Steve and Jamie Knudsen welcomed daughter Madyson Paige on July 8. She was born in Juneau with grandmother Shari Wallers, aunt Jeanette Baker, both of Haines, and Aunt Sue Carson of Juneau present. The family returned to Haines on July 10 and was welcomed home by siblings Amber, age 7, and Hayden, 4. “Everybody is doing great,” Jamie said. “Madyson is fitting in really well.” Grandmother Nola Jean is coming from Florida this week to visit Madyson – now the youngest of 24 grandchildren for Nola.

Nick and Helen Mooney welcomed their new son, Lane Stuart, on June 17. Lane weighed in at 9.6 pounds and 22 inches long. Nick’s family in Juneau was at the hospital when Lane was born, as was Helen’s sister, Melinda Cook from Petersburg. The family’s three dogs are accepting the addition of Lane into the household, Helen said. “Lane’s doing great and is healthy,” she said. “He’s already up to 10 pounds!”
Janie (Blood) Hall and her two daughters Natalie and Gracie were visiting Jerry and Barb Blood. Grandma Barb said that Natalie enjoyed the moose and reindeer at the wildlife park. The Blood’s daughter-in-law Holly (Wing) Blood, Peter and Michelle Wing’s daughter, and her two daughters Taylor and Makenna drove from Fairbanks with Michelle’s sisters Cathy Witherspoon and Dana Ward from North Carolina. Tom Spencer took the family to Sea Lion Rock on his boat, and they are enjoying seafood and local tours. The Wings are being treated to southern fried chicken.   
Terry and Bonnie Sharnbroich are home from a visit to Fairbanks where they went to meet their newest grandson, Brian Kimoni, born on July 4, to Jeff and Tiffanni Sharnbroich.  Brian joins brothers Christian, KJ and Sidney.­ While in Fairbanks, Terry also watched Tyler Swinton play basketball. Tyler was named to the Alaska Flight All Star Team and is headed to Las Vegas and Anaheim to play in tournaments in front of college scouts.
 Barbara Pardee reports that her mom, Irene Ward, is recuperating in Seattle after two surgeries to repair a broken leg. She would enjoy hearing from friends. Her address is 1206 NE 123rd Street, Seattle, WA 98125.
Jacque and Ron Horn went to Katmai National Park recently with college friends Dave and Vicki Gresham of Merced, Calif. They spent six days on the Coastal Explorer, a 65-foot boat run by Chuck Keim and visited Hallo Bay, Geographic Harbor and Kukak Bay. “Every day we took a skiff from the boat to shore to watch and photograph bears, eagles, puffins, loons, cormorants, harbor seals, kittiwakes, and more,” Ron said. He intends to use several images from the trip in his upcoming exhibit that opens at the Sheldon Museum on August 12.
Don’t forget fair volunteers who take a four-hour shift get a free day-pass. Call the fair office at 766-2476. Every year volunteers drive the train, man the carousel and ferris wheel and organize the kids’ stage, among other duties.

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