ALFA Drawing
Dear Editor: On the final day of Whalefest, the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association drew the names of our annual seafood raffle winners. This year all five winners were Sitka residents, and each will receive a 10-pound box of premium Alaska seafood (halibut, rockfish, king salmon and blackcod in each box) that they can keep and enjoy or have sent via FedEx – free of cost – to the lucky person of their choosing.
ALFA sends congratulations to our winners Cecelia Dumouchel, Lisa O’Brian, Joy Arce, Clarice Reid and Bitsy Mosher. We would also like to thank everyone who purchased an ALFA Seafood Raffle ticket – your purchase supports ALFA’s work to promote sustainable fisheries and thriving fishing communities.
I also want to recognize and thank ALFA fishermen who donated seafood for the raffle: Phil Wyman, Ken Nelson, Michael Mayo and George Eliason, and the processors who filleted, vacuum packed and flash froze the donated seafood – Seafood Producers Cooperative and Sitka Sound Seafood. Finally, a big thank you to ALFA staff and the fishermen who helped at the ALFA booth during Whalefest: Kelli Leonard, Nancy Behnken, Terry Perensovich, Eric and Sarah Jordan, Steve Fish and Dick Curran. Thank you all!
Linda Behnken,
Executive Director, ALFA
Fish to Schools
Dear Editor: Because they give us energy and taste really good! Because they’re yummy and my dad donates to the program! They’re just original salmon and so juicy! These are some of the enthusiastic reasons students gave recently when asked why they choose Fish to Schools lunches each Wednesday in school cafeterias throughout Sitka. Whether it’s salmon chowder in a bread bowl, teriyaki salmon on a bed of rice, or Parmesan-crusted rockfish, these popular lunches would not be possible without a wide network of hands: food service management and kitchen staff dedicated to making local fish lunches a priority each year – check; Seafood Producers Coop and Sitka Sound Seafoods who process the salmon and rockfish for school cafeterias – check; Samson Tug and Barge who receives frozen at sea salmon at their dock – check; local fishermen who donate a portion of their hard-earned catch – check. This year, Fish to Schools saw salmon donations from 31 local fishermen – the highest number ever supporting our annual summer Coho Drive. In addition to the 26 boats thanked previously, we also extend our gratitude to F/V Sea Lark, F/V Lucky Strike, F/V Suki, F/V Born Again, and F/V Samantha Dawn. The final hand in our network belongs to, of course, the students who choose to make healthy, local, and delicious Fish to Schools lunches a tradition. You can hear why any Wednesday at any school in town: Because I love fish! Check.
Beth Short-Rhoads, Lexi Fish, Sophie Nethercut
Fish to Schools
Sitka WhaleFest
Dear Editor: The 20th Anniversary of Sitka WhaleFest was a smashing success and we wanted to thank our volunteers and partners who made it all possible: Abigail Kokai, Alex Werth, Alexandra Lyons, Allison Bayne, Amy and Jay Sweeney, Amy Kramer-Johnson, Anna Wietelmann, Andrew Cyr, Andy Szabo, Angelina Doggett, Angie Bowers, Ann Griswold, Anna Lee Hirschi, Arianna Elnes, Ashia Lane, Barb Blackie, Barb and John DeLong, Ben Burford, Bernadette Rasmussen, Beth Smith, Billy Adams, Billy Downey, Bitsy and Ron Mosher, Blake Conaway, Bobbi Jordan, Bobby Roles and Wayne, Brian and Julie Beall, Brooke Shafer and ALFA staff, Brooke Volschenk, Callie Simmons, Casey Demmert, Charlie Skultka Jr. and students, Chohla Moll, Chris Allen, Chris Wilbur, Chuck Miller, Cindy Duncan, Connor Fulton, Craig George, Dan Etulain, Dan Gray, Dana Pitts, Dane McFadden, Davey Lubin, David Lass and students, David Moore, Deaven Yee, Deb Tobin, Debra J Robidou, Dick Curran, Don Kluting, Don Sineti, Edith Johnson, Ellen Chenoweth, Emily Frank, Emily Stolarcyk, Erin Beukeveld, Erin Weekly, Esther Kennedy and STA staff, Flip Nicklin, Hannah Heimbuch, Heidi Pearson, Irene Ferguson, Jackie Degennerro, Jaime Saladis, Jan Straley, Janet Clarke, Jasmine Shaw, Jeanne Stolberg, Jeanette Farah, Jeff Budd, Jen Cedarleaf, Jenn Hamblen and James, Jenner and Lakrisha Johnson, Jennifer Carter and students, Jeremy Kane, Jerry Deppa, Jerry Wright, Jessica Menary, Jim Darling, Jim Kirkness, John and Bev Ford, John and Sharyn Ferrick, John Straley, Joo Marie McAllister, Julie Platson, Justin Penny, Kathy Adams, Katie Mulligan and students, Kelly Buxton, Kelly Moore and students, Kent Gibson, Kent Bovee, Kitty LaBounty, Kris Chinalski, Kristina Tirman, Kyle Kosma, Laura Kaltenstein, Laura Morgan, Lauren Bell, Lauren Wild, Leah Mason, Leslie Young, Lisa Busch, Linda Waller, Liz Zacher and students, Lori Gildehaus, Lori Whitmill and students, Lorna Tirman, Madison Kosma, Mandy Summer, Marcy and Mike Frank, Mark Lee, Mary Beth Nelson, Mary Boose, Maura Bresser, Megan Meier, Megan Pasternak, Meredith Redick, Mia Kuartei, Michelle Parke, Mike and Maggie Castellini, Mike Johnson, Mindy Samman, Nancy Leclerc-Davidson, Natalie Rouse, Neve Baker, Patty Dick and students, Paul McGlew, Paula Martin, Peter Vu, Rachel Myron, Randy Lantiegne, Ray Troll, Raymond Flores, Rebecca Danon, Regina Kelen, Reine Wonite, Rene Tuttle, Renee Jakitis-Trafton, Renusha Indralingam, Richard Nelson, Rob Allen, Robert Marvelle and staff, Robert Rose, Robin Sherman, Ruth Culp, Ruth McMaster, Sandy Kincheloe, Sarah Leclerc, Shannon Haugland, Shoshana Bieler, Sophie Nethercut and Sitka Conservation Society staff, Steve Clayton, Steve Lewis, Susan McFadden, Suzanne Perin, Tanchanok Kateudomsup, Temple J. Jackson, Tim Doggett, Tina Miller, Tony Rojas, Tory O’Connell, Travis Horton, Trish Lavery, Trish White, Trudy Prewitt, Truman Skang, Valerie Snyder, Veronica Gibson, Veronica Padula, Victoria Vosberg, Will Race, Zeke Blackwell, Zoe Kitchel, Ms. Bahrt’s second-grade class, Ms. Horton’s fourth-grade class, Mrs. Mullin’s fifth-grade class, Mrs. Feenstra’s third-grade class, Mrs. Bartolaba’s fifth-grade class, Mrs. Karsunky’s class, Mr. Conforti’s class, Mrs. Barry’s second-grade class, Mrs. Duncan’s second-grade class, and Ms. Peterson’s class.
Mia Kuartei,
Sitka WhaleFest Director,
Science Outreach Coordinator
