Ukulele 100 Event
Dear Editor: When I first set out to organize 100 ukulele-players toward inviting Katy Perry to Sitka, I neglected to include my personal motivation. Recently, I realized this was because I was afraid of making people uncomfortable, by simply being myself, organizing around a group/cause/event that is close to my heart. I’m a 46-year old, small-business owner, a professional with pretty good self-esteem, and I allowed fear to guide me. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but there you go. What it’s like for a young person trying to come out in Sitka?
Sitka Ukulele 100 is going to need help with this vision:
Beginning in December, we will record ukulele-playing Sitkans performing the song “Firework” by Katy Perry individually and in groups. Every performer will wear a number (1-100), and may perform in multiple recordings. We need a few more to reach our goal of 100.
The message of this song and its video encourages young people to rise above harsh life circumstances, remain hopeful when life is painful, and find their way toward empowerment.
When 100 ukers have played, we will splice the performances together and post the video on social media as an invitation to Katy Perry to attend Sitka’s first-ever LGBTQI & Friends prom and pride parade, to take place in April or early May 2015.
Why? As a mental health professional I know that to have important aspects of ourselves actively denied or ignored, to be shamed within our families or bullied at work or school, to feel isolated or to live in fear of judgment or rejection or harassment is simply not conducive to good mental health, at any age.
Why? As a lesbian I notice and sense a lack of visibility and community among LGBTQIA people who live here. I want to create an atmosphere of acceptance and celebration for LGBTQIA people and our supportive friends and families. I want this for Sitka’s youth and for older folks who grew up in a time when they could not bring a same-sex date to the prom.
Why? Because Sitka is a beautiful town that is missing something.
If you want to learn to play the ukulele, perform for the video in front of a Sitka vista, or share your expertise in event planning, marketing, video-recording or editing: call or text 510-610-0075.
With my deepest gratitude to the 100 thus far – for your dedication, humor and support,
Jeannie Jay, Sitka
Veterans Day Parade
Dear Editor: In May of this year, I wrote a letter to the editor about the poor attendance at the 2013 Veterans Parade. I was shocked and dismayed that not only were there about 300 or more veterans missing from the parade but there were no local people cheering on the few that were marching. Sitka Emblem Club followed behind the marching vets in two cars with banners but other than that, there was no one. My Raven Mom, myself, one lone person and James Poulson from the Daily Sitka Sentinel were there.
A week later, I was having coffee with my Raven Mom, Pat Svetlak, a community leader here in Sitka. I told her how upset I was. She encouraged me to do something about it. So right then and there, I called George Bennett, the rural veterans liaison at SEARHC Hospital, introduced myself and told him of my impassioned mission to see our local veterans get the honor they deserve. We started meeting together and a few short months later, we formed the Sitka Veterans Associaiton.
We have been very busy this year and we have planned several special events. Lawrence Spotted Bird, chairman of Sitka Tribe of Alaska, is a member and has come on board to help organize our community dinner. Other notable things to attend are as follows:
–On Monday, Nov. 10, the Assembly will meet at 6 p.m. at Centennial Hall and Mayor Mim McConnell will give a special proclamation honoring our brave veterans. All veterans are encouraged to attend and are personally invited by Mayor McConnell.
–The annual Veterans Day Parade will start at 11 a.m., with lineup at Crescent Harbor. The parade route will go from Crescent Harbor down Lincoln Street and will end up at Totem Square.
–There will be a community dinner to honor our veterans at the ANB Founders Hall at 5:30 p.m. We are in need of our community to show up and show off for our vets. If you would like to bake a turkey that is donated, a side dish or dessert, we would love to hear from you.
We know that other fine organizations support our veterans and this letter is not written to step on the toes of anyone who works hard supporting our veterans. But it is meant as a plea to all those that need a nudge to get up and make a stand for those who sacrificed and bravely fought for our independence and freedom.
It is very humbling for me to write this letter. I am a proud daughter of a WWII veteran. Also, I am a proud member of this fine community and am so amazed when I see what a difference a few hard-working people can make. It happens every day all over Sitka. So please, dear friends, let it happen here on Veterans Day too. Get up, dress up, show up and make a difference in the lives of our veterans.
Debe K. Brincefield, George Bennett
Sitka Veterans Association
