Home Brew Contest
Dear Editor: The Sitka Seafood Festival Home Brew contest was so fun! There were 16 home brewers represented with some outstanding entries.
The judges’ favorite was Chris Wilbur’s Imperial IPA. The crowd favorite went to Brandon Saiz’s Oatmeal Stout. They were all really good. Such talent! We would like to thank: Brandon Saiz and the Home Brewers Club for co-sponsoring the event; Baranof Island Brewery for providing a couple of their favorite kegs and door prizes; the judges, Nick and Nate from BIBCO (they had a terrible job but someone had to do it); Chef Kathy Jones and the Westmark for one of the best fish chowders we’ve ever had; Sitka Tribal Tours for donating a trolley to transport people from the Home Brew Contest to the Sitka Slayers Roller Derby bout; Slack Tide for playing music on the beach in the sun for four hours; and to all those who worked and attended the event. Thank you all.
Linda Olson, Sitka
Cold-Water Safety
Dear Editor: The Sitka School District completed its final cold-water safety unit for the school year. Once again, we have many people to thank for the assistance they gave to educate students in first, third, fifth and ninth grades on cold-water and outdoor survival skills.
All fifth- grade classrooms rotated between PFD, immersion suits and raft stations at Blatchley pool in March. The first-grade students enjoyed a presentation by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. The students also had three hours of swim lessons to learn proper PFD flotation use at Blatchley pool. Third-graders were introduced to immersion suit instruction and techniques. They used their newly learned skills at Crescent Harbor on May 1. Students in Shasta Smith’s ninth-grade health classes had instruction and presentations on CPR/first aid, boating safety, avalanche awareness, shelter building, and the ‘‘7 Steps to Survival.’’
The program would not be successful without the following organizations and people that give so much to support the program: Alaska Marine Safety Education Association instructors Mike Morris, Hope Merritt and Coral Pendell; U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary members Mike Morris, Joe Meador and Carol Meador; U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team EM1 John Melvin, BM3 Anthony McKee, MK3 Dylan Smith, MK3 Logan Morrison, SN Emily Spencer and FN Ryan Ludy; U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers ASTC Christopher Phillips, AST2 Rob Simpson, AST3 Dave White and AST3 Cameron Cullen; Eric VanCise, SEARHC; Don Kluting, Sitka Mountain Rescue; AMSEA teacher instructors Rich Krupa, Tyler Orbison, Stephanie Peterson and Chris Bryner; Pool Director Jane Eidler; and lifeguard Dawn McClung.
A special thank you is also expressed to the Centennial Hall staff: Harbor Master Stan Eliason; Prewitt Bus Company and drivers; Daily Sitka Sentinel; and all teachers, staff and parents who assisted in these activities.
Thank you for your willingness to give your time, knowledge and skills to promote cold-water safety and survival education to the students.
Danielle Cassedy,
Cold-Water Safety Program,
Sitka School District
