Card of Thanks
Dear Editor: Our family would like to thank everyone who gave us so much support brought us food and flowers, and attended the celebration of life for my son, Philip H. Moreno Jr.
Thank you to Corrine Brown, Ed & Clara Gray, Lakota Harden, Pat Alexander, Spike & Jean Arnold, Denmark Rogers Bennett, Camille Ferguson, Harvey & Georgianna Kitka, Kirk and Brenda Gilmore, David Sam, Ed Young, Marie Young, Bertha & Pete Karras Jr., Margaret Gordon, Gerry & Vicki Hope, Maureen Roberts & daughter Michelle, David Kanosh, Louise Brady, Joe & Flo Murray, John Smith, Wilfred & Cari Hanbury, Liz Marcis, Chad Titell and family, cousins Paul Moreno, Sharon Lee, Rhonda Smith/Black, Chester, Ben, Chuck, Lizzie & Nick Sr. Miyasato, Sue Doyle, sister-in-law Kate Miyasato, Sherry & Danny Moreno, Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 1, Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4, Grand Camp Alaska Native Sisterhood, AmeriCorps Volunteers who brought us dinners, and the Herring Festival volunteers.
Harriet Miyasato Beleal,
Rachel & Ty Moreno,
Paulette Moreno & Andrew Roberts
Police Visits
Dear Editor: It is great to see officers just going from house to house, getting to know the neighbors. This is the right stuff. When a problem comes up, the officers and the people will know each other, decreasing the chances of an incident getting out of proportion. Protect and serve pretty much requires this kind of community interaction.
I heartily applaud the city leaders who made this happen. This is a great use of police time and payroll. Congratulations to the officers and to their managers.
John Welsh, Sitka
Herring Celebration
Dear Editor: On April 11, Sitka celebrated the return of the herring to the Sitka area with a great turnout, despite the cold temperature, snow and wind. Hearty Sitkans witnessed the first time ever new song written by Louise Brady, Kiksadi clan woman, and the unveiling of a new herring woman robe.
The robe was designed by Jennifer Younger Rudas and made by Carol Hughey along with several volunteers who spent hours hand stitching wool Tlingit appliques onto a beautiful blue robe.
I would personally like to thank the volunteers who spent many evening hours in my home making wonderful gifts for those who were a part of the celebration.
Those are as follows: artists Ed Peele, Mark Sixby and Nickayo Miyasato. Crafters, Event Setup and takedown crew: Lakota Harden, Harriet Beleal, Katie Miyasato, Rose Demmert, Georgina Wallace, Jackson Matthew, Holland Bool, Ben Hughey, Adam and Gianna Kersch, Phil Burdick and Pacific High students, Anna Zauner, Emma Thompson, Anna Lafferty, Taylor White, Susanne Portello, Nick Fruendt, Madison Kennedy, Tava Giuillory, Maggie Needham, Keisha Dementieff, Grace Greenwald, Caroline Fenton, Johnny Elliot, Kate Grunbles, Maria Sakowski, Sarah Tobey, Lee House, Juan Cediel, Bridget and Lola Hitchcock, Lauren Bell, Missy Mongiovi, Frank Eccher, Eddy Gonzales, David Kriess Tompkins, Madison Tebbe and Nancy Keen.
If I left out anyone, I do sincerely apologize and wish to thank those whose names I may have missed. This event could not have happened without the vision and support of Louise Brady and Chandler O’Connell.
Rachel Moreno,
Sitka Herring Event Planner
Foreign Auto
Dear Editor: As a new resident in town, one of the first challenges is to find a trustworthy car mechanic. Along with finding a new doctor and dentist, this task involves asking people you don’t know very well for references to people you really don’t know at all. There is a bit of faith involved.
In Sitka, that elusive mechanic has consistently been found at Foreign Auto. Gary and Tammy and their crew have been meeting and exceeding expectations from day one. Thank you! Thank you for your honesty and perseverance. May you enjoy your retirement and all the good stuff waiting for you around the next corner – you deserve it.
Steve Dalquist, Sitka
AmeriCorps
Dear Editor: Community has been the predominant theme running through most of my conversations with coworkers and my day to day existence. It is this community that has helped me see humanity in this, one of the strangest years of human existence. I believe that defining the communities I am a part of, helps me put a definition to the where, what, how, and why of this time.
First, is Pacific High and its radiating body of individuals from staff, to students, to families. There are subcommunities within, overlapping and colliding, sometimes calm, others tumultuous. There is the community of upcoming graduates. A larger number than almost any other year despite the global waves. There is the math-based community of me and one other student, sharing music and thoughts in-between problem sets every lunch period. There is so much passion and raison de vivre in the spaces of the building, it is hard not to be overwhelmed.
Next is the AmeriCorps cohort and the impetus behind my move to Sitka. I am honored to be part of the largest group of AmeriCorps Sitka has ever seen and to be here when needed most. The few I have the pleasure to be in frequent contact with bring a wealth of ideas and inspiring convictions. Sarah Lawrie saw what needed and could be accomplished and did everything in her power to do so.
My family and friends, despite being the ultimate item of my list, give me the stability to be passionate, be caring, and be thoughtful. It is they and all of my other communities that have helped me navigate through this year and it is they I can always return to when waters are rough.
Thank you, everyone I have listed and thank you, Sitka, for your ability to foster these relationships in a time when they are needed most.
Ben Kinzer,
Sitka AmeriCorps Volunteer
