Hugh James Rietze was born at 12:26 p.m. on May 14 at Juneau’s Bartlett Regional Hospital to parents Genny and Harry Rietze. Hugh was 8 lbs., 4 oz. and measured 21 inches. Grandparents are Hugh Rietze of Haines and Mary Rietze of Kodiak, and Jim and Randa Szymanski of Haines.
Nancy Nash will blow a conch-shell horn, crank a hand-held air-raid siren, beat on metal junk and make the call of an oriole on a Thai flute during a May 21 performance of “Inuksuit,” a percussion piece by composer John Luther Adams. Thirty-five musicians from Southeast will participate in the Alaska debut of the piece, an outdoor performance that allows audience members to file through the musicians while playing. The free performance caps the Juneau Jazz and Classics festival and begins 2 p.m. at the University of Alaska-Southeast Auke Lake campus. For the performance, Nash borrowed a conch trumpet from Lenise Henderson Fontenot and a siren from Jay Linhart she said is the “Stradivarius of air-raid sirens.”
Marjorie McWhorter of Juneau, who was in town for the opening of the Jilkaat Kwaan Cultural Heritage Center, took home the $1,000 jackpot at Friday’s bingo at the ANB Hall. On Sunday she won another $1,000, the maximum jackpot, at bingo in Juneau, said sister Alice Morris.
The Girls on the Run program held its end-of-season 5K at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds Saturday. Fourteen girls participated in the 5K: Lucia Chapell, Selby Long, Sally Chapell, Emma Dohrn, Rio Ross-Hirsh, Brooklyn DeWitt, Ila Nettleton, Jayda Beck, Camelia Bell, Ariel Long-Godinez, Grace Long-Godinez, Willow Bryant, Miranda Allen and Ashlyn Ganey (Ania Koverdan was also a part of the Girls on the Run program, but was out of town for the 5K). Coaches for the season were Sara Chapell, Jenn Walsh, Lexie DeWitt and Emily Files. Many of the girls ran with family or friends. The 12-week program met twice a week after school to talk about positive self-image, being a good friend, trying your best and other topics. Every year the girls complete a “community impact project,” and this year they sold baked goods and lemonade, raising $450 to be distributed among KHNS, the Haines Animal Rescue Kennel and the Chilkat Valley Preschool.
Gene Kennedy built an “Alaska-style” Buddhist prayer wheel for Stephanie Scott’s birthday. Alexandra Feit contacted Gene to commission the project, and Beth MacCready reached out to Scott’s friends to help crowd-source funds for the prayer wheel, which Kennedy made using an old hot water tank. Kennedy and Michael Smith installed the prayer wheel at Scott’s Mud Bay Road property on May 7. The user spins the prayer wheel, which is believed to increase positivity (good karma) and decrease negativity (bad karma).
Shelly Sloper recently received her doctorate in positive developmental psychology and evaluation from Claremont Graduate University in California. Her dissertation explored youth development and afterschool programs. Pam, Randy, Lyndsey and Ron Sloper attended the graduation ceremony, as did Keely Baumgartner, Piper Caposey, Jay Katzeek, Aubrey Cook and Shelly’s extended family from Wisconsin. Shelly is a senior evaluation associate at the Claremont Evaluation Center. She will spend the summer in Haines before relocating to the Pacific Northwest.
Head Start threw teacher/director Karen Bryant a retirement party Friday in honor of her 18 years of work at the organization. Judy Goenett gave a farewell speech, and Krystal Lloyd made Bryant a cake depicting a road, a reference to Bryant’s upcoming road trip. Bryant is planning to drive her RV to Delta Junction for an art class, and then continue to Michigan. The retirement party was shared by Head Start teacher aide Yuko Hays, who recently left the position after nine years.
Events Sunday celebrated the life of Erma Schnabel. A memorial service at the Haines Presbyterian Church included longtime friends Gladys Meacock of Anchorage delivering the eulogy and Cathy Pashigian of Juneau singing “Ave Maria” and “O Sole Mio.” Daughter Sandra Schnabel of Oakland, Caif., shared prayers she had recited with Erma shortly before her death. Erma’s son Roger Schnabel and grandsons Payson and Parker also attended. After the service, Erma’s niece Jan Farmer served dinner at the Haines Senior Center, where guests enjoyed crostini, lasagna, huckleberry ice cream and a variety of imported Italian cookies. From there, the guests headed to the ANB Hall to play bingo, where Sonny Williams won the “blackout” jackpot.
The Chilkat Valley Preschool had beautiful weather for its “May Day Community Celebration” at Tlingit Park on Saturday. Nearly 100 attendees dined on hot dogs provided by the preschool and desserts made by board members and teachers. Renee Hoffman made kettle corn, Natalie Benassi painted faces, and the Men of Note sang songs. Guests also danced around a maypole erected by Merrick Bochart, Joey Jacobson and Yuko and Ed Hays.
The Haines Dolphins Swim Team gathered at Tlingit Park Sunday for their end-of-season cookout and potluck. Awards were distributed for Most Improved (Garrison Del Prete), Most Spirited (Rio Ross-Hirsh), Best Sportsmanship (Brennan Palmieri) and Iron Dolphin (Lucia Chapell). Board president Jim Green is recruiting board members, who will be elected at the annual meeting this fall.