Eileena Socorro Sickman was born on May 25 at 8:18 a.m. in Juneau to Socorro and John Sickman. Baby Eileena joins sister Frida, and proud father John said they are enjoying their little angel very much. Randa Szymanski is starting a meal train for them through Haines Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Contact her to sign up.
Julia Long and Noah Vaden were married May 18 at Haines Christian Center. Julia’s matron of honor was Betty Conklin and bridesmaids included Jackie St. Clair, Kirsten Long, and Sierra Vaden. Noah’s best man was William Biggs, and groomsmen included Al Giddings, Manny Hansen and Gavin Long. The reception was held at the American Legion Hall.
Eli White graduated from Brown University on May 27 with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science. Dad Russ White and sister Max White traveled to witness his special day along with his grandparents Lloyd and Virginia White and aunt Sandy White and her husband Nathan Hardee, and uncle Paul White. Eli will be in Haines in July and August to hike, backpack and relax with his parents before heading to Redmond, Washington in the fall to start a job as a software engineer with Microsoft.
Melissa Ganey was recognized for her 11 years of service on the Chilkat Valley Preschool Board at their preschool graduation last week. Melissa has volunteered countless hours with the school and started on the board when her oldest daughter Taylor Ganey, who is now in high school, entered preschool.
Serena Badgely graduated last weekend from Valparaiso University in Indiana with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science. Parents Al and Crystal Badgely attended the graduation ceremony along with Crystal’s parents, Monroe and Barbara Hunsberger, who came from Pennsylvania. Serena plans to start graduate school in August at Pacific University. After the visit, Al and Crystal traveled to Spokane, Washington where they visited son Hunter Badgely who also graduated last week with a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling from Gonzaga University.
A “Hang with Dr. Michelle Oakley in her Natural Habitat” experience was auctioned off at the the Find Your Light Foundation gala this month in California; the organization helps fund arts education. Singer and songwriter Josh Groban won the trip, so be on the lookout for him around Haines in the near future.
Jojo Goerner and Ben Aultman-Moore recently returned from a three-week kayaking trip near Sitka. They stayed with friends Vern and Ruth Culp on Galankin Island between trips. They did two kayaking trips totaling about 150 miles. The first outing was seven days and went as far north as Fish Bay on Baranof Island, where they spent time exploring Kalinin Bay and found petroglyphs. They then hiked to Sea Lion Cove and traveled into the Magoun Islands to see herring spawning. Their second trip took them down to Kanga Bay, Redoubt Bay and Goddard Hot Springs, where they spent a couple nights. They also saw brown bears and a gray whale during their travels.
The people’s choice award at the 2018 Great Alaska Craft Beer & Home Brew Festival People’s Choice Award was a tie. Double Shovel Cider Company’s brewer Galen Jones with his Pineapple Cider tied with Haines Brewing Company’s Captain Cook’s Spruce Tip Ale created by Paul Wheeler. More than 250 people enjoyed the Haines Brewers Dinner last Friday featuring chef Lionel Uddia of Salt in Juneau.
“Libraries Rock” is the Haines Borough Public Library summer reading program theme this year. On Friday, more than 50 children and families joined in the kick-off party where they were entertained by Professor Whizzpop, a magician from North Carolina.
Haines was featured in a New York Times article called “A D.I.Y. Trip Through Alaska’s Inside Passage: Following in the footsteps of John Muir – and millions of modern cruise ship passengers – one marine ferry at a time.” Writer Mark Adams ventured on the Alaska Marine Highway System as a curious traveler. He began in Bellingham and made his way up the canal to Haines.