Ralph and Jan Borders are home after a long visit to see family down south. They left on Nov. 15 to spend a couple of weeks in the Bellevue area of Seattle with Jan’s sons, Lars Larson and Erik Larson with their wives Laura Larson and Melissa Larson and four children combined. The couple celebrated their second wedding anniversary on Nov. 23 at the Hyatt Regency on Lake Washington, spending a couple of nights at the hotel. Ralph, Lars, and Eric enjoyed hiking together and gear testing as they plan to hike the Wonderland Trail next September, which is 93 miles and encircles Mount Rainier.
After celebrating Thanksgiving they headed to San Diego to spend time with Jan’s daughter Ingrid McCaslin with her husband Aaron McCaslin and their four children. Picking lemons, grapefruits, oranges and avocados from Ingrid’s trees in the sunny weather was a highlight. They were thrilled to celebrate Beau Denley’s first birthday. Beau is their youngest grandchild, named for Jan’s late husband. Jan said, “The kids just love their Papa Ralph and he is enjoying being a grandfather.”
Local K-12 art teacher Giselle Miller created a print titled, “Braided Maiden” in memory of fellow teacher Jenae Larson and David Simmons. The print was created from an image taken in the spring of 2020 of the Chilkat River- Takhin section from about 8 to 10 Mile Haines Highway. She used topography maps and satellite images as tools to create the print. She sold the prints at $55 each: 60 in Haines, 40 in Juneau, 10 in Whitehorse, and the remaining 20 were shipped outside. Alaska Litho in Juneau generated the prints and generously contributed to the packaging. An anonymous Juneau donor covered the shipping costs of the prints. Giselle donated all the proceeds to the gofundme accounts of the families of Jenae and David.
You can buy Giselle’s prints locally at Ampersand Gallery where she will have more “Braided Maidens” for purchase in the coming months.
The Haines Borough School District is on winter break. Students will return to school on January 5- virtually. Live classes will resume on Jan. 11 to provide time for staff and families to follow school and borough COVID-19 travel guidelines if they chose to leave the community of Haines for the holidays.
Superintendent Roy Getchell wrote to school families on Dec. 18, “Well, the semester has ended in what has certainly been a difficult season of life. We planned, worked, and grieved side by side. Through all of these experiences come resolve and resilience, as our shared focus is the importance of our children and the role that school plays in their lives.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for all of your support, trust, and grace this year. While the work has not been easy or perfect, the bottom line is that we are entering the break without having closed due to COVID-19. This is an accomplishment that few school districts share, but it is just how “we roll” in Haines. Some of our community’s very best moments occurred during some of its most difficult times.”
Skiing has been great at 25 Mile. Jim Stanford has been laying track for all to enjoy and is working toward a 10-mile loop. Skiers report terrific ski conditions. Deb Stanford encourages persons to call their home at 767-5558 for a condition report and to volunteer. Travis Russell had been helping out, but due in an injury he is not currently able to work alongside Jim. Deb said, “The river has moved and so Jim is out there investigating new areas to lay track and it’s much safer if someone is with him.”
Sheri and Craig Loomis are at it again. The Today Show called them back and they will be aired at the beginning of the show on Christmas morning showing a white Christmas that was previously recorded. Sheri said she included a shout out to Haines in the recording. This will be their third time on The Today Show.
Tom Morphet found big cities eerily empty during a recent solo bicycle trip through Midwest states and Arizona. Tom biked portions of historic Route 66, starting in downtown Chicago, Ill. plus half of the Katy Trail, a rails-to-trails path that spans Missouri. Early snows pushed him south. His 500-mile tour included biking through St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo., Tucson and Phoenix and visiting tallgrass prairie preserves near Elwood, Ill., and Strong City, Kans. Along the way he visited friends and former residents Mike Van Note, Amy Branner and Jamie Ackley. In Sierra Vista, Ariz., Tom played Mr. Mom for Jimmy Buckley and sons Luke and Elias when real mom Jamie Buckley flew to Anchorage to help her mom Linnus Danner. Danner broke her leg in a fall in late October.