The Haines Triple Threat middle school basketball tournament went on although Juneau teams were unable to participate after Friday’s ferry cancellation. Coach Tiffany DeWitt of the Haines girls’ team said, “I was proud that the younger girl’s teams stayed all within 10 points of their opponents, especially since, for some, this was their first tournament.” Lori Giddings and Fran Daly helped coach the Haines girls’ team. “I thought the best part of the weekend was that all the kids got to play in a lot of games. All the kids showed tons of improvement from the beginning of the year,” said boys coach Kyle Fossman. Chris Dixon and Tyler Swinton assisted the boys’ teams. Interim Community Youth Development director Jess Giddings helped schedule the games and managed the referees.
Amelia Nash made a trip down south and overseas. She visited friend and Haines High alumna Sara Fisher in Seattle. “She is eight months pregnant and I got to go to the ultrasound with her,” said Amelia. After the visit she spent a week in Brussels reconnecting with her old Belgian friend, Bieke Heene, a fellow exchange student in Hungary in 1992-93. “I saw tons of good museum exhibits, including a show at the Museum of Costume and Lace celebrating the backs of dresses,” she added.
Tod and Margaret Sebens have returned from a month-long trip. They first stopped in Fayetteville, N.C. for their daughter Bozhi’s wedding to Daniel Dellinger on Jan. 11. Alaskan or ex-Alaskan friends and family that attended were Jordan Stigen, Jane and Pete Mores, Mark Sebens, Michelle Drucker, Steve Williams, Katherine Haigh Arends, and Holly and Gavin Gorsuch. “We all had a blast the day after the wedding piling into my parents’ van and taking a tour of my childhood since I grew up in Fayetteville,” said Margaret. Tod and Margaret then went to Tokyo and Vietnam. “In Tokyo, we visited our exchange student Kaoru Okada and were treated to a day of dress-up in traditional kimonos, a ride on the high-speed train and a stay at a traditional Japanese hotel at a hot springs resort,” Margaret said. Highlights of Vietnam included the kind people, street food and biking through the villages of the Mekong Delta. They were amazed by the swarm of motor scooters and the crazy traffic with no apparent rules.
Teri Bastable-Podsiki and daughters Melissa Ganey, Kaitlin Combs, with 8-monthold son Tanner, and Teslin Podsiki spent a warm and sunny vacation in Salyulita, Mexico. The ladies spent just over a week enjoying lots of beach days and delicious food. “Highlights were renting a golf cart for the day and cruising around town and also a boat trip with Alley Cat Tours. We snorkeled, paddle-boarded, and even swam to shore to check out the national park and beach,” said Melissa. The group was surprised to see Darsie Culbeck and son Griffin on the same flight to Mexico and around Salyulita.
The Alaska Arts Confluence had its first Inside-Out Workshop last weekend. Artist Kelleen Adams demonstrated a mosaic assemblage of the Tree of Life with black canvas, Mod Podge, and different kinds of paper. “We had a wonderful time, it was so neat to see people leave with their piece and be proud of their work,” said Kelleen. The workshops were made possible by a grant from the Alaska State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Sylvia Heinz and her daughter Lucy traveled to her great-grandfather’s 90th birthday party in San Diego and visited with cousin Zayla Heinz in Portland, Ore. “The boys stayed home so Sage could hang with his preschool friends and Chad Bieberich could continue logging. Chad rocked the daddy thing, and I haven’t made a lunch since I got back, which is totally amazing,” Sylvia said.