Vanessa and Ryan Salmon celebrated the arrival of their son, Oliver Flynn Salmon, on Tuesday Nov. 16. Oliver weighed 8 lbs., 15 ozs., and measured 22 inches long. Oliver was greeted by his big sister Sydney and grandmother Kim Phillips soon after his arrival. Oliver’s middle name, Flynn, means “son of the red-headed one” in Scottish. The family is happily home in Haines.
Lani and Jones Hotch traveled to Philadelphia, Penn. to visit the Louis Shotridge collection housed at the University of Pennsylvania in October. Shotridge collected Tlingit artifacts for the University from 1915 to 1932. Lani received a grant from the Rasmuson Foundation’s Individual Artist Project Award to cover her traveling expenses. She spent her time documenting archived woven baskets and blankets using digital photography. Lani plans to integrate new designs and techniques into her weaving projects this winter, including a local weaving class to be taught through UAS in January. The Rasmuson grant also allowed Lani to travel to Vancouver in July for the installation of her weaving entitled “Berries on Sunshine Mountain.” The piece is part of an exhibit at the Bill Reid Gallery entitled “Time Warp” that runs until January. Lani will return to Vancouver to retrieve the piece and deliver it to former Juneau resident Sonja Koukel, who purchased the weaving and currently lives in New Mexico.
Language Arts and Social Studies teacher Lisa Andriesen was awarded the Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award in September. The award recognizes outstanding National History Day teachers. Two teachers are selected from each state, representing the junior and senior divisions of National History Day competitions. Lisa works with junior division participants in 7th and 8th grades in Haines. Winners are honored for their commitment to student-led historical research and for creativity in the classroom that exceeds expectations. The award comes with a $500 cash prize.
The Women’s Christian Fellowship held their November meeting at the Salvation Army Chapel Nov. 13. Their annual harvest auction raised $1,500 for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets to be distributed to local families in need. Retired pastor Doris Peck spoke to the gathering about her experiences as a missionary. Doris served a mission in Liberia before moving to Alaska with her husband Don in 1977. The Women’s Christian Fellowship meets for a potluck lunch December 11 at the Haines Christian Center.
Bill and Libby Kurz celebrated their five-year wedding anniversary over Reubens at the Elks Lodge on Friday, Nov. 19. Libby was surprised with her favorite yellow cake with chocolate icing, baked by Janet Kurz and shared with the gathered diners at the Elks.
Debi Knight Kennedy’s essay, “The Beauty of Aging,” is featured in a collection of stories released this month. “This I Believe: On Love” is the third compilation of essays submitted to NPR for their “This I Believe” series. Debi worked with editor Mary Jo Gediman to polish the essay, which compares the humbling process of aging to the weathering of a soft seashell. John Gregory worked with Debi over speakerphone to record her essay at the KHNS studio in Haines. The essay can be heard online at http://www.thisibelieve.org. Search for “Debi.” Debi plans to carry the book at her gallery and hopes to have copies available at the next holiday bazaar. The experience inspired Debi to focus on her writing and work with professionals at a writing workshop at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, Calif. She teamed up with friends Cynthia Allen and Kerry Cohen for a road trip to California, and picked up Megan Sherman. The four attended separate workshops at the center, and also took time to visit the organic tomato farm where Megan is living with husband Matt Champol and son Cedar. The ladies ate “ridiculously good” tomatoes, and also saw Tod, Margaret and Bozhi Sebens, who passed through on their RV road trip.
The 20-foot spruce tree was raised at the Haines Borough Library Saturday in preparation for Friday’s 8th Annual Lighting of the Library at 7 p.m.. Rebecca and Jim Heaton donated the tree from their yard. Larry Jurgeleit, Rocky Hickman, Mark Jones and Jim Jurgeleit were among the crew of volunteers needed to transport the tree. At the library parking lot, Les Hostetler saw the work being done and offered the assistance of four Dawson Construction employees, including Coleman Stanford, to help maneuver the tree into place in front of the library’s three-story windows. Kate Maxwell arrived Friday from Seattle to lend her assistance with lighting preparations. Kate is working towards her master’s degree in teaching at University of Washington. The Lighting of the Library benefits the Friends of the Library and includes desserts, family crafts and a chance to don your holiday attire.
Kelly Hansen is volunteering at a residential boys’ school in Northern India through April. She arrived at the Shishya Community, located near the city of Dehra Dun, last Sunday following 40-plus hours of travel. Kelly will be teaching English to grades six, seven and eight and a life skills course for eighth graders. The Shishya Community is home to 45 orphaned or abandoned boys. The school has 470 students ranging from nursery to eighth grade. You can follow Kelly’s experiences through her blog at http://www.kellyinindia.blogspot.com.