Birthday Celebration
For Marine Corps
The Marine Corps League, Robert B. Johnstone Detachment will host the 243rd Birthday Celebration of the United States Marine Corps 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Elks Lodge.
Active, retired and inactive Marines, their spouses, and their guests are welcome.
The regular menu will be available. Attendees can take photographs of travel experiences to share with fellow Leathernecks.
Those needing transportation with at least one day’s notice, can call Nels Lawson at 747-6903 or Bernie Gurule, 966-3202.
Homeless Coalition
Board to Meet
The Sitka Homeless Coalition board will meet 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Sitka Public Library. All are invited. Call 747-7978 for information.
Author, Poet Cole
To Give Reading
Fiction writer and poet Gina Cole of New Zealand will be in Sitka Nov. 6-27 as the Island Institute’s writer-in-residence.
Cole will give a reading 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12, at Old Harbor Books. It is open to the public.
While in Sitka, Cole will give readings, lead writing workshops and work on the completion of a new science fiction novel.
She is the author of ‘‘Black Ice Matter,’’ which won Best First Book of Fiction at the 2017 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, and the winner of the 2014 Auckland Pride Festival’s creative writing competition for the poem “Airport Aubade.”
Cole’s work has been widely anthologized and she was a keynote speaker at the 2017 Auckland Writers Festival and the Same Same But Different LGBTQIA+ Writing Festival.
She was a barrister specializing in family law and is currently a doctoral candidate at Massey University, School of English, researching speculative fiction and science fiction in Oceania.
Makers Club at
Public Library
Sitka Public Library beginning Nov. 13 will offer four Makers workshops 3:45 p.m. Tuesdays.
Children ages 8 to 11 can create original structures with different materials. The workshop is free, registration is required and seats are limited.
Families may register at the circulation desk or call 747-8708.
Story Time Set
Preschool story time at Sitka Public Library is back on Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. beginning Nov. 8.
‘‘Toto’s Apple,’’ by Mathieu Lavoie will be one of the readings. Rhymes, songs and crafts are included in the program. Everybody is welcome.
Exchange Students
At Open House
Sitka Lutheran Church will host Sitka’s seven foreign exchange students at a program 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4.
The public – especially Mt. Edgecumbe and Sitka high school students – are invited to meet the students from Bosnia-Herzegovina, China and other countries, who will be here for the year.
‘‘A special thank you to all families hosting these young people this school year,’’ the church said.
For information call or text 907-752-0978.
Holiday Baskets
Signup Requested
Thanksgiving and Christmas applications for food baskets and children’s gifts will be accepted from now until Nov. 16 at the Salvation Army. The organization said the deadline is firm and no waiting lists will be generated.
New regulations from the Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters will apply. Adults in each household are to take or send their state identifications. Also needed is proof of every child, such as birth certificates, insurance cards or report cards.
Distribution day is noon-3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20. No appointment is necessary. Signing up for the Thanksgiving food basket automatically signs each person up for the Christmas food basket and gifts for children under 18 years of age.
The Salvation Army is working with Sitka Tribe of Alaska. For information, call Debe Brincefield in the Salvation Army Social Services office at 747-3358.
Fish and Game
Panel to Meet
The Sitka Fish and Game Advisory Committee will meet 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, at the Sitka Sound Science Center, Karsh Classroom.
The advisory committee will hold elections for open seats and conduct an overview of deadlines and proposals for the Alaska Board of Fish or Alaska Board of Game. Open seats are Resident Sport Fish, At-Large, Alternate, Shellfish, Power Troll, Guided Hunting, Conservation and Charter Fishing.
The meeting is open to the public.
For information, contact Jon Martin, chair, 747-7752, jmart118@alaska.edu or Andrew Thoms, secretary, 747-7509, andrew@sitkawild.org.
Library Pizza
Event Nov. 16
Sitka Public Library invites Be-Tweens Club members to participate in a library-pizza-mania event 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, at the library.
Pizza trivia, pizza jewelry, pizza design and tasting will be part of the activities. The event is free, and tweens of all abilities are welcome. Registration is required and space is limited.
The Be-Tween Club is a place for tweens 11 to 13 dedicated to inspiring creativity, thinking outside the box and leadership skills. The program will appeal to tweens craving independence and connection, the library said.
