The participants from this summer’s Kenyan mission trip gathered at the Haines Presbyterian Church Friday evening to share their experiences. The students and adults shared stories, photographs and video that reflected the moving and intimate experience of living among Kenyan villagers for a month. Hannah Wing spoke of the humbling experience of being served by the villagers who prepared meals and heated water for them every morning. Mark Jones showed pictures and video from the “Alaska House” building project, which will house a new clinic to provide basic medical care. The group donated the remainder of their travel money to the project at the end of their trip. Now they’ll send an additional $2,500 to help complete the project. At a reception following the presentation, African tea and coffee was served. The coffee beans were harvested from the same trees that Haines participants helped pick while in Kenya. Mountain Market roasted them.n.
Ramona Holmes enjoyed a visit from her sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Delmar Johnson, from Salem, Ore. They spent time fishing, picking cherries and raspberries and smoking salmon. “Donna’s welcome anytime she wants to bring the sunshine,” Ramona said.
Curt Marceau left Haines after eighth grade in 1973 but he hasn’t forgotten the friends he made here. Curt and his family, wife Cindy and children Carleigh, Jake and Jenna, traveled from their home in Denver, Colo. for a visit this week. They caught up with many of Curt’s former classmates including Craig Jones and his family, Randa Szymanski and Bruce Spencer. Chuck and Mardy Correa came up from Juneau for the occasion.
Maryellen Summer was in Haines for a week to look after the Summer Inn while manager Jenty Fowler was taking a vacation in Montana. She made it to the town picnic Sunday before heading back to her home in Soldotna.
Denise Baker is looking forward to a visit from her mom and dad, Herb and Priscilla Reeves, who will be in Haines August 23-27. Herb and Priscilla, who now live in Arizona, would love to catch up with old friends while they are in town. Call Denise at 314-0172 to get in touch.
Tiffany DeWitt received her associates degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Alaska Southeast in May. She will continue her education through the fall of next year to obtain a K-3 endorsement from Prescott College.
Luke Van Marter completed his year as young adult volunteer with the Haines Presbyterian Church and was honored at a going-away potluck Sunday. Luke heads back to Louisville, Ky. before packing up for his freshman year of college in Chicago. During his stay Luke volunteered in the Sunday school, wrote puppet scripts for the youth ministry, played guitar at Sunday youth group and worked at Rainbow Glacier Camp.“He’s become important to a lot of people,” said Pastor Ron Horn.
Friends Ben Kulo and Melissa Browning of Brooklyn, N.Y. spent a week in Haines. Ben and Michael Ahmuty are friends from college. The Ahmutys took the visitors out to Glacier Point for a spectacular Saturday tour and mayor Jan Hill invited the pair to join in the picnic and centennial photograph Sunday.
Patricia Peters had a full house this summer while daughter Trinity Huffman, and her family were in town from Whitewright, Texas. Trinity and husband Jeremy drove up with their sons Michael, Scott and Zander in June. They visited with Trinity’s dad Dave Peters, who is working in Fairbanks this summer, and also saw school friend Karen Busby in the Golden Heart City. They headed down to Anchorage where they saw Jeremy’s brother Ray Huffman, and to Juneau to catch up with Trinity’s brother, Lando Peters. Lando, wife Elsie and their son Daniel made a trip up to Haines while their cousins were visiting parents Bruce and Jenny Lyn Smith. Patricia is also hosting longtime friend Sandy Longney, who lives in Australia.
Harriet Brouillette sent word that her father, Charles Brouillette, was medevaced to the Virginia Mason Hospital last week with congestive heart failure. His doctor has installed a pacemaker and Charles seems to be responding well. While at the hospital to support Charles, the family’s 24-year-old niece, Merri Davis, was admitted to Virginia Mason with a deteriorated pulmonary artery. Merri is the daughter of Judy Davis. Cards may be sent to Charles c/o Life Care Center of Kirkland, 10101 Northeast 120th Street, Kirkland, Wash. 98034.