Leadership Summit
Dear Editor: This past week I attended a Leadership Summit for nonprofits in Anchorage. During a presentation, Mr. Rogers was quoted, ‘‘When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in the world.”
I was filled with pride as this immediately made me think of Sitka. We have so many nonprofits here because there are so many helpers working to resolve the “scary things.” I am continually amazed by the generosity of Sitkans offering their precious resource of time. In this past year, Sitkans volunteered 4,372 hours, an average of 12 hours per day, through Brave Heart Volunteers by providing elders with companionship, accompanying individuals and their loved ones through the dying process and support to those grieving.
I felt it necessary to publicly thank the Brave Heart volunteers and all of the volunteers in Sitka that make this community go round. It would not be what it is without you.
Maury Hackett, Director
Brave Heart Volunteers
MS Walk
Dear Editor: Once again our community demonstrated its support for fellow Sitkans affected by Multiple Sclerosis at our 5th Annual MS Walk on May 4. Thank you to approximately 40 of our friends and family members who met us at Crescent Harbor shelter on Saturday! This year we were excited to partner with Stride365, a monthly wellness activity sponsored by SEARHC. Funds generated from their monthly 5k run were kindly donated to the MS Society adding to a total of $725 raised during our event. Local teams also conducted fundraising drives on-line.
According to the National MS Society website Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are leading to better understanding and moving us closer to a world free of MS.
Fundraising through events like ours provide for services and support for people living with this illness and aid in the research mentioned on the website. Large strides are being made with two new medications introduced in April and exciting new developments are on the horizon. Please visit www.nationalmssociety.org for more information.
This annual event couldn’t happen without the organizational help of a few people, so a big thank you to Dave Neutzel, Abbey Volmer, Patricia Atkinson, Jennifer Shroder, and Heleena VanVeen. Additional thanks to Sitka Community and SEARHC/Mt. Edgecumbe hospitals for providing the refreshments. See you next year!
Colleen Dahlquist, Sitka
SAFV Relocates
Dear Editor: We want to let everyone know that SAFV’s offices and shelter moved. You can find our daytime advocates and administrators at 601 Alice Loop in the Sealing Cove Business Center behind Sealing Cove Harbor. We are in rooms 107 (advocates), 108 (prevention department), and 109 (executive staff). There is great parking at the south side of the building.
The shelter is at an undisclosed location. Please call 747-3370 for more information. Our crisis line is staffed 24/7, 747-6511 or 800-478-6511.
We thank the many volunteers who made this huge move possible. We would like to thank U.S. Coast Guard members James Nichols, Josh Ewing, and Steve Kirby who, along with Mt. Edgecumbe High School students, spent long hours to haul heavy items from freezers to desks to the new locations. We thank Michael Mahoney and MEHS students Angelina Ong, Elaine Hill, Mckayla Peterson, Lizzy Allen, Veronica Etcitty-Ramirez, Vernae Ramoth, Mia Anderson, Maggie Miller, Gabriella Comolli, Leon Evon, Josh DeAsis, Nelson Akelkok, Brayden Bahnke and Joeli Carlson who, together with Cisco Mahoney and Zane Mahoney, moved a tremendous amount of boxes, furniture and some appliances. Mike Davidson supported the move with his van, and another group of MEHS students helped complete the final clearing of the shelter, which included lifting appliances and hauling heavy furniture.
Construction work will begin on May 15, and we hope to be back at our original location by mid January of next year. We thank everyone who supported this project by donating to our capital campaign or in any other way. We are very grateful to receive the extraordinary community support that makes it possible to serve victims and survivors of interpersonal violence while promoting a community of non-violence and respect.
Thank you and gunal’cheesh,
Sitkans Against Family Violence
Board and staff
