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Lifelong farm researcher Sig Restad was awarded the "Life-Time Achievement Award" by the Mat-Su Farm Bureau at its annual meeting in Palmer on February 19. The Mat-Su Farm Bureau is organized to improve the economic well-being and expansion of agriculture in the Mat-Su Valley with a focus on enriching the quality of life for Alaskan farmers. Sig Restad worked as an Agriculture Extension agent in Minnesota when he received the opportunity to relocate to and work in Alaska in 1958. Restad...
Dorothy Dickson McLaren, child-resident of Alaska and daughter of one of the state's pioneer bush pilots, recently glimpsed a picture taken from the 1938 Fur Rendezvous. Memories of that wonderful day remind Dorothy of leading the Queen's procession and fur style show at the 1938 – "biggest and best" – Third Annual Anchorage Fur Rendezvous. Now a senior citizen, Dorothy recalls the excitement surrounding the coronation of the Queen of the Fur Rendezvous, Miss Grace Bailey. Indeed, Grace wen...
For Alaska Native Elders and those with disabilities living in nursing and assisted living homes in Anchorage, the holidays are often spent away from family, friends and loved ones. Thanks to a partnership between the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) Elder Outreach Program and the Southcentral Foundation (SCF) Waiver Care Coordination Program, along with the generosity of ANTHC and SCF staff, 150 Alaska Native Elders and disabled people received gifts this past holiday season....
Bill pulled his hat over his ears. He fastened his jacket shut. Then he hurried along the dark, wintry streets, so that 105 customers received their Anchorage Daily Times, quickly. The rushing warmed him. Three miles to go. In his first job, Bill Gamel, age 10, intended to succeed. He'd already added nine new customers. On Saturday, the bars along Fourth Avenue provided profitable, extra sales. The independent salesboy earned money to buy sports gear and pay for scout activities. Bill was...
Sheer canyon walls rose vertically on either side of the Colorado River as we approached the churning white water. Dick Griffith and I knelt on the floor of the inflatable raft, a position where we were less likely to be swept overboard. The next moment a cold wave crashed over us. I gasped for breath as one wave after another pummeled us. It felt like being flung around inside a washing machine not knowing which side was up. The raft was hung up on a rock with water pouring over the top. When...
Sitting in the Barrow Senior Center after lunch, Rossman Peetook of Wainwright looked back on his movie career with no trace of ego, something surely remarkable in an actor. "They were making movies here in Barrow in 1969, a Walt Disney movie, and they were looking for actors," said Peetook. "One preacher's wife came from Wainwright to Barrow, and said, 'there's a man you have to see,' and they sent for me." That started him off, and he went on to do three other Hollywood films. In 1970, he was...
Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski, Mark Begich and Congressman Don Young recently honored members of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and 32 other tribes from across the country for their critical service and unrecognized role as Code Talkers during both World Wars. Five Tlingit Code Talkers were the recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest Congressional honor, during a Nov. 20 ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. The Tlingit and Haida...
Jean Kaufman was named this year's Outstanding Volunteer in Philanthropy at the Association of Fundraising Professionals Alaska Chapter annual meeting Nov. 7 in Anchorage. Kaufman, 94, has volunteered for 54 organizations in Anchorage since she arrived in Alaska in 1953 and she continues sharing her time and resources throughout the community. She presented her award during the annual meeting luncheon and awards at the Hotel Captain Cook. For many years, Jean volunteered at a different...
Each month the residents of the Chugiak-Eagle River Senior Center have a date with Ron Crawford. It's a date complete with popcorn and a movie, often one which touches the heart, raises spirits and "sets your toes a tapping." Crawford's reputation as a movie buff is longstanding and well earned. A former professor at University of Alaska Anchorage who taught both history and geography, his knowledge of movies is encyclopedic and retirement has allowed him to indulge his passions more. His...
The "Yukon Kuskokwim Elder's Home," a new Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation residential skilled nursing and long term care facility in Bethel, will accommodate up to 18 residents, providing vital care to clinically complex patients who require inpatient care for extended periods. The facility opened Oct. 1. Having a skilled nursing facility in Bethel will make it easier for some patients who require hospice to receive care closer to home, in a culturally appropriate context, and to not feel...
Jean "Nana" Sether still thinks about her kids, her nuggets. For over 16 years, Nana was a daycare worker in Seward and owned Nana's Nuggets Daycare a good part of that time. In 2007, she retired to Eagles View in Cooper Landing's independent senior housing complex off of Snug Harbor Road. Since living here, Nana has organized and hosted annual Halloween parties for local children. And she doesn't miss an opportunity to jump on the senior bus and join in the fun at Cooper Landing School events....
The Anchorage Veterans’ Memorial renovations at the Delaney Park Strip are substantially complete thanks to the volunteer committee, private donors and public agencies that have been working on the project since 2007. Although an exact date for the re-dedication ceremony has not been determined as of press time, it is hoped it will be ready by early November. It is not unusual for construction of this kind to experience unanticipated delays. The site involves both new elements and maintenance o...
Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has received a federal grant to fund a Tlingit language mentor-apprentice program in Southeast Alaska. The $454,828 grant from the Administration of Native Americans for Language Preservation and Maintenance will establish a Tlingit mentor-apprentice program that works toward perpetuating and revitalizing the Tlingit language. SHI will partner with fluent speakers, advanced Tlingit learners, and three Southeast communities to increase the number of fluent Tlingit speakers under the age of 60 by 300 percent...
The Last Frontier Honor Flight, a newly formed hub of the Honor Flight Network, is now looking for World War II, Territorial Guard and Korean War Vets to sign up for a sponsored trip to Washington D.C. to visit the memorials that were built in their honor. We are concentrating on WWII vets and Territorial Guard first for obvious reasons – their advanced age is working against them and we feel the sense of urgency to get them back to D.C. For many, this may be their last mission. I heard about t...
The Organized Village of Kasaan announced the opening of the new SEARHC Kasaan clinic on Prince of Wales Island on July 26. The new clinic is a prototype “micro clinic” designed for communities with a full time population of under 100 residents. Funding for the design work on this statewide small clinic prototype was provided by the Denali Commission. The 975-square-foot clinic replaces the current clinic, which is about 250 square feet and did not allow for gurney or stretcher access, ade...
History will come to life at the Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery on Sunday, Aug. 11, when the “Stories of the Cemetery” returns, featuring costumed actors telling the true stories of people who are buried in the cemetery. The philosophy of these programs is to offer a greater awareness of Anchorage’s rich history. In addition, the presentations are carefully prepared with the intent to honor and respect the people whose stories are being told. The actors’ monologues are based on public records...
Andrea Gelvin serves up a game of Pickleball at the Fairbanks-North Star Borough Big Dipper Pickleball Courts. Combining aspects of tennis and ping pong, Pickleball is gaining popularity nationwide because it provides challenging, fast-moving action that can be enjoyed at many different fitness levels. For the first time, Pickleball will be offered as an event at this year’s Alaska International Senior Games, held August 9-18 in Fairbanks. This is the AISG’s eleventh year and organizers are expe...
Fair time means food, exhibits, contests, rides and entertainment all packed into one destination that you can enjoy with friends and family. In addition to traditional exhibits and contests showcasing agriculture, livestock, homemaking and crafts skills, along with headliner music and other entertainment acts, Alaska’s regional fairs each offer their own twist and are a great way to get out and enjoy the Alaskan summer as fall approaches. Check with your senior center about transportation and group trips. Here are some details on each fair: T...
It was a caravan of carts, full of givers and receivers, and they were all having fun. The givers were a group of senior volunteers, members of AARP Sourdough Chapter 533. The receivers were people with disabilities. They were all taking part in Access Day, May 15, at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage. The afternoon may have been breezy, cloudy and cool, but there were warm smiles all around. Volunteers were driving a fleet of a dozen golf carts provided by the Anchorage Golf Course, just down...
Fairbanks Resource Agency offers a free Information Exchange workshop for caregivers on the first Tuesday of each month. The workshops are open to the public and held at the FRA administrative office, 805 Airport Way, from 1 to 3 p.m. Refreshments and door prizes are on hand, and each workshop focuses on a different topic, featuring guest speakers. The June 4 workshop is “Discovering our Personality Style to Better Communicate Through True Colors,” presented by Bob Parr, assistant professor at UAF. Learn to understand your personality sty...
Public officials and Haines Assisted Living, Inc. (HAL) joined veterans and community members April 27 for a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Soboleff-McRae Veterans Village in Haines. The project is the first state-funded private veterans housing facility in Alaska, and is designed to have 11 housing units for veterans and 10,000 square feet of office space for nonprofit support organizations. It is being constructed in downtown Haines and will be part of a complex that includes an assisted living facility and an independent living...
Anchorage is joining many other cities across the nation in establishing a Senior Friendly Project aimed at improving the shopping experience of our older citizens. The reason for such a project, as stated by Mayor Dan Sullivan, is because, “There has been a 52 percent increase in our senior population in the past 10 years. Seniors as consumers contribute an estimated $1.46 billion into the state!” This amount is increasing further as “baby boomers” are added annually to our population. The Sen...
As Memorial Day approaches, Alaskans prepare to honor our veterans who responded to America’s call to duty. Through parades, ceremonies and visits to the graves of loved ones, we take comfort in demonstrating that they live on in our hearts. In Anchorage, as the 26th anniversary of the Anchorage Veterans’ Memorial on the Delaney Park Strip approaches, this year those who commemorate Memorial Day may find the site under construction after years of effort to design and fund renovations dev...
A well-displayed street number on a house is essential for emergency first-responders – it means valuable seconds locating the house, its driveway and in some cases the front door. The number also means prompt delivery services (anybody order a pizza?). Recognizing this need, the Sitka Fire Dept. is spearheading a program to distribute free house numbers to homeowners, merchants and property owners. Throughout the month of May, the numbers will be available at the Sitka Fire Station, True Value Hardware and Spenard Builders Supply. Numbers w...
Kathleen Knowlton and Norma Cooper perform a skit at last year’s Soldotna Senior Center Talent Show. The event is a fundraiser for the center’s programs and is open to any and all talents – singing, dancing, acting, you bring it. This year’s event is May 24 at noon. Sign up by noon on May 23. For more information, call 262-2322....
