Emergency Crews
Dear Editor: Too often these days the idealistic term ‘‘hero’’ finds itself in our journalism and I become skeptical upon reading and viewing newscast how loosely the word is used. However, we here in this small town are chock-full of the Real McCoy Heroes. Our EMTs I be talking about. These men and women drop what they are doing and answer the call, no matter the time or the danger to voluntarily assist when the alarm goes out.
A few weeks back, my brother Frank Cowan, while visiting Sitka with his wife Teresa, collapsed in the Thomsen Harbor parking lot. 911 was summoned and within minutes our dedicated team of Heros rendezvoused from their homes on a peaceful Sunday evening and struggled to save a perfect stranger’s life.
On scene CPR was administered and then he was whisked away to Sitka Community Hospital. I counted 12 people in that emergency room, everyone doing everything to save his life. Did I forget to mention this went on for hours and not a single remark to the effect uttered what they could be doing with their families back home, rather 1,000 percent concern for the recovery for this total stranger.
These are HEROS, our EMT’s, our Search and Rescue, our firefighters. The men and women in Sitka casting aside their personal lives to save others. I salute you all.
Mitch Cowan, Sitka
Salmon, Popcorn, Films
Dear Editor: Dining at the delicious Larkspur with a special salmon menu and free seaweed salt popcorn, the Sitka Conservation Society will be showing two short films at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 1 as a part of the Sitka Seafood Festival: one on a salmon stream restoration project that happened on False Island and the other on a young growth bike shelter that got built at our very own Sitka High School this year. This very bike shelter will be placed by the Sitka Sound Science Center very soon!
These films will spark conversation about ongoing work to manage the Tongass in a way that benefits the salmon, forest, and the people that work and depend on it. The community, friends of SCS, Sitka Seafood Festival attendees, visitors, and anyone that wears Xtratufs and works with wood are asked to attend.
Contact SCS at 747 7509 or ray@sitkawild.org with more questions.
Ray Friedlander,
Tongass Forest
Community Organizer,
Sitka Conservation Society
Lost iPhone
Dear Editor: I lost my iPhone 4 in green and gray case July 23 during my paper route. Lost somewhere on Osprey, New Archangel, O’Cain, Marine, Erler, Tlingit Way, DeArmond or Andrews area.
Cover image can be identified. Phone is locked. Please help! Small reward offered. Please call 738-2447 or 738-4940.
Albert Dundas, Sitka
Thanks to STA
Dear Editor: I would like to publicly recognize Sitka Tribe of Alaska for making it possible for the Swan Lake Senior Center to offer hot, nutritious meals five days a week and door-to-door transportation seven days a week. The nutrition, transportation and other services and activities available through the senior center help older Alaskans stay healthy and safe in their home of choice for as long as possible.
The Swan Lake Senior Center is one of 12 senior centers in the Southeast region operated by Southeast Senior Services or SESS, a division of Catholic Community Service which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. Funding comes from a combination of local, state, and federal grants and contracts.
The nutrition and transportation program for Sitka’s elders began in 1974 and was primarily funded by a grant from the State of Alaska for its first 20 years. In 1993, the State of Alaska reduced the Southeast grant for senior centers due to a population-based funding formula. In response, SESS developed partnerships with local tribes, such as Sitka Tribe of Alaska, to make up for the cut and prevent cuts in services and staff hours. Because of the Title VI grant partnership in Sitka, elders today are able to enjoy hot, nutritious meals five days a week at the senior center or through home-delivered meals if they are unable to come to the center for lunch.
In 2003, U.S. Congress made available new grants to tribes to serve family members of elders to help them continue to care for elders at home. At that time, the Tribe asked that the money be used to offer evening and weekend transportation. Since that time, the senior center has been able to offer transportation for elders seven days a week.
Last year, the Swan Lake Senior Center was able to provide 15,527 meals and 14,576 rides to older adults in Sitka.
Because of their long-standing support, I wanted to publicly recognize STA as we celebrate 40 years of service for Sitka’s elders.
Lauren Silva,
Swan Lake Senior Center Manager,
Southeast Senior Services
