Heather Lende and Bryan Hinderberger were in Eugene, Ore. to watch Joanna Hinderberger compete in the 2017 Eugene Marathon. This was Joanna’s first marathon and she finished the 26.2 miles in 3:14:57, ranking fifth in her division. Joanna will be leaving her teaching position in Juneau and moving to Unalaska where she will start in August as an elementary principal.
You didn’t need to have a “Nimbus 2000” to participate in the Quidditch Tournament over the weekend. Greg and Luann Brittenham and Zephyr Sincerny organized the tournament for students in grades 4-8. Based on the game from the popular Harry Potter series, Quidditch involved straddling a broomstick and running around the track field. The teams included chasers who toss a “quaffle” (volleyball) through a goal (raised hula-hoops); keepers who defend the goal; beaters who used “bludgers” (dodgeballs) and seekers who chase the “golden snitch.” Logan Borcik and Avery Williamson each served as the snitch, running with a yellow flag. While the game appeared chaotic, once familiar with the basic rules it became exciting to watch and play. Lydia Andriesen, Eric Gillham, Mark Davis, Natalie Jobbins, Owen McPhetres and Austin Jackson of Ravenclaw won the First World Cup in Haines.
The 2016-2017 Student Art Show is up in the Haines School from 8-4 p.m. through May 12. You can wander the halls of the school and look at the art produced by the students. Be sure to check in with the office first. The art will move to the Haines Sheldon Museum May 19 and close June 3 if you miss it at the school.
Jess Giddings is traveling across the country with Sean Walston, a friend she met in South Korea last summer. They have received a grant from Ohio State University to photograph ordinary people across the country. In one of their stops they were surprised to learn that they were taking pictures of someone with roots in Haines. Former resident Charlie Horner was sitting in the grass across from the capitol in Lincoln, Neb. when they asked to take his picture. Charlie and Jess discovered they knew some of the same people including Gene Kennedy, Paul Nelson and Charlie’s nieces Elena Horner, Lori Sele and Lisa Shove.
Fourth-grader Hayden Jimenez participated in the state wrestling tournament in Wasilla, placing fifth in the state for his weight class. He was on the Juneau wrestling team while going to Gastineau Elementary School this year and is back in Haines. He wrestled the Greco-Roman style of wrestling which only involves your upper body. “Pinning your opponent is really hard in Greco and I only made one pin in the whole tournament,” Hayden said.
Rio Hirsch-Ross, Pacific Ricke, Lucia Chapell, Emma Dohrn and their assistant coach K.C. O’Connor have returned from the Alaska Junior Olympics in Anchorage, the highest-level meet in the state for their age group. Swimming as a team of four, the girls won silver in the 200 freestyle relay and 200 individual medley (IM) in the age 9-10 divisions. They also racked up several medals and ribbons in individual events. The four swimmers scored enough points to place the Haines Dolphins 13th among 21 teams from around the state, said assistant coach K.C. O’Connor. “They racked up quite a few medals and ribbons,” K.C. said. Nearly 500 other swimmers competed. The Dolphins wrapped up their season with a meet last weekend in Whitehorse, Y.T.
Pam Sloper reports 82 people received blood tests at Saturday’s Haines Health Fair. Popular exhibits included a Juneau dietitian’s beet hummus and Kate Fossman’s fiber guessing game. Participation was on par with the 2015 event, which saw 89 come in for blood tests. Patients should receive results by mail in about two weeks. The event is funded by SEARHC and Alaska Health Fair.
Norm Hughes says he hasn’t yet set the date for his annual aloha party. Norm recently spent two months on Maui. He said highlights included completing three years of taxes and climbing to the top of 10,000-foot Haleakala Crater in seven hours. Norm stopped in Seattle to visit mom Colleen Hughes and sister Claire Hughes, then drove up the Cassiar Highway with Kelly Mitchell.