Jordan Baumgartner’s 6th grade class awards an individual or organization a citizenship award each year. This year, Krystal Lloyd received the award. Lloyd was instrumental to the community during the pandemic and December mudslides and landslides that displaced citizens, Baumgartner said. Lloyd told KHNS that growing up, her family needed support and she still remembers the people that helped them. She said, “I always wanted to be that person and strive to make my community a better place…that’s how I live my life and raise my (five) children.”
Lloyd’s name will be displayed in the class with previous winners to remind students about the valuable lesson of how to make your community a better place and the impact one person can make. Baumgartner said he teaches a unit on citizenship in health class and they discuss the importance of volunteering in your community and the characteristics of a successful person.
About 40 skiers of all ages turned out Sunday afternoon at 25 Mile Haines Highway for the annual Miles Klehini Classic ski outing, sponsored by the Haines Ski Club. Jim Stanford laid a new, 4K track to the Klehini-Chilkat confluence that morning, creating the season’s best conditions, skiers said. Dan Egolf donated door prizes and Ray Staska and Jane Pascoe helped organize the event, a tribute to longtime skier and track-setter Dennis Miles.
The McMahans first trip out of Haines in a year ended up being longer than they expected. Adam, Emily and their sons Finn and Micah traveled to Juneau and enjoyed delicious Juneau takeout, skied five days at Eaglecrest, went to Mendenhall Glacier and hiked on the Mount Jumbo trail. They were supposed to take the ferry late on March 16. Emily said, “After packing our truck like a Tetris game with dogs, ski gear, and Costco loot, we were called regarding the Matanuska ferry breakdown and cancelation. We ended up staying an extra two nights in a studio apartment with two kids and two dogs. It was tight, but we feel fortunate that it was not longer.” They arrived home just in time for Emily to go back to work. Fortunately, Adam had the whole week off.
Cindy Buxton is presenting a two-part Takshanuk Watershed Council Zoom lecture series “Intro to the Geology of Haines,” on March 25 and Thursday April 1.The talks are designed to give people a basic understanding of the geological processes that shaped Haines. The first in the series will be an overview and the second will focus on the rocks found in Haines, helping the public learn what kind of rock is under and above their homes. There will be a question-and- answer period following the talks. Visit https://www.takshanuk.org/ for the Zoom links.
The Haines Dolphin Swim Team hosted an official time trial for swimmers on March 22. During a normal season, swimmers participate in numerous time trials and swim meets. As with everything, this year has been different and consequently this was the first official timed event for swimmers. Parents and supporters were encouraged to volunteer to time as spectators were not permitted.
HDST Board President Rich Chapell said, “We just got a set of upgraded timing equipment so we were excited to try it out. Many thanks to the Rasmuson Foundation, Chilkat Valley Community Foundation, and Haines Dolphins swimmer families for funding the timing equipment and the new starting blocks.” After two years of interruptions due to the pool remodel and the COVID-19 restrictions, the Dolphins swim program is in the rebuilding phase. Currently 52 swimmers are enrolled, ranging from 5 to 16 years of age. The team is hiring for a head coach. Visit their website or email [email protected] for more information.
Diane La Course will be giving a talk titled “Sacred Places of Peru” as the third presentation in the Haines Public Library’s “Armchair Traveler Series” at 7 p.m. on March 31 via Zoom. Participants will travel to 17,000 feet elevation on Mount Ausangate in the Andes; to the famed Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and other places in-between. They’ll learn about the Quero Indians, descendants of the Inca, who connect with the spirits of the natural world, and discover the color and charm of local Peruvians. The new library lecture series “Armchair Traveler Series’’ aims to present talks about travels, journeys, and adventures made by locals. Anyone interested in giving a presentation next fall or who has ideas of people who might be interested in giving a talk about any sort of adventure, or journey, recent or otherwise, contact Cindy Buxton at 766-3802.