Friends of Michelle Fehlings are welcome to share memories at a gathering at 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30 at Port Chilkoot Distillery. Fehlings died July 8 in Hermann, Mo. Her ashes will be spread along Chilkoot River near the home she shared with her late husband Mick McCarter. Michele and Mick lived in Skagway for 14 years before moving to Haines in 2002, where Michele worked for Southeast Roadbuilders. Friends and former Haines residents Mary Giovanini and Margaret Sebens will be in town along with Trigg and Kathryn Render of Hermann. Mary lives in Yakima, Wash., with former Haines resident Kevin Lucas, and works as a librarian at Pacific Northwest University. Margaret lives in Juneau and works as a social worker at the Juneau Pioneer Home.
Amy Nash has taken a new ministry position serving displaced refugee families from Ukraine. She’s organizing “welcome circles” to care for refugee families entering Seattle. The circles are groups of five or more adults who agree to financially support immigrants through the federal United for Ukraine (U4U) process. For more information, go to [email protected].
The Hammer Museum last week received the donation of a contraband-probing hammer from friends at the U.S. Customs station at Dalton Cache. The non-sparking copper and aluminum hammer is used to tap tanks to discern contents inside. The tool unscrews to release a probe for extracting samples from objects possibly stuffed with prohibited goods or substances. Museum founder Dave Pahl said the tool adds to his collection of diagnostic hammers, including one used to test helicopter rotor blades for voids and delamination. Border agent Josh Price said the hammer was surplus and such tools are of greater use at southern ports of entry. Much of the contraband at Dalton Cache runs to produce from Canadian stores, he said.
Jackie St. Clair and Woody Pahl have named their son William Henry Pahl. Jackie said the name was inspired by William Henry Bay, a protected harbor south of Haines where Woody and other commercial fishermen find refuge in foul weather. William Henry was born on Aug. 26 in Haines.
Museums Alaska named Michael Marks of Haines its volunteer of the year during the statewide group’s annual conference last week in Valdez. Marks has served as a volunteer or board member for the American Bald Eagle Foundation, Haines Sheldon Museum, Arts Confluence of Haines, Foundation for the Chilkat Center for the Arts, Lynn Canal Players, Haines Tourism Advisory Board, Eldred Rock Lighthouse Preservation Association and Hammer Museum. A resident since 2009, Marks has volunteered as a greeter at the cruise ship dock for more than a decade. “I believe in this town,” he said this week.
Nineteen Haines School second-graders rode to the top of Takshanuk Mountain Trail on Wednesday for a cloudless view and lunch at the chalet there. Tour owners Barb and John Nettleton donated the trip and Mike Ward sponsored the excursion, staffed by volunteers Tiffany Thompson and Sabrina Harvey. Students were back in class by lunchtime, wearing new, fluorescent green T-shirts.
Sean Gaffney and Nicolette “Nikki” Roth were married on Aug. 6 aboard a fast ferry near Sawmill Falls in Taiya Inlet. The couple was surrounded by close friends and family members on the private excursion. Nikki is a forensic scientist for the state crime lab in Anchorage. Sean is the owner of Alaska Mountain Guides.
“Duke Most Wicked,” Haines author Lenora Bell’s ninth novel in the Duke series, was released by Avon Books on Tuesday. Copies will be available at The Bookstore on Main Street during First Friday events on Oct. 7.
More than 100 middle school runners from Juneau’s Floyd Dryden, Skagway, Petersburg, and Haines schools participated in the first Haines Junior High Invitational Cross Country Meet on Saturday. The three-kilometer course started at the high school track and looped to 1 Mile. Haines School Principal Lilly Boron said clearing skies and a favorable ferry schedule made the event a success. Now in its sixth year, the middle school cross-cross country program is led by coach Stojanka Lynch.
Greg Podsiki, his sister Mona Gagner, and his two pet dogs headed out of Haines two weeks ago in a camper, heading south with no certain destination or schedule. At press time they were in the vicinity of Jackson, Wyo. Melissa Ganey said her dad is posting photos of his adventures on his Facebook page under the title, “Where’s Grandpa Greg?” Greg and Mona have made stops for veterinary service and mechanical work.
A meal-train account has been set up to organize and cook dinners for Al and Crystal Badgley, who are scheduled to return to town Friday, Sept. 30. Al suffered a broken back on Sept. 16 in Nenana. To help out, go online to mealtrain.org.