Nonprofit Funding
Dear Editor: I was gobsmacked to learn that once again the city is planning to take money away from the local nonprofits.
The same nonprofits that save the city a ton of money by providing services to families, adults, children, and those with a variety of disabilities. Additionally they help the quality of life: recreation, arts, science, etc. that will bring businesses to Sitka and keep their talents here. The city budget is $20 million, $100,000 of that has gone towards the nonprofits is .005 percent.
These nonprofits, in order to get state and federal funding, must be able to show a contribution from the city, otherwise no deal. Now for the irony. The city now plans to tax the nonprofits for their ticket sales. What money do they think they will get if there are no non profits? Who will pick up the slack in these necessary services and at what cost?
Jeff Budd, Sitka
NPFMC Reception
To Editor: The Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association would like to thank everyone who made the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s reception on Thursday, June 4, possible. The event was a huge success for everyone involved.
ALFA offers special thanks to all of the generous sponsors: Alaska Airlines, Alaska Trollers Association, Alaskans Own Seafood, Baranof Island Brewing Company, Halibut Coalition, Phil Wyman F/V Archangel, North Pacific Fishery Management Council, Seafood Producers Cooperative, Silver Bay Seafoods, Sitka Salmon Shares, Sitka Seafood Festival, Sitka Sound Science Center, Sitka Sound Seafoods, Southeast Alaska Fishermen’s Alliance, and Stephen Rhoads F/V Magia. This event would not have been possible without your support.
A huge thank you to Collette Nelson and her Ludvig’s Bistro staff for an outstanding job catering the event and her overall generosity to this community. And to Ashia Lane for being the organizing diva, Megan Pasternak for always coming through, the Marsh Skeele-Terry Perensovich team for grilling up black cod collars and everyone else who came through in ways great and small, too numerous to name.
Again, thank you for representing the Sitka that we love, a community that cares about people and fish and one that can throw one heck of a good party.
Linda Behnken, Executive Director
Alaska Longline
Fishermen’s Association
Education
Dear Editor: I wonder do we really know what our children are learning? Do we really realize how involved our community is in our children’s education? Folks in Sitka offer gifts of time, expertise, resources, and love.
This year started off with a bang when scientists (Marnie Chapman and a room full of Sitka Sound Science Center – WhaleFest Scientists in the Schools) start weaving their magic in the classroom in what I call the marine ecology explorations that get us ready to study sea mammals. Marnie is a master at creating hands-on activities and has students doing an analysis of settlement plates from the harbors looking for invasive tunicates. This is the THIRD year she has done this with all of our sixth-graders!
Then Allen Marine jumps in next. While students are researching, writing papers and preparing a digital poster on Alaska sea mammals they get the opportunity to go out into the feeding grounds of the North Pacific Humpback Whale and collect data in an Allen Marine jet boat. On the way there we pass through a maze of sea birds, many of which have just made their way down from the frozen lakes and are feasting on our marine invertebrates.
So in addition to collecting sea mammal data, the students get to document the diversity and density of sea birds with the help of Ryan Carpenter from Sitka National Historical Park. Then next we have Scott Harris with the Sitka Conservation Society bring in Gwen Baluss from Juneau who has a permit for bird banding and demonstrates catching and banding some of our birds from our garden bird feeding station. To watch the look of wonder on a sixth-graders face as they let a feather-light junco go is incredible. This is the second year he has done this so students can do observations and contribute data on local bird movement. Can you believe this? This is all made possible by many committed community members.
Allen Marine has stepped up to the plate for sixth-grade science every year since our first sea mammal trip in 1993 and then for our study of navigation starting in 1997. Their support in getting the whole class in the ocean classroom twice a year has had an impact that cannot be measured. I figured up they have taken us on 84 field trips in the last 22 years. This year’s sixth-graders did the best job of triangulating ever. On the boat we also had the United States Coast Guard Navigation Team help with Anthony McKee and Mathew Renner. They help our students every year on the boat. Also, Chuck Miller missed a wonderful seaweed gathering trip so he could come and lead the cultural part of our navigation field trips as we navigated through an old Lingit story. The AM boat also had former BMS student leaders (now adult leaders) Krisha Brady, Jena Martin and Ben Breece, who led our students in Lingit place-name explorations. Many thanks go out to Nancy Douglas from SNEP/STA and all the SNEP teachers over the years that have brought so much meaning to science. Also on both boats every year we get help from AmeriCorps folks and from many loving parents.
So we need to realize that while our School Board and city Assembly work hard for the education of each Sitka student, we also have so many community members that take on responsibilities of educating our children. It is what makes us a connected community and our strength and collective effort will pay off when our children grow up as citizen scientists with a sense of “place,” who have skills to protect and appreciate our abundant food and fragile environment.
