Jake Bell and Macky Cassidy were married Saturday in the Haines Community Garden with a reception following at the Southeast Alaska State Fairgrounds. Jake’s sister Lauren Bell of Sitka officiated. Family and friends attended from Wasilla, Homer and the Lower 48. The reception featured local grilled sockeye, halibut and king salmon. Music was provided by the Great Alaska Bluegrass Band, with an enchanting late night candle dance put on by Haines women. Cambria Goodwin made a three-tiered cake and wedding rings were hand carved by Don Hotch. The newlyweds plan to celebrate their honeymoon with a caribou-hunting trip.
Ketch Jacobson is officially an airplane pilot. The 17-year-old completed his private pilot training this summer at Harvey Field in Snohomish, Wash. He’s traveled to Washington to train for a couple weeks at a time each year since he was 15. Preparation included hours studying and flying around Washington in a Cessna 152, he said. From Snohomish, he flew solo to Bellingham and Olympia. He passed a flight skills test, as well as written and oral exams. Ketch met his goal of becoming certified before his 18th birthday in November. His mother, Alison Jacobson, rode as a passenger on his official first flight as a certified pilot in Washington.
The Valley of the Eagles Golf Links is holding a golf fundraiser 9:30 a.m. Saturday as part of the Folds of Honor Foundation’s “change lives through the game of golf” initiative. The foundation provides scholarships to the family of soldiers killed or injured in service. On Labor Day weekend, golf courses throughout the country raise funds for Folds of Honor. The campaign, coined Patriot Golf Day, is supported by the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA). Haines’ event will include four-person teams competing in a scramble format. “You don’t have to be a good golfer to do it. It’s just a way to give back to military families,” said Kathy Pardee-Jones. You can form your own team or just show up, and organizers will place you on a team. Equipment rentals are available. For questions, call the golf shop at 766-2401.   
Haines Salvation Army is holding a faith-based, 12-step recovery program at 6 p.m. Friday. The program, “Celebrate Recovery,” will focus on issues including financial, medical, and relationship issues, as well as those relating to substance dependency, stress, pride, self-esteem, anxiety and depression. The meeting will also include music and refreshments. Future meetings will be discussed with those in attendance. For information, call local Salvation Army lieutenant Kevin Woods at 766-2470.    
Last Saturday’s golf fundraiser for Song Nash and family at the Valley of the Eagles drew 26 golfers to the course, said Kathy Pardee-Jones. The team of Mike Denker, Dave Canipe, Dan Harrington and Jenny Lyn Smith won the scramble. Others stopped by throughout the event to visit or donate. Song is receiving cancer treatment in Seattle. The family is very appreciative of the funds raised, said Pardee-Jones.
Lucy Shope of Denver came to Haines last week for Friday’s Mardi Gras party at the Fogcutter Bar. The annual party is organized by her friend Don Henagan of Baton Rouge, La. After hearing about Haines, Lucy decided to make the trip. In addition to attending the party, her five-day visit included taking a plane tour and participating in the Song Nash golf benefit. She also planned to hike or spend time on the beach.
Catholic Community Services executive director Erin Walker-Tolles was in Haines Monday and Tuesday, during which she visited Haines Assisted Living and the Haines Senior Center. Catholic Community Services provides services to Southeast Alaska communities. Based in Juneau, Erin is visiting the different sites, meeting with community partners, seniors and staff to see how well the communities’ needs are being met. Though services provided are mainly senior care-related, the nonprofit also supports child care programs throughout the region. Haines services include Senior Center transport and lunches, caregiver support, the child advocacy center and child care assistance. Catholic Community Services board member Vince Hansen showed Erin around town.
Phillip and Jean Austin of Peterborough, England, are in town visiting friends Jean and Ron Smith. The couples met in Haines in 1992, when tourists Phillip and Jean walked into the downtown Haines shop in which Jean Smith worked. Ron was also in the store. The couples hit it off, and the Smiths invited them over for dinner the next day. Since then, the Austins have visited the Smiths in Haines eight times; the Smiths have visited the Austins in England four times. “It’s an interesting, close friendship,” Jean Smith said. The current visit has included riding an all-terrain vehicle on Flower Mountain and in Kelsall Valley, hiking Battery Point, and spotting nine bears during a visit to Chilkoot. The Austins plan to tour more of Alaska and Canada before returning to Haines later in September.   
Haines Salvation Army lieutenants Kevin and Serina Woods gave Salvation Army majors Michael and Cindy Dickinson a tour of the local facility recently. The Dickinsons, based in Anchorage, are the new divisional commanders, in charge of all the Salvation Army establishments in Alaska. The stop in Haines was part of their trip through Southeast Alaska.