Carpenter and Haines landowner David Walker took third place in the open division of the 2018 World of Wearable Art competition in Wellington, New Zealand last month. Walker used crescent-shaped blades of wood veneer to create his entry, “Ajaw Eamanom.” Walker started out making entries for Juneau’s wearable art show. He has been invited to the international design competition eight times. The contest included 147 garments from 44 nations.
Sue Libenson returned this week from trips to California and Europe for business and pleasure. In San Francisco, Sue and Ola Elvestuen, Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, hosted a zero-emission shipping roundtable at the Global Climate Action Summit, attended by international ministers, Oakland mayor Libby Schaaf and a representative of shipping giant Maersk. A highlight was cruising San Francisco Bay on the Enhydra, a 600-passenger electric-powered tour ship, with California governor, Jerry Brown, on board, signing climate legislation. Sue also saw mom Harriette Libenson in San Diego. In Europe, Sue and Bill Holton visited the Spanish island of Mallorca and the French resort town of Chamonix, home of Mount Blanc, Europe’s tallest peak.
Joan and Pete Degen recently traveled to Wisconsin to celebrate Pete’s dad’s 90th birthday. Their son, Murphy Degen and his fiancée Erika Stone from Juneau, also joined them on the trip. The family served brats for the celebration with Joan’s Alaska blueberry pies. Other meals included Wisconsin cheeses, venison, bluegills, hand-harvested wild rice pancakes and a variety of Wisconsin brews. “The weather broke for the day and half that we were there and the colors were at their peak. It was incredible to celebrate my dad’s birthday at his favorite place in the world, his cottage on Sawyer Harbor in Door County, which has been in the family for over 50 years,” said Pete.
Vanessa Salmon and her sister Brianna Baarson have returned from an overseas adventure. The former Phillips sisters went to Ireland for a few days and visited the cliffs of Moher and from there headed to Morocco where they explored Marrakesh and then headed to the Sahara Desert. There, they rode camels and camped in the desert for several nights. “Our nomad guide, Barack, guided us to the campsite in the desert and at midnight he brought us way up to a sand dune and we watched the stars, or as he would call it, life’s TV,” said Brianna.
Sarah Elliott and friend Hillary McNamara competed in the Oregon Coast 30K in in Yachats, Ore. on Oct. 13. Sarah placed 16th out of 250, with a time of 3:41:12, and was the third female to cross the finish line. Hillary finished 109th with a time of 4:42:39.
The Chilkat Forest Investigators held its annual mushroom dinner last week. Mario Benassi made his famous wild mushroom sauce with help from his wife Natalie Benassi. Mario also brought out a red-tailed hawk and spoke about the after school program, with students adding what they were excited to have learned so far about the ecology of the Chilkat Valley. Courtney Culbeck’s flourless chocolate cake drew the highest bid of the night in the dessert auction.
Haines School’s “Camp Read S’More” was the most well attended family night event yet with close to 300 students and family members participating. “Staff created fun activities including a graffiti wall, progressive story writing, Brain Gym, karaoke, Bananagrams, literacy charades, and more,” said Dean of Students, Kim Sundberg. A free lasagna dinner and s’mores were served. Librarian Leigh Horner donated new books from the book fair as ra e prizes. The evening also wrapped up the school’s fall book fair.
Chilkoot Indian Association recently received a Healthy is Here grant from SEARHC and used the funds for a number of projects for tribal members. “Orthopedic shoes for elders, woodstove chimney cleaning, indoor air cleaners, subsistence food gathering, hats, gloves and socks for those in need, and shoes for tribal member students and any other students in need,” said organizer and tribal administrator, Harriet Brouillette. Students were measured a few weeks ago for new shoes and now more than 60 kids in the community will be sporting new sneakers around town.
Former Haines resident Eleanor Hoag, 95, died Sept. 30 at Marcus Daly Hospice in Hamilton, Montana. Cremation has taken place and there will be no services. An obituary will be published in an upcoming CVN.
James Henry “Jimbo” Stevens died Tuesday at Haines Assisted Living; he was 70. Services are pending. An obituary will be published in an upcoming CVN.