Health Goals: Housing For
Elderly, Center for Teens
Helping teens and elders were the themes as Sitka residents gathered to choose two community wellness projects to pursue in 2018-19 at the 12th annual Sitka Health Summit planning day event Oct. 4 at UAS-Sitka Campus.
About 50 initial projects were proposed, in a variety of categories, such as physical activity, nutrition, mental health and health equity. The project proposals were split into two categories (one-year projects and long-term projects) and the field was narrowed down to five to seven semifinalists in each category. The top project from each category will receive up to $2,000 in seed money, as well as some facilitation services from the Sitka Health Summit advisory team, to help get the projects off the ground.
The winning one-year project is to create a teen center with fun, resources, space, wifi, comfy furniture, gaming, food and discreet birth control options. The top long-term project is to expand services and housing options for elder care.
“Teens and elders are important groups to Sitka,” Sitka Health Summit Coalition member Doug Osborne said. “Their health is critical, and it will be exciting to see how these two goals evolve.”
Each of the two chosen community wellness projects will host a kick-off event in the near future, and these events are open to the public and anybody who wants to help with the project.
The teen center group will meet 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, at Agave Mexican Restaurant, 236 Lincoln Street with the entrance off Harbor Drive. The contact is Maggie Gallin, 966-1377, gallinm@sitkaschools.org.
Expand services and housing options for elder care option is 1-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, at Swan Lake Senior Center. Contact Erin Matthes, 966-8720, ematthes@searhc.org, with questions.
In addition to the two project kick-off meetings, the monthly Sitka Health Summit Wooch.een (Tlingít for working together) health networking lunch meeting will be noon Friday, Oct. 26, at a location to be announced, but more than likely at the Sitka Community Hospital downstairs classroom. For more information, contact Doug Osborne at 747-0373 or Holly Marban at 966-8938.
The Sitka Health Summit is coordinated and funded by a coalition of local groups that includes SEARHC, Sitka Community Hospital, Sitka Conservation Society, Sitka Counseling and Prevention Services, and UAS-Sitka Campus. Additional support is provided by the State of Alaska Division of Public Health-Section of Public Health Nursing, Southeast Radiation Oncology Center, White’s Pharmacy, the Sitka Food Co-Op, ALPS Federal Credit Union, Sitka Vision Center, Dr. Marley’s Family Dentistry, the Sitka Community Hospital Foundations, and the Sitka Health Summit Coalition.
For information about the Sitka Health Summit and its current and past projects, go to http://www.sitkahealthsummit.org/. Photos from the summit are posted on the Sitka Health Summit page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/SitkaHealthSummit.
To check out a gallery of scenes from the 2018 Sitka Health Summit planning day, go to https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2139329732744571&type=1&l=18b6f9841a.
White E Shop
Panel to Meet
The White Elephant Shop monthly meeting will be 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Swan Lake Senior Center. All meetings are open to the public.
Pool League
Meeting Set
Greater Sitka Pool League will hold a 9-ball meeting for team captains or representatives 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at the American Legion. The season begins Oct. 25.
Scotch Doubles
Potluck Oct. 14
Greater Sitka Pool League will host a Scotch doubles potluck 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, at Ernie’s Old-time Saloon.
Teams and players are being encouraged to take a dish to share.
Marine Mammal
Group to Meet
The Sitka Marine Mammal Commission will meet 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, at the Resource Protection Department office at 429 Katlian Street.
The public is invited to attend. Those with questions about the meeting can contact Sitka Tribe’s Resource Protection Director Jeff Feldpausch at 747-7469.
Chamber to Meet
Greg Dahl of Alaska Commercial Company and Alaska Day Festival committee members will speak at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon noon Wednesday at Westmark Sitka.
The public is invited.
