White E Donation
Dear Editor: This month Sitka Counseling received a generous donation from the White Elephant Shop to help enrich our client’s lives. The donations included our Family Center, Harbor Lights, clinical, prevention and residential programs. This donation will be used to support our clients/programs.
The Family Center has asked for therapeutic supplies and community activities for youth in the spring and summer programs. The Harbor Lights programs will use the funds for therapeutic activities in the community, art supplies and swim passes. The clinical program will be using the funds for clients who need recovery/wellness books, group engagement supplies and snacks. Our prevention program will use this donation for offsetting some of the production cost for getting the performance troop set up. The residential program will use their donation for clients to reintegrate into society socially, therapeutic community activities, sundries and graduation ceremony items for the men and women.
Sitka Counseling would like to give a BIG THANK YOU to the Sitka White Elephant Shop for their continued support of our agency.
Amy Zanuzoski, Executive Director, Sitka Counseling
USCG, Trooper Thanks
Dear Editor: Feb. 10, 2020, was the most traumatic day of my life thus far. My son was being held captive on a boat off of Prince of Wales Island.
The captain had lost touch with reality and was holding my son at gunpoint. My son was able to escape to the head (bathroom) for a minute to text his coordinates to his girlfriend before he was ordered to exit the head or the captain would, ‘‘Shoot the locks off.’’
After speaking to state Troopers, I was told that since POW only had one Trooper, they would have to deploy from Ketchikan. It took five long hours, but the Coast Guard and state Troopers were able to rescue him without incident.
I just wanted to express my appreciation to the state Troopers and the Coast Guard.
I’m so, so, so ... GRATEFUL!
Dawn McClung, Sitka
Register to Vote
Dear Editor: This past week a concerned citizen asked me where he would go to get registered to vote in Sitka. As a Recall Dunleavy volunteer, I felt embarrassed that I couldn’t answer his question! I checked into it and found that it’s easy to register to vote in Sitka!
Register in Sitka – the Sitka Public Library, City Hall (the municipal clerk), the Division of Motor Vehicles and Alaska Health and Social Services are locations where one can find an application and begin the process of registering. These locations will have forms, envelopes, assist one in completing the application and verify your identification (act as “registrars.) Bring postage to mail the application. (Person convicted of a felony may still be eligible to register if they have been unconditionally discharged and can provide discharge papers with the registration application.)
Submitting the application is the first step. Your application will be received by the division of elections, then require processing time before you receive your voter registration card by mail. Be careful to submit your voter registration application in time so you are within the designated time requirements before each election.
Other locations to register – Alaska Community and Economic Development offices, U.S. Armed Forces Recruitment locations, and the Alaska Division of Elections (online registration, or by mail).
Qualifications to register: to qualify to register as a voter in Sitka, or in Alaska, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of Alaska and, a resident in the election district in which you want to vote (Sitka), living in Sitka for at least 30 days prior to the election; be registered to vote before the election registration deadline; and not registered to vote in another jurisdiction (a different state, or city).
Identification requirements – When you apply to register, you will need identification. You can present an Alaska state driver’s license, Alaska state identification card, a birth certificate, your current passport, or a current hunting and fishing license.
You will also need to provide your birth date, and your social security number, or at least the last four digits. If you cannot verify your identity when you register to vote, you can still complete the voter registration application, but you will be required to provide certain identification when you show up to vote in the next state conducted election.
I hope this information is helpful to other Sitka residents who can share and encourage new residents, and our eligible high school graduates, to register to vote. There are big, important elections for all Alaskans in 2020. Be ready!
Stacy Goade,
Recall Dunleavy volunteer
