Fireworks
Dear Editor: On behalf of the City and Borough of Sitka, I would like to thank Petro Marine Services for once again sponsoring a spectacular July 4 fireworks performance. This is an incredibly generous tradition of Petro Marine Services that is deeply appreciated by our community.
Mark Gorman,
Municipal Administrator,
City and Borough of Sitka
Duck Race Winners
Dear Editor: The Rotary Club of Sitka is excited to announce the winners of this year’s sold out annual duck race!
The winners are: first duck over the finish line, Brendan Jones; second duck, Judy Ross; and third duck, John Bean. Fourth- through ninth-place winners were ‘‘wild ducks’’ and randomly chosen. They are: fourth, Tom Clarke; fifth, Kristy Crews; sixth, Joe Huff; seventh, Shannon Casey; eighth, Mary Todd Andersen; and ninth, Addie and Lucy Poulson. Winner of the Red Lantern – the last duck over the finish line – was Sheila Finkenbinder.
The Rotary Club of Sitka and our Sitka Duck Race had a very successful year due in large part to our community supporters. Thank you, all! We would like to express our gratitude to Alaska Airlines for their generous, continuing donation of two round-trip tickets anywhere they fly, to Sea Mart Quality Foods – this year’s prize sponsor, and First Bank – this year’s ticket sponsor.
Thanks, also, to: Dan Etulain for coordinating our local television promotion, KIFW-FM for their on-air support, the Daily Sitka Sentinel for PSA support, and the Orbison, Steffes and Gibson families for their racing duck management skills.
And, most importantly, thank all of you in Sitka and beyond, who through your purchase of Sitka Duck tickets, continue to allow the Rotary Club of Sitka, now celebrating its 75th anniversary, to continue to fund local projects which help make Sitka the most wonderful place in the world to live. See you next year.
Kari Lundgren, John Weitkamp, Co-Chairs,
Sitka Duck Race Committee
Rotary Club of Sitka
Sesquicentennial
Dear Editor: The Sesquicentennial, or the 150th anniversary of the transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States, is on the way. Coming soon! March through October of 2017, to Sitka and other Alaska environs.
The Sitka Historical Society is delighted by the early support and recognition of “It’s Coming” by the Sitka Bazaar and Old Sitka Dock who will hang two historical photos of Sitka scenes at the Old Sitka Dock to welcome passengers and inform them of next year’s events. Thank you to the both.
Jeff Budd, Sitka
1950s Reunion
Dear Editor: Tis the Day after the Sitka High Reunion for the 1950s, A reception, a cruise, a feast at the Elks, a picnic at the Pioneer Park, visits in homes, and we watched the parade – with four huge fire engines!
We Vintage Folks have a rich cache of memories among us: decades of experiences. Family, work, military, travel, ailments, tragedies. Now, seasoned by age, we reflect on our good luck of being raised in Sitka and to have kept connected over the years partly through the outstanding, kind, sharing of energy and organization by classmates who rallied for many reunions, each one providing time to reflect.
We were a diverse, interesting group of lively students back in the 1950s. Not so lively anymore, but still interesting, diverse and connected.
When the marshals of the 2016 parade went by – the Sitka High School boys’ basketball team – I wished them well. And I hope they have the privilege of being in Sitka when they are vintage with their own cache of valued memories and connections.
Our reunion group included Willis Osbakken and Sam Martin, who were on the territory of Alaska’s winning basketball team in 1954. And, Marilyn Latta Anderson, a cheerleader. She still is our cheerleader, 60 years later.
Thank you, reunion organizers over the years. And thank you, Sitka School District, and the decades of boards, teachers, staff, parents, support facilities, including many Assemblies. Despite utterly impossible, fluctuating educational policies, students still learn and connect.
Hmm. Four magnificent fire engines – and a library closed on Sundays? Sitka continues to surprise. Taxes?
Cheers for Sitka High School!
Nancy Yaw Davis, Ph.D., Sitka
