially master of ceremonies Gerry Hope, whose grace, humor and style make all welcome, and prayers Chuck Miller, Paul Chulik, ANB Chaplain, Bertha Karras and Jean Arnold, ANS life members; and to all of the volunteers and donors whose names we may have missed, who helped out behind the scenes.
Our own Alaska heroine, Elizabeth Peratrovich, whose strong, articulate intelligence and unwavering purpose to gain equal rights for all Alaskans, was honored, and feted with dignity, respect, pride and most of all, love, we thank you all. Gunal cheésh Ho Ho,
Gerry Hope,
Alaska Native Brotherhood, Camp 1
Karen Lucas,
Alaska Native Sisterhood, Camp 4
Elizabeth Peratrovich Day Chairs
