Ava Jade Stanford was born to Amber Long and Coleman Stanford on June 4 at the Family Birth Center in Juneau surrounded by siblings GraceAri’el and Oryn. Ava weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was 21 inches long.

Tyler Thomas and Teresa Jeans were married on Saturday at hole number four at the Valley of the Eagles Golf Course. A reception was held afterward at the Gathering Place lodge on Lutak Road. The wedding party included best man Nathan Piper, with groomsmen Bryce Powilson, Garrett PhillipsJack Flory and Tyler’s brother Josh Thomas. The maid of honor was Amanda Hotch with bridesmaids including Teresa’s sister Jordan JeansSienna RedmondAri and Sara Marquardt and Kayla Miller.

Mike Ward with Outfitter Sporting Goods has donated 40 pairs of new Nike shoes totaling $1,500 to the nonprofit organization Soles4Souls. “The shoes will be sent to people who have suffered from natural disasters,” said Mike’s daughter Caroline Bangs. Soles4Souls creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world.

Doug Olerud was awarded an honorary lifetime membership of the Haines Sportsman’s Association. Board members Will HickmanCheryl SticklerCharlie DeWitt and Rocky Hickman surprised Doug at his store last week with a framed certificate. “I can remember helping at the dock during the Haines Sportsman’s King Salmon Derby when I was 10 years old as a scout. I’ve been involved for a long time,” Doug said. He has helped the organization with membership and volunteer work for 30 years. “Last weekend he brought his loader and dump truck out and helped us at the range for over six hours,” Charlie said.

Ken and Judy Ewald have returned from a trip to South Africa along with Judy’s brother Scott Berry and her sister-in-law Judy Netteland. The group traveled to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe but spent much of their time on safari in South Africa seeing a wide variety of wildlife. “Being surrounded by about 15 wild elephants was my favorite, but a big bull elephant backed us away. All in all, it was just a great trip,” Judy Ewald said.

Adam McMahan, wife Emily and sons Finn and Micah traveled to Lexington, Kentucky earlier this month to attend the wedding of Adam’s dad, Matt McMahan, to Tish Platt. Finn, Micah, and their cousin Kathryn McMahan walked Tish down the aisle. After the celebration, they took Adam’s grandmother Barbara Mabry to Wears Valley in the Smoky Mountains with Emily’s mom Becky Davidson. The group then ventured to Nashville, Tennessee to stay with Emily’s parents. They visited cousins from Dothan, Alabama and met one-year-old niece Charlotte Hayes. Emily caught up with high school friends and dined on oysters at her friend, chef Julia Sullivan’s, new Nashville restaurant Henrietta Red. “Adam and I survived jet lag, cranky kids, and 90-degree temps with coffee, trail runs, Indian food, and beer from my brother Sam Davidson’s store, Nashville Daily Spirits,” Emily said.

Gary Jacobson has returned from a three-week trip Outside and picked up a new camper along the way. He visited friends from Yellowstone National Park and went to Crater Lake, Grand Teton, Glacier, and Waterton Lakes, Banff and Jasper national parks. He also visited several national forests, state and provincial parks, before traveling back up the Alcan and Cassiar Highway. He said he hopes to take another trip later in the summer to explore more of Alaska.

Haines High alumna Lizzy Jurgeleit has moved to Juneau to work for North Wind Architects. Lizzy previously worked in Haines and has an interior design degree from Washington State University.

Alexis Trout and her daughter Tia are home from a 12-day family vacation. In Sacramento, they met up with close friend and former resident Faith Oddo. “We went to the Sacramento Zoo where Tia and my mother June Miller were able to feed a giraffe. My favorite part was seeing the orangutans. On our last day there we drove to Santa Cruz and spent the day on the boardwalk beach. We enjoyed the sun and sand, even though we left a little pink and with sand everywhere,” Alexis said. After, they flew to Idaho where they were able to spend time with aunts, uncles and cousins Alexis hadn’t seen in many years. They attended her cousin Brenda Jay Dibley’s baby shower and ventured to Shoshone Falls where Alexis attended many family functions as a child. The two are happy to be home after making some fantastic memories, Alexis said.

Author