Kids Invited to
Build Toy Boats
The Sitka Maritime Heritage Society will hold a toy boat building activity for kids, 1-3 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Japonski Island Boathouse.
Materials are provided for children to make a functional little wood boat to take home, complete with spars and paint. The activity is best for ages 4 to 12.
Snacks and drinks will be served. The event is free; however, donations are welcome. For information, call 738-7448 or go to www.sitkamaritime.org.
Toys For Tots
Help Needed
Marines and other volunteers are needed 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 24, at the Gil Truitt Activity Center at Mt. Edgecumbe High School to prepare boxes and promotional signs for the upcoming Toys for Tots campaign.
Volunteers will decorate, design and distribute boxes to local businesses and schools. Plenty of boxes are on hand.
For more information call MCL Commandant Bernie Gurule at 966-3202.
Thanksgiving
Dinner Delivery
Offered Thursday
Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp 1 and Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4 will deliver Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday to the elderly and homebound.
Those who wish to receive a dinner from the community Thanksgiving event can call Rachel at 505-204-3634 between noon and 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.
Bird Count
Event Dec. 29
The 119th Annual Christmas Bird Count is scheduled Saturday, Dec. 29. A planning meeting will be 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26, at the Alaska Raptor Center.
A slide show will be presented to review the birds likely to be seen during the count. Anyone can watch the slide show, whether they decided to participate in the count our not.
Contact Victoria at baldeaglevet@gmail.com for information.
Art Walk At
Pioneers Home
Pioneers Home residents, staff and volunteers have created items for Friday’s 5-8 p.m. Fall Artwalk.
Ceramics, baby sweaters, hats, slippers, blankets, potholders, mug rugs, phone holders and microwave bowl holders will be for sale, along with Clint Potter prints.
Homemade cookies will be available.
Boys on the Run
By Sitkans Against Family Violence
Boys Run I toowu klatseen is an after-school program focused on instilling healthy life-skills in boys through running and other fun activities. The program, now in its fifth year, incorporates cultural activities that honor traditional Southeast Alaskan values.
More than 20 boys participate twice-weekly at Keet Gooshi Heen elementary school.
This week, Boys Run participants have been learning about making healthy choices. The boys discussed the practices they can use to take care of themselves when they are feeling upset, sad, or angry. Running is naturally a favorite method of self-care for the boys. However, they also listed activities such as deep breathing, meditating, getting enough sleep, and talking about their feelings to their mentors. All of these are healthy choices that we can make on a daily basis! Here are some quotes from our participants:
–“I like to meditate when I’m feeling stressed. You can sit however you want when you meditate, but the point is to sit quietly and just relax.”
–“If I don’t go to bed on time, then I’ll be tired in school the next day, and I won’t have the energy to run at Boys Run.”
–“When I have a problem and I don’t know what to do, I usually ask my uncle because he’s really wise.”
Throughout this season, Boys Run will be providing the Sitka community with updates on the program. We also aim to give mentors and parents an opportunity to pass on skills from Boys Run to the children in their life. Consider using these conversation starters:
–What are some healthy choices you can practice as a daily habit? Maybe we can include them into our routines.
–Did you feel unhappy or upset today? How did you take care of yourself?
Don’t forget! The annual Boys Run 5K will take place Saturday, Dec. 15, at 10 a.m., and all are invited. We will begin and end at the Crescent Harbor Shelter, and we will run a loop through Totem Park. We are looking for volunteers to help set up. We are also looking for family members or other mentors to sign up to be Running Buddies; Running Buddies will run the 5K along with the boys. If you are interested in volunteering or being a Running Buddy, please contact Alaire Hughey at sobrien@safv.org
