Hazel Englund celebrated her 101st birthday Saturday with visits from family and friends at her hilltop home near 2 Mile Haines Highway. More than 30 visitors included daughter Emily Zimbrich, granddaughter Cari and Kolin O’Daniel, and Cari’s daughter Sydney O’Daniel, along with Syndey’s boys Konnor and Kyler and Hazel’s nephew Louie Meacock. Friends included Bengie Stuart, Travina Stuart and Myrna Kornelis, Bill Thomas, Jan Hill, Nora Krake, Kathy Berzanske, Ann Quinlan, Greg Podsiki, Alan and Jeanette Heinrich and the Del Prete and Shove families. Savannah Maidy created a double sheet cake for the occasion. Donna Bell is Hazel’s caregiver. Emily said her mom is doing fine and took a long nap after all the festivities.
Jussi and Kristi Mackinen were married in an impromptu ceremony Aug. 31 at neighbors Gregg Bigsby and Beth MacCready’s house on Mud Bay Road. Gregg served as officiant and Michael Smith and Syd Moffatt were witnesses. The newlyweds said there’s no need to honeymoon, as they have homes in Haines and Hawaii. Kristi said the wedding was the first at the timber-frame pavilion built on Gregg and Beth’s property by Scott Carey.
Lowana Drurey reports that she’s hopeful she may be on her last round of chemotherapy treatment. Lowana was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer in May.
Caroline Timmins of Shoreline, Wash. was here for a week-long visit with sister Becky Nash. Becky is oldest of five sisters in the family; Caroline is the youngest. A family counselor, Caroline said she was impressed by a local showing of “Resilience,” a film documenting lifelong effects of childhood trauma. The film was hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Haines.
Third-grade teacher Kristin White is working on finishing up the first draft of the electronic book “Chilkat Valley’s Guide to Useful Plants,” with research by last year’s third-graders. Students gathered information on 15 plants, including sphagnum moss and horse tail. They received help with Tlingit names from Klukwan School students. The e-book format will allow students to update the book each year. A link to the book will be posted on the school district’s website. The book is dedicated to Mario Benassi, who has taught students about the outdoors for several years.
Bob Kienzle is in town through Monday, staying at his place at Mud Bay. He has enjoyed visiting friends since arriving in town Aug. 7. A retired state ferry worker since 2012, Bob spends time in the Fort Collins, Colo. area, where he continues efforts to find son Seth Kienzle. Seth was last seen in the foothills of the mountains west of Boulder, Colo. on Feb. 23, 2016.
Longtime Haines butcher Clint Amox celebrated his 80th birthday in Lone Star, Texas Saturday, Sept. 16. Clint works at the Crumps Food Center grocery store in Linden, Texas three days each week, making hot links and sausage. Workers there presented him with a birthday cake. Wife Glenda Amox took him to a concert in Durant, Okla. Clint said this week he thinks of his friends in Haines every day.
Karen Garcia is back from two weeks visiting family in the Chicago area. She was bridesmaid at the wedding of sister Tara Garcia to Matthew Reyes in Woodridge, Ill. on Sept. 9. Brother Bryant Garcia served as groomsman. Other trip highlights included seeing a stage production of “Hamilton,” visiting the Museum of Science and Industry and joining the studio audience at the taping of the radio show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me.” The show, which aired in Haines Saturday, lasted more than two hours, including re-recording flubbed portions. Karen said her favorite food stop was at Roanoke’s downtown. Karen’s parents, Luis and Judy Garcia, are medical doctors who live in Glenview, Ill.
Pat Warren’s 90-year-old mother Eunice Henricks of Akron, Ohio, made the trip to Klukwan Sept. 7. She’ll be in town through the week, including a visit to Haines Junction, Y.T. Eunice is a retired school cook. Until August, she volunteered four days a week at a nursing home. She was also cooking meals for the homeless until her recent “retirement.” Eunice’s first trip here was in 1986. Pat’s brother Earl Henricks of Kansas City, Mo. made the trip with her. A reunion of Haines friends at the Haines Senior Center included Doris Peck, Sally and Val Burratin, Ruth Fairall, and Pat’s husband Ed Warren. Eunice went bear-watching at Chilkoot. Earl made a side trip to Tenakee Springs.
Lani Hotch reports that the Jilkaat Kwaan Cultural Heritage Center closed for the season for walk-ins last week. A final tour is scheduled for Sept. 26. The center will reopen in mid-May. The center was recently awarded a $39,000 grant by the National Parks Service for documenting cultural traditions. The grant involves producing a film on Chilkat weaving and will result in the creation of two Chilkat robes, Lani said.
Jami and Jason Campbell of Folsom, Calif. are the new pastors for Klukwan’s Assembly of God Church. They’re scheduled to arrive Monday. They’re taking over church leadership from Odis and Debby Ganey, who were stationed in the village as missionaries until April.