White E Support
Dear Editor: The White Elephant Shop is such a treasure to our community. This year, as in the past, they have given thousands of dollars to support so many programs, including the Project Homeless Connect, which is coordinated by the Easter Group.
Their generous gift helps homeless persons obtain warm clothing and shoes. Thank you, White Elephant Shop, for all you do and, particularly, thank you for helping the homeless.
Julia A. Smith, President
Easter Group
Thank You, White E
Dear Editor: Volunteers do amazing things for Sitka – from helping us all reduce, reuse and recycle to caring for those at end of life. This is a community of people who donate their time to help their fellow men and women.
We want to publicly thank a special group of people at Sitka White Elephant Shop who have helped Brave Heart Volunteers through a generous $3,000 contribution.
This gift helps Brave Heart provide volunteer caregiving, respite services and education for families and individuals of all ages facing isolation, chronic or terminal illness, frailty, dementia, disabilities, hospitalization, or end of life. This is not easy work but is made easier by this show of support from the White E.
Thanks to Sitkans who contribute gently used items or purchase them from the White Elephant. You made this donation possible. If you are looking for a way to give back to this wonderful town please consider volunteering at either place. We both run on volunteers.
Lily Herwald, Acting
Executive Director and
Brave Heart Volunteers
Board of Directors
Choose Respect Walk
Dear Editor: The weather forecast for tomorrow is great, 52 degrees and sunny. If you want to use your lunch break for a walk, please join us for the seventh annual Choose Respect March.
We will gather at Totem Square (right by City Hall) at noon, walk down Lincoln Street, and attend a rally at the Crescent Harbor shelter. We are walking to end the epidemic of domestic and sexual violence, and to support survivors in their paths towards healing. We also want to let you know that there are many programs in Sitka which empower children and youths to promote respect and healthy relationships. Some youths will talk about their work in the Sitka Youth Leadership Committee.
At the rally, SAFV will collect addresses and email contacts so that we can let you know individually about other important programs and events. We will raffle off two awesome T-shirts among those who share their contact info. The event will be done by 12:45 p.m.
Sitka Youth Leadership Committee
Sitkans Against Family Violence
Tourney Economics
Dear Editor: Thousands and thousands of dollars were brought to Sitka this month because of SHS and MEHS.
The Region V Holland America/Alaska Airlines 2A-3A-4A Basketball Tournament was held in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium on Japonski Island March 8-12. A total of 710 students from around the Panhandle participated in basketball, cheerleading, dance and pep band. Tagging along were a few hundred parents and fans. This phenomenal tournament is the largest regional basketball tournament in Alaska and also the largest multi-day event hosted in Sitka. An event this size takes total teamwork between Sitka High and Mt. Edgecumbe High.
Thank you, again, to all the Sitka families able to house students. This is a very unique and wonderful opportunity found only in our region. SHS Activities Director Lindsey Jorgenson did a fantastic job coordinating all of the housing, which I think is the most difficult part of the event. Lindsey also helped coordinate with Sandi Wagner all of the cheer and dance competition at SHS.
Thank you, also, to the businesses and volunteers that contributed time and money to help continue making this event the premier high school basketball tournament around Alaska. Thank you Totem Square Inn, Avis car rental, Sitka Bottling, STA for sponsoring elder seating, Sea Mart, Agave, Subway, Food Services of America, Pizza Express, Highliner Coffee, Ben Hilberg and John Wathen from Trinity Services for fine cooked meals, and September Horton, Shirley Perkins, Kathy Hope Erickson, Brenda Calkins for food and hospitality room help.
Thanks, also, to our volunteers at the door: Linda Blankenship, Rose Demmert, Evie England, Rachel Moreno, Blossom Twitchell, Vanessa Bradley, Aaron Routen, Amber Parker, Anne Chadwick and Dick Parmalee. Thanks to Gio Villanueva for organizing a great medical crew – Alicia Haseltine, Tyler Gilson and Doc Lehmann.
A huge thanks to our Yupik Dance group, cross country, wrestling and volleyball teams for spending countless hours cleaning up, serving concessions and helping out throughout the week.
A few key folks who make the difference behind the scenes in this tournament: Paula Clayton for organizing and running a great hospitality room; Keith Perkins for organizing officials and announcing 31 games in a row; and LieuDell Goldsberry for co-directing and getting all the details taken care of.
It truly is a team effort from both schools and the community to make this event happen every three years. I encourage everyone to continue supporting the schools which positively impacts future generations and our economy.
Andrew Friske,
Mt. Edgecumbe High School
Residential/Activities Principal
World Religions
Dear Editor: I was delighted to learn last week that the kids of Sitka have the opportunity to learn about world religions in school. Teaching world religions within the context of a middle school social studies class is the perfect time for these emerging critical thinkers to be educated about the variety of cultures and religions that make up our world.
Unfortunately, these days so much of what we hear and know about world religions is derived simply from the news of day. I am glad that Sitka School District has the foresight to know that our students need to have a fuller picture of the role religion plays in our lives and in our communities in order to grow into well-informed, curious adults.
Rev. Sandra S. Rudd
Sitka Lutheran Church
