By Rashah McChesney and Lex Treinen
Libby Kurz, Edith Fuzzy von Stauffenberg and Janine Allen celebrated their Leap Day birthdays on Feb. 29. Allen had a silent reading party, followed by dinner and then dancing and hula hooping at Harriett Hall. Former Haines residents Renee Staska and Eric Kocher are also Leap Day babies.
Rodney Williamson was awarded a special commendation by mayor Tom Morphet at Tuesday’s assembly meeting for putting out a fire that started in his Townhouse Apartment on Main Street in early February. Williamson said he awoke to the sound of his entertainment system and PlayStation crashing to the floor in the living room. He stepped out of his bedroom to find flames as tall as his 6 feet 4 inch frame burning up from his backpack. He said he wasn’t sure what to do. “It was really scary and it all happened really fast,” he said. “For a few moments I had to accept that everything I own might be gone and that I might be responsible for children burning.” Instead of running, he grabbed the fire extinguisher and was able to put out the flames and waited for the fire department to arrive. “There was so much smoke,” he said. “I really hope there’s nothing wrong with my lungs, ‘cause it was bad.” Williamson credited years of in-school fire prevention training he received from the fire department while growing up in Haines for his awareness of the situation. “Fire training absolutely helped,” he said. “I really utilized the information they taught me every year until eighth grade.” His commendation credits him with saving his own apartment, the apartments of his neighbors, and potentially the whole building.
Five Haines residents took the ferry to Skagway over the weekend to participate in the annual Buckwheat Ski Classic, a cross-country ski race at the Log Cabin pullout just across the border in Canada. Liam Wirak Cassidy and Tracy Wirak Cassidy finished the 32-kilometer distance. Liam said he was excited for the traditional 50-kilometer distance, which wasn’t held this year, so decided to tack on an extra 16-kilometer lap. “The great attitude the Skagway volunteers had made it so much fun,” said Liam. Haines residents Marnie Rasmussen, whom Liam coached in track in highschool, and Lucy Nieboer finished the 10-kilometer distance. Lex Treinen got a “did not finish” in the 32-kilometer because he didn’t complete a second lap of the two-lap course. “I got distracted,” said Treinen, as he chomped on dill pickle potato chips at the snow castle, about two kilometers before the finish. Several other Haines residents who registered bowed out of the race after the return ferry sailing to Haines was canceled to accommodate the Region V basketball tournament.
The Ripinsky Rippers quilting group held a weekend retreat at the Aspen Hotel conference room where they worked off the theme “Talk about fun — let’s sew in Hawaii.” The group has been meeting for more than 20 years, said founder and organizer Becky Nash. This year, Nash arranged several Hawaiian-themed projects including a patchwork pineapple quilt block and a Hawaiian-style applique project. “We just quilt and sew and talk and eat and repeat,” said Nash. They also heard a presentation from Teri Kanahele, who taught them about the history of Hawaiian quilting and its symbolism. She even showed off quilts from Kanahele’s grandmother. The group of nine included other longtime Rippers Jenny Lyn Smith and Leslee Downer. Nash said that while there are fewer women involved than there were when the group was founded, the event was still a smashing success.
Janine Allen and David Hertel recently spent a month in Hoonah. Hertel worked for Wes Tyler and Icy Straits Lumber while Allen worked remotely with Hoonah seniors and people with disabilities for Southeast Alaska Independent Living, SAIL.
The Department of Military & Veterans Affairs and the Division of Homeland Security are soliciting bids for installing tsunami sirens and equipment in Haines and Hydaburg. The deadline for bidding is March 27. Questions can be sent to Procurement Officer David N. Baker at 907-428-7220.