• DIPAC would like to thank the special volunteers this last summer and fall who contributed greatly in helping us promote our public education programs.
First and foremost, our annual fall salmon education program was a great success, with a record number of 2,433 students and adults, representing 89 school classes, visiting the Ladd Macaulay Visitor Center from September 25 – Nov. 1. We sincerely thank the following community members for helping make our program so successful: Carolyn Kelley, Don Greenberg, George Bonnett, James Deats, Janet Henderson, Louise Kuntz-Tadda, Mark and Betty Johnson, Peggy Mattson and Sarah Power. University of Alaska students Ashley Bolwerk, Emma Hopkins and Ana-Christine Tafoya also provided great assistance with our classes and education outreach. Lecia Kahklen, of the Juneau School District, made it possible to spread the word to interested teachers. All the teachers, parents and other adult volunteers were much appreciated for their help guiding students in the activities and providing transportation. Thanks too to First Student for providing bus transportation for various classes.
Equally appreciated are our student and community volunteers who helped collect specimens and maintain our aquariums and touch tanks: Axel and Sean Boily, Tony Byford, George Bonnett, Mike Galbraith, Kurt and Kylee Goehring, Greg Gallant, Don Greenberg, Erick Hernandez, Emma Hopkins, Mark and Betty Johnson, Mike Kirchner, Jake Lewis, Sivina Maka, Chloe and Hannah Malander, Peggy Mattson, Jesse Wolfe and Aaron Woodrow. Opportunities for some of our student volunteers were provided through a cooperative partnership with Juneau-Douglas High School, for which we are most appreciative. Ongoing assistance for volunteers has also been provided through a cooperative partnership with REACH.
We welcome volunteers who would like to assist with our ongoing education and community outreach programs and aquarium collection and maintenance activities. For further information, contact Katie Harms at 463-1635 or email at katie_harms@dipac.net.
Katie Harms, Tourism and Education Manager
Rich Mattson, Aquarium Manager/Education Coordinator
• Thank you so very much! Words cannot convey our thrill and honor for the award the Chamber of Commerce bestowed upon us this year! We are still speechless! Your thoughtfulness and kindness will always be remembered long after we have gone away. Thanks go to: Bill and Katie Corbus, Tim and Geri McLeod, Connie Hulbert, Pete Carran, Cathy Muñoz, Charles Murphy, Ben Hohenstatt, Eric Eriksen, Kirby Day, Andy Kline, Craig Dahl, Mike Satre, Salissa Thole and Luke Weld, Avista, AEL&P, Alaska Airlines, Central Council Tlingit & Haida, Alaskan Brewing Co., Alaska Seaplanes’ Mike Stedman, Elgee Rehfeld, Hecla Mining Co., Charlie Williams, Heidi Boucher, Erin Bogert, Kathy Harris, Dawn Millen, John Blasco, Eric Forst, Richard Burns, Sharon Burns, Peggy Ann McConnochie, Erica Simpson, Jim and Cecelia Wilcox, Mayor Beth Weldon, Princess Cruises and U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan.
Steve and Jean Sztuk,
Juneau
• On behalf of the Southeast Alaska Food Bank board of directors, our volunteers, our member agencies, and the clients we serve, we would like to thank the staff and students at Floyd Dryden Middle School, Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School, and Auke Bay Elementary School for collecting a combined total of 2,802 pounds of food for us during the month of November.
Auke Bay collected 314 pounds of food
Dzantik’i Heeni’s student council collected 605 pounds of food
Floyd Dryden’s student council collected 1,883 pounds of food
These donations will allow us to providing help to those families and individuals who might otherwise not be able to access much needed food.
Last year, through the efforts of our manager, Darren Adams, and our small army of very dedicated volunteers, the Southeast Alaska Food Bank provided almost 400,000 pounds of food to local food pantries, non-profit organizations, and members of the community. With the recent expansion of our facility, we are now able to maintain much larger inventory of food, and we are now even better positioned to serve our community and Southeast Alaska.
The goal of the Southeast Alaska Food Bank is to continue to make a difference in the quality of life for those who need help in providing food for their families in times of need. These donations will help us continue to provide healthy and nutritious food for those in our community who need our assistance, and your continued support is sincerely appreciated.
