A group of Haines High School alumni got together for a hike and snowshoe up Mount Ripinsky between Christmas and New Year’s. They included Fran Daly, Teslyn Visscher, Quinn Asquith-Heinz, Chandler Kemp, Tristan Sebens, Anna Jacobson, Christine Hansen and Elena Horner.
Austin Badger, home from Santa Barbara City College, teamed up with brother Jordan and Zeke Frank to hunt for Pixie lures along Chilkoot River. They got about 40. Austin also has been snowboarding at Eaglecrest and the hill beside his family’s house, shoveling snow and hauling wood since he’s been home, said mom Jessie Badger.
Andrius Pasiunas, a Lithuanian college student who worked a summer in Haines, reported seeing Kenny Waldo and Chris Hlavacek on Discovery Channel’s “Gold Rush” at his hometown of Vilnius. Andrius is studying structural engineering and spent three months here on a work and travel program. Pasiunas and a Lithuanian buddy stayed with the Waldo family and made a library presentation on their nation gaining independence from the Soviet Union. “We got real attached to them,” said Carol Waldo. They also said they found Joe Parnell’s “Snowmobiling in Haines” video on YouTube.
The Haines Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp #5 recently held officer elections. Leading the organization are Mary Lekanof, president; Laverne Bryant, vice-president; Carol Lawrence, secretary; Georgiana Hotch, treasurer; Robin Benner, sergeant-at-arms; and Peggy Ormasen, second sergeant-at-arms. Council members include Paulina Phillips, Marilyn Wilson and Leanne Converse. Lekanof is the daughter of Judson Brown.
Luke Hedrick and Sam Fink were in Haines for the holidays, visiting Luke’s dad and mom, John and Bonnie Hedrick. They enjoyed snowshoeing and sleeping in during their two-week visit.
Craig and Sheri Loomis enjoyed Christmas dinner with Fran and Roger Tuenge. The Loomis kids, Erica and Cody, spent the holidays in California with their respective families. Erica and husband Kris and daughter Baylee, 11, and son Clayton, 9, were in Palm Springs. Cody, wife Marlie, and son Grayson, 2, spent the holiday in Davis.
When Miki Atkins realized Ransom Russell, Caroline Lundberg and Carla Earnest all shared a birthday Jan 5, she knew a celebration was in order. About 30 friends and family turned out for the party Saturday at the Chilkat Restaurant, which featured music by the local classic rock band Irish Lords.
Jonathan Moore was back in town during the holidays, his first visit in about five years. An engineer and naval architect based in Port Townsend, Wash., Moore was here designing some equipment for brother Josh Moore’s fishing boat. Daughter Anabel, 7, was in tow. She’s the oldest of Josh and wife Laura’s three daughters, including Arden and Ayla. Jonathan’s mom Pam Moore reports daughter Dr. Joanna Walker gave birth last week to her fourth son, Elijah David. Joanna and husband John Walker III also have sons John IV, Malachi and Danny.
C.J. Jones notched another summit last fall in her quest to top the tallest points in all 50 of the United States. She joined Jim Phillips for a hike up New York’s Mount Marcy, a 5,343-foot peak in the Adirondack High Peaks region near the town of Keene. Phillips and Jones were students in a Wilderness Advanced Life Support class offered in Haines last year. While in the Adirondacks, Jones returned to nearby Lake Placid, where she had attended the 1980 Winter Olympic Games. The Olympiad is famous for the “Miracle on Ice” victory of an amateur U.S. hockey team over the Soviet Union, but Jones said she best remembered ski jumping. “You could see that for free.” Jones has about 10 peaks remaining to become a “high pointer.” She bagged highest points in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota last spring. Jones said other trip highlights were her grandmother’s 99th birthday in Farmington, Maine, and a visit with former residents Jim and Kathy Hibbard in Pompton Plains, N.J.
American Bald Eagle Foundation operations manager Cheryl McRoberts said 30 wall tiles have been sold at the foundation to fund creation of the totems at the foundation entrance. Tiles cost $100. For more information, contact McRoberts at 766-3094.