Corwin Ziggy Sundberg was born 2:55 a.m. Sept. 2 to parents Kimberly and Scott Sundberg. Corwin weighed 8 lbs., 4 ozs. and measured 21 inches. Siblings Keegan and Sanona were both present to welcome Corwin at his arrival along with Kim’s mother, Cheryl Seyfert, who traveled from Liberty Lake, Wash. to be with the family. The Sundbergs arrived home in Haines Saturday.
Ultra-marathoner Kelly Hostetler endured torrential rain on the first stretch of her benefit run around the Golden Circle, which included 115 miles in three days out. She left from Skagway. “She’s wearing her old shoes. Her feet are so swollen, she can’t get them into her new shoes,” reports husband Les Hostetler. Kelly will be approaching town during the weekend, with a planned finish 4 p.m. Sunday at the Fort Seward barracks. Pledges to Hospice of Haines can be made at goldencirclerun.org. Vince and Jansy Hansen, Mike and Mary Jean Borcik, and Tim and Ann McDonough have provided support along the way. Don and Stacie Turner’s RV is adding a lot of comfort, Les said.
The story of Samuel McPhetres, father of former Haines school superintendent Steve McPhetres and grandfather of computer teacher Sam McPhetres, is told in a new publication titled, “He Wore the Shoes of a Fisherman: The Story of an Alaskan Minister Through the Eyes of the Community that Loved Him.” The book recounts memories contributed by the McPhetres family and Juneau residents from his tenure as presiding minister of Church of the Holy Trinity from 1948 to 1959. The idea for the book arose following the 2006 fire that destroyed the original Holy Trinity Church and McPhetres Hall. Copies are available through The Babbling Book in Haines. Proceeds benefit the church and the rebuilding of McPhetres Hall, which was named after Rev. McPhetres. Holy Trinity is spearheading a campaign to raise $100,000 by the end of June in order to receive up to $700,000 in matching funds from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and the Rasmuson Foundation.
Sisters Peg Genne, Susan Genne and Nancy Baker, with Nancy’s husband Ron Baker, were in Haines to research their great-grand-uncle, Haines pioneer William B. Stout. Nancy and Ron were previously in Haines in 2003 and 2005 for research at the Sheldon Museum. This summer Peg attended Heather Lende’s book reading in Portland, and met Sheldon Museum employee Nancy Nash, who encouraged her to visit. The sisters spent hours researching the museum archives during their visit. Stout came north from Oregon to Skagway in 1898 and moved to Haines in 1899. He lived in Haines until his death in 1926 and is buried at Jones Point Cemetery. Stout was postmaster from 1900 to 1907, U.S. Commissioner from 1902 to1905 and a practicing attorney in Haines. He was a charter member of the Arctic Brotherhood Camp 17, founded in 1904, and an elected trustee of the first Haines Chamber of Commerce, formed in 1909. Three of Stout’s daughters came to Haines and married local men. Daughter Anna Stout married H.M. Birkinbine, uncle of Elizabeth (Lib) Hakkinen.
Richard and LaVerne Schultz of Stillwater, Minn. spent a week in Haines visiting their son Dan Schultz and Heather Wetherbee. They enjoyed blueberry picking and an excursion into the Yukon Territory to Little Atlin Lake. They savored all the fresh seafood and garden vegetables and enjoyed seeing their new friends at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
It is not too late to get involved with the fall production of South Pacific. Call director Mark Sebens at 209-1256 if you’re interested in singing in the chorus or helping with costumes. South Pacific will be staged October 1-3 at the Chilkat Center. Lead roles include Margaret Sebens as Nellie and Dwight Nash as Emile.
Joan Snyder writes that longtime Haines resident and former public health nurse Vera Smith has moved into her new apartment at Branchlands Independent Living in Charlottesville, Va. Assisting 95-year-old Vera with the move were her daughter Mary (Sieg) Motkiewicz and friend Marie (Matsuno) Nash. Vera’s new address is: Branchlands Independent Living; 1300 Branchlands Drive, Apt C-3; Charlottesville, Va. 22901.
Members of the Friends of the Haines Borough Public Library are selling tickets for their annual raffle, scheduled for Oct. 13. The Friends have gathered over 35 prizes including gift certificates, art and handmade crafts. Get your tickets at the library or from a board member.
Glen Hart and DeeDee Thompson were married Aug. 28 at Chilkat State Park. Their out-of-town guests included DeeDee’s daughter and maid of honor Kimberly Thompson from Texas, mother Nancy Barker of Las Vegas, who escorted DeeDee down the path, stepfather Sam Barker of Las Vegas, who acted as marriage commissioner, and friends Deb Brown and Katie Aiken from Elko, Nev. Glen’s sisters Tammy Bowers and Brenda Lindstrom, along with nephews Mark Lindstrom, Garrett Bowers, and Decan Bowers and niece Rachel Bowers, attended from Port Orchard, Wash. Also on hand for Glen were uncle and aunt Fred and Fran Nagel of Wasilla and friend Mike Clark of Bremerton, Wash. Bob Piper was Glen’s best man.
A reception is planned at the library from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 to send off the May family as they embark on a new chapter in Petersburg. Ed and Milinda, along withtheir sons Isaiah, Elijah and Jeremiah, will make the move at the end of the month. The Mays are going to work for Christian radio station KRSA, which serves the region. Ed will be regional news director and Milinda will work as community outreach director. The Mays have lived here 11 years and have been involved in numerous community projects including the founding of the Haines Animal Rescue Kennel and the resurrection of the high school wrestling program. They hope to convert the Petersburg radio operation to a mobile studio and bring their work home to Haines after a year. The Mays will distribute signed copies of their audio CDs at Sunday’s reception and refreshments will be served.