Maveric Monroe Lapeyri was born at 1:24 a.m. on June 18 to Amelia and Marc Lapeyri in Juneau. Maveric weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces and was just under 21 inches long. He joins siblings Emmalee and Indiana.
Matt and Lilly Boron are back from a wonderful time on the big island of Hawaii with their daughters Hannah and Haley and extended family. The family traveled with Lilly’s sister Rose Lawthorne, husband Lance, and their kids. Lilly’s brother Victor Banaszak, his wife Ruth and their children also joined on the fun. Mackenzie Brodigan, Lilly’s niece from Portland, met them and also got the Big Island experience. Grandmothers Glenda Lawthorne and Gerry Sibley also kept up with the busy families. Lilly said the weather was beautiful on the Kohala coast north of Kona where they were staying but on the west side lava was taking over many residential areas and the National Park was closed. “One of our favorite nights was when we caught the opening of the Big Island Jazz and Blues Festival at the Red Water Café in Waimea,” said Lilly.
The American Bald Eagle Foundation held an open house Friday to showcase their new raptor center. Free hot dogs and lemonade were available and guests were able to place their handprint on a bald eagle painting that will be displayed in the center. Bird handler Sidney Campbell said, “We had a really great turnout. Our birds will sleep well tonight after all the excitement.”
This year’s North Words Writers Symposium drew about 40 participants to Skagway including Haines familiars Deborah Marshall, Mandy Ramsey, Joann Ross-Cunningham, Debi Knight-Kennedy and Dan Henry. Dan co-founded the symposium with Buckwheat Donahue and Jeff Brady nine years ago. “This was the best one I’ve been to. Pico Iyer, this year’s keynote speaker, was such an amazing person to connect with…the whole faculty was just fabulous,” said Debi, who has participated in the event six times in the past nine years. Faculty from Southeast also included Ray Troll and Emily Wall.
The Haines Hot Shots shooting club organized the annual Kids Fishing Derby on Sunday. “It’s a great time for families to come out and learn how to fish, especially for families that have come out of town for the bike race weekend,” said organizer Tim Holm. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game provided fishing poles and the Hot Shots offered prizes, including water bottles, flashlights, and ice cream coupons.
Jenny Lyn Smith broke the women’s golf record last week at Valley of the Eagles Golf Links with a score of 34. Toni DeWitt achieved the previous record of 36 in 2011 which Jenny Lyn also tied in 2013. Jenny Lyn was golfing with Shannon Willard, Marian Carlson and Tomi Scovill when she broke the new record. “Jenny’s third hit on a pair five, she was able to sink it in the hole from 80 yards,” said Shannon.
Filmmaker Brandy Yanchyk recently visited Haines aboard a Holland America ship to film for an upcoming PBS special entitled “Seeing America.” Tour company owner Joe Ordonez was hired to show her the best of Haines. The tour started at Chilkoot Lake, where they were lucky to arrive early enough in the morning to film a perfect reflection in the lake. Highlights included a visit to the eagle foundation where Sidney Campbell showed off a peregrine falcon, an interview with Dave Pahl at the Hammer Museum and a visit to the Haines Sheldon Museum where she interviewed Helen Alten. Brandy was so struck by the beauty of Haines that she said she plans on using some Haines footage to introduce the entire State of Alaska.
Carrie Valentine Durr completed her weaving apprenticeship with Lani Hotch just in time for the Jilkaat Kwaan Dancers to perform with the new Ravenstail Robe at Celebration in Juneau. The apprenticeship was funded by the Native Arts and Culture Foundation as part of their Mentor Artist Fellowship Program.