I hope that if any of you run into the Allen Marine folks, Sitka Science Center folks, Sitka National Historical Park folks, U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Team folks, AmeriCorps folks, SNEP/STA folks, Sitka School Board folks, city Assembly folks in town, that you mention how much you appreciate their commitment to the education of our Sitka students.
Of course these opportunities would not be happening for our students if we did not have parents encouraging and teaching their children the love of nature. Thank you to all the parents who foster love for the ocean and this place. Our love for our children runs deep in Sitka. Is this why they say, “It takes a village to raise a child”? I think so. Gunalcheesh, Sitka!
Patty Dick,
Blatchley Middle School
Sixth-Grade Science Teacher
Derby Wrap-Up
Dear Editor: Now that the rods have been stowed, boats scrubbed and fueled up and fishing photos downloaded, it is time to say goodbye to another Sitka Salmon Derby.
This 60th anniversary year of the derby was a smashing success. A total of 798 king salmon were turned in (a 14 percent increase over last year), weighing a total of 13,698 pounds (a whopping 30 percent increase). Congratulations to Mr. Bert Edenso who won this year’s derby with a 42.6-pound king salmon. I encourage all participants to attend the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. this Thursday at Centennial Hall where over 200 prizes worth more than $42,000 will be handed out. Bring your derby tickets with you even if you didn’t turn in any fish to be eligible for 10 $50 prizes.
I’d like to take a moment to thank our four major sponsors, Alaska Airlines, Gary’s Outboard, Samson Tug and Barge and AC Lakeside. There were an additional 70-plus businesses and individuals who donated the prizes this year that made the derby possible.
Please go back and look at the prize list in your derby brochure and take a moment to thank these folks for their generosity when you see them around town. Lastly, the derby would not be possible without all the people at the weigh-in stations and behind the scenes whose hard work keeps things running smoothly.
My special thanks go to Mr. John McCrehin, our derby chairman, and Ms. Elaine Strelow, our prize coordinator, who each put in countless volunteer hours each year to make sure the Sitka Salmon Derby will be a success.
Steve Ramp, President,
Sitka Sportsman’s Association
MS Walk
Dear Editor: Last weekend we held the first Walk MS Sitka to connect people living with MS and those who care about them. We had a fantastic turnout – close to 100 people – for a nice stroll from the Gary Paxton Industrial Park to Whale Park.
We also raised almost $2,000, which will go towards research and support for people experiencing MS. People gave generously and trustingly. Because we were not really expecting onsite donations, most of the cash donations were simply handed over anonymously. All was submitted to the regional chapter. A big thank you to all who came and walked. It was a joyous event!
We also want to thank our sponsors, SAIL (Southeast Alaska Independent Living) and Mountainside Family Healthcare for their support.
The Back Door, Highliner and AC Lakeside provided delicious cookies for the walkers. Thanks so much for your community support!
See you next year!
Patricia Atkinson, Colleen Dalquist
and Dave Nuetzel
Softball Champions
Dear Editor: We would like to write a letter of congratulations to the Sitka Lady Wolves Softball team who worked hard to bring home the 2015 Small Schools Softball State Championship.
We are proud of our girls for battling through the peaks and valleys of our season and bringing home another state championship trophy. From 6 a.m. batting practice, to weekend fundraising, these girls showed dedication, passion, and most importantly a love for the game, that culminated last weekend in Fairbanks. We would like to wish our eight seniors the best of luck as they begin the next chapter in their lives and we are excited about the years to come with all of our returning players!
In addition to congratulations, we would like to thank the community of Sitka for their support on our road to state. We would like to thank CHARR, Silver Bay Seafoods, the Elks Lodge, The Cellar, Sitka Vision, The Channel Club, InteriorWorks and Mudry Construction, The Nugget, Samson Tug and Barge, the Potrzuski family and several other friends and families who stepped up and funded our trip to Fairbanks.
It was a humbling experience being the recipient of the avalanche of support that we received in such a short amount of time. A state championship is something these girls will remember forever, and they could not have been there if not for the support of the great community of Sitka.
Lastly, we want to thank all the parents, volunteers and past coaches of these young women. State championships are not earned in one season; they are earned over a lifetime for these girls. From T-ball on up, every practice contributed to our success. A quality program for young players sets the table for future success. As a new coaching staff, we were lucky to inherit a fantastic program that was molded by Coach Potrzuski. The quality of coaching was evident the moment we took over the program. Our supporting staff of coaches this year was incredible, and played a huge part in our success.
A huge thank you to Cliff Chandler, Kyle Young, Mindy Barry, Jim Way, and Dan Gray. Without the countless hours that were poured into these young women’s lives, the Lady Wolves would not have won their fifth state championship in six years!
Jael and Tyler McCarty,
Head Coach and Assistant Coach,
Sitka High School
Lady Wolves Softball