Darren Adams
Manager, Southeast Alaska Food Bank
• On behalf of everyone at the Southeast Alaska Food Bank, I would like to personally thank Connie Hulbert and Debbie Driscoll from AEL&P for selecting the Southeast Alaska Food Bank as their recipient of choice for their fundraiser on Oct. 19 at the Amalga Distillery, where prints of vintage photographs from AEL&P’s past were sold to benefit the food bank.
AEL&P has always been a very generous supporter of the Southeast Alaska Food Bank.
This fundraiser was held in conjunction with AEL&P’s 125th Anniversary celebration, and it raised $5,030 for the Southeast Alaska Food Bank.
On behalf of our board of directors and our volunteers, I would also like to thank the community for their generosity, and for their support of the Southeast Alaska Food Bank and the work that we do.
This timely donation will allow us to continue our work of providing help to those families and individuals who otherwise might not be able to access much needed food.
Last year, the Southeast Alaska Food Bank provided over 400,000 pounds of food to local food pantries, nonprofit organizations, and members of the community, and we are on pace to distribute more than 500,000 pounds of food this fiscal year.
The goal of the Southeast Alaska Food Bank is to continue to make a difference in the quality of life for those who need help in providing food their families in times of need. AEL&P’s very generous donation is very greatly appreciated, and will help us continue to provide healthy and nutritious food for those in our community who need our assistance.
Darren Adams
Manager, Southeast Alaska Food Bank
• The Trail Mix Board would like to sincerely thank the Juneau Community Foundation (JCF) Board and staff for their critical work securing a matching grant from the National Forestry Foundation (NFF) for work on the Treadwell Ditch (TWD). This recent season JCF used $50,000 from their Parks, Recreation and Trails Fund (designated specifically to the TWD) to secure a matching grant from the NFF to buy, build and install the new North Eagle and Falls Creek bridges on the TWD. This money allowed Trail Mix employees to complete the 4th and 5th major bridges on the TWD and continue our master plan to the end of the trail.
We deeply appreciate the support of JCF President Mike McKrill and board members Reed Stoops, Candy Behrends, Bob Bartholomew, John Gaguine, Sandro Lane, Geoff Larson, Amanda Mallott, Rick Shattuck, Eric Kueffner, Myra Munson and Karen West. The diligent and detailed work of Executive Director Amy Skilbred, Program Director Jamie Waste and Executive Assistant Jenna Rutecki in writing and ushering the grant through the NFF review process was critical. JCF’s efforts not only allowed Trail Mix to finish these bridges, but it lays the important groundwork for obtaining funds to complete renovation of the entire trail.
JCF’s efforts will improve Juneau trails and recreational opportunities for many years to come. We look forward to more work together on the TWD and other Juneau trails with them.
Trail Mix President Doug Scudder, Vice-President Ron Bressette, Treasurer Helen Hesson, Secretary Dave Haas, Jack Kreinheder, Rebecca Brooks, Samantha WIlson, Mark Pusich, Aidan Ling and Jamie Karnik.
Dave Haas,
Juneau
• Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL) would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the community of Juneau for making our 25th Anniversary Gala a wild success! Claire Richardson was fabulous as our MC and Sioux Douglas’ golden touch made for an elegant evening. Thank you to Vicki Van Fleet and Jim Noel for the wonderful musical interludes, to Glacier Photo Booth and Breeze In for bringing the fun and food, respectively, and to Mollie Carr and the Baranof for stepping up at the (almost) 11th hour to tend bar.
A special thank you to our media sponsors: Juneau Empire, Alaska Grafix and the Juneau Radio Center, and Commercial Signs and Printing for donating décor printing costs.
Of course, our annual gala would not be a success without the more than one hundred Juneauites and businesses who baked delectable desserts and donated many fine items for auction. Most notable were contributions from Alaska Airlines, Holland America Lines and Allen Marine Tours’ Alaska Dream Cruises.
And finally, we want to thank the hundreds of Juneau residents who joined us on Oct. 20th to celebrate 25 years of SAIL while honoring Kim Kiefer and Jeffra Clough for all their contributions towards making Juneau an accessible and inclusive community year-round for people of all ages and abilities.
Thank for helping us celebrating 25 years of independent living — here’s to 25 more!
Tristan Knutson-Lombardo,
SAIL Assistant Director
