Janet and Jim Hayes drove to Anchorage with just more than 1,000 pieces of clothing and 59 pairs of shoes for their annual “blessings trip.” They donated the truckload of unsold items from La Loft to the Brother Francis Shelter and a family in Tok that lost their home to a fire. “It’s pretty heartbreaking,” Janet said. “Being homeless in Alaska would be extremely hard.”
Scott Rossman recently returned from his dad’s memorial service in New York. “My dad died in the house that he was born in 87 years ago. Not many people do that,” he said. Rossman’s dad, Ralph D. Rossman, was a farmer from Almond, New York, who enjoyed hunting and fishing, beekeeping, and making maple syrup. The trip was Scott Rossman’s first venture through Juneau since 2012 and his second trip through TSA in 20 years. “Either the seats got smaller or I got bigger,” he said.
The Haines Presbyterian Church hosted its traditional Valentine’s Tea on Saturday. Initiated in 1970 by Miriam Cameron, the annual event was well attended by a demographic spanning babies to elders in their 90s. Attendees sipped tea from fine china and antique teacups donated through the years by church members. “It’s a time to sit and visit while enjoying lovely little treats,” said Shannon McPhetres. Live piano music was performed by Bill Annis.
Eight people joined Inner Tube Water Polo at the Haines Borough Pool two weeks ago, and that number grew to 12 for the second game last Saturday. Lifeguard Jessie Adams Weinert is organizing with the help of pool manager RaeAnn Miner. No experience is necessary to join the games happening every Saturday, 1-2 p.m. Games are open to anyone over 12 years of age.
The Haines women’s basketball players spent a wild weekend at the Yukon Lights Out basketball tournament in Whitehorse. “We suffered multiple injuries, played a game with only four players and encountered a team of professional basketball players from Vancouver” said player Keely Baumgartner. “Just another example of how our community is so amazing and I’m super proud to call Haines home and these people my family.” She said the most inspiring part of the weekend was watching two Haines women who happened to be in Whitehorse join the game. “Neither of these women have ever played basketball before but they were so brave and went for it!” she said.
Jeff Haisler, who helped operate Haisler’s Hardware in Haines for decades, is working at DeHart’s in Juneau. Jeff said he enjoys seeing Haines friends and has apartment #1 overlooking Auke Bay above the store. He plans to return to the Chilkat Valley next summer.
Seth Waldo is working aboard the pollock trawler Ocean Rover in the Bering Sea. He spent time in Seattle preparing the 200-foot ship, then headed to Dutch Harbor. The American Seafood vessel off-loaded its first catch Jan. 29. Grandmom Carol Waldo tracks Seth’s ship by GPS on her computer. Seth plans to work as a sportfishing guide in Haines this summer.
Betty Ewing, Alice Kasko, Alice’s daughter Denise and granddaughter Alicia got trapped in the elevator aboard the new ferry Tazlina before the vessel was sidelined for “warranty repairs.” The group was disembarking in Juneau when the elevator doors closed, then wouldn’t open. “We were in there a good 15 minutes,” Ewing said. “Nobody panicked but we were pushing all the buttons.” Ewing said ferry workers eventually opened the doors with a crowbar.
Carol Duis said Haines Alaska Native Sisterhood members didn’t have go far to find a sign for Tuesday’s ferry rally. In the basement of the Haines ANB Hall, they found a cardboard ship they had created in 2013 for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Alaska Marine Highway, marked in Haines by a docking of the ferry Malaspina at the Port Chilkoot Dock. Duis is treasurer of the Haines ANS.