The Juneau Sister Cities committee would like to once again thank the community of Juneau for welcoming the Royal Canadian Mounted Police from our Sister City Whitehorse, in the Yukon Territory, when they marched in the Fourth of July Parade.
Our Honor Guard from the Juneau Police Department had just returned from Canada’s 150th birthday celebration in Whitehorse, where they helped commemorate Canada’s independence, demonstrating cooperation and goodwill between the two Sister Cities and law enforcement.
As always, the Juneau parade watchers were delighted to see the RCMPs marching once again near the beginning of the parade and the RCMPs were delighted to see downtown Juneau from a residents’ point of view. The members of the Sister Cities Committee who were marching with the RCMP gave a running commentary on the buildings and historical sites along the parade route. Many comments were shared from the crowd, “We love Canada,” and strains of “Oh, Canada,” reached the ears of the marchers.
We would like to extend a thanks to Mayor Ken Koelsch, then- Police Chief Bryce Johnson and Assistant Chief, now Chief, Ed Mercer from the JPD, who greeted the RCMP. Minister John Streiker, who has traveled to Juneau several times before while a Whitehorse Councilman, also celebrated the Fourth of July with our community. Unfortunately, Mayor Curtis of Whitehorse was unable to travel due to a death in the family. Also, a thank-you to Lt. Kris Sell, who met the marchers at the end of the parade and escorted them to the harbor boat waiting to take them to Douglas and a barbecue at the Douglas Methodist Church. Lt. Sell also arranged for a gathering of Alaskan food and refreshments before the RCMPs and the minister boarded their plane heading home to Whitehorse.
Donations gift bags were given to the RCMP by University of Alaska Southeast and filled with presents from Taku Smokeries, the Alaskan Brewery, the Alaskan Fudge Company and committee member Barbara Burnett. A special thanks goes to the Parade Committee and especially Jean Sztuk, for warmly welcoming the RCMPs each year with memorial plaques.
We are also grateful to KINY and KTOO, who gave us the opportunity to talk about this visit and explain the Sister Cities’ activities in Juneau.
The connections between the JPD and Whitehorse RCMP continue to be strengthened by these visits, and the community of Juneau richly welcomes our neighbors and Sister City. Our relations with our Sister Cities are important to connecting citizens of Juneau with the rest of the world. Thank you Juneau for being such a welcoming community.
Susan Baxter
Co-chair Sister Cities Committee, Advisory Committee to the Juneau Assembly
