Former Haines Sheldon Museum Director Cindy (CJ) Jones hosted a brunch for former and current museum staff. Historically, she has organized a Christmas party well before January, but was out of town for most of December. Soon after returning to Haines, Jones ran into Blythe Carter, who kindly reminded her about the missed event. Jones arranged the get-together and got lucky that former director Jerrie Clarke and husband Dan Gangnon were in town from Juneau to enjoy the potluck. Some of the highlights at the brunch included an egg bake, cinnamon rolls and the “extra special chocolate cake” recipe handed down from Elisabeth “Lib” Hakkinen. Jones says that this triple-layer cake takes two days to make and is a complex process. She also shared that last time she made this cake, she declared she’d never make it again.
Codi Sambrano completed another stand-out mosaic at Sharon Svenson’s January mosaic class. Sambrano walked away with a blue ribbon at the Southeast Alaska State Fair in 2023 for one of her mosaics. This one, her fifth, tied in a few objects that Sambrano picked up on her trip to Japan. The big plate in the upper corner of the piece is from her kinstugi class, which taught the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum, highlighting cracks to celebrate an object’s imperfections. The other two “moons” in the space mosaic are chopstick holders. The grout features gold leaf from Sambrano’s trip to the Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa.
Melissa Aronson is happy to announce that Haines Friends of Recycling has raised $1 million of the $1.3 million needed for its new property. In addition to memberships and what Aronson calls “investment angels,” she says that donations ranging from $5 to six figures in local donations have been collected. Aronson has been actively seeking donations so much that she joked that when this is over, she will likely get a shirt that says, “I’m not asking for money.” Fun fact: The recycling center ships approximately 250,000 pounds of recyclables a year out of Haines.
The Haines Uglys turned 26-years-old Feb. 2. Five of the original members are Chuck Mitman, Kelly Jessup, Gary Jacobson, Dave Routh and Nick Kokotovich. The organization currently boasts 20 members, according to Mitman. This busy non-profit organization is best known for its Gifts for Grub annual Christmas fundraiser, its scholarship programs for Haines students and alumni, as well as the best corn on the cob that you will find at just about any state fair. Mitman says the scholarship program began in 2003, and since its inception the Uglys have raised $140,000. Happy birthday, Uglys.
Rhonda Degtoff visited Klukwan School to teach pre-school to eighth-graders the basics of cedar weaving. The students met twice weekly in January. Degtoff completed an apprenticeship to learn about cedar weaving with Deborah Head in Craig, Alaska, two years ago, and was happy to share the knowledge. One student, Jennessa McCall, made a small cedar net. She says that she does not know what she will weave next, but she enjoyed the class and would take it again. Degtoff discussed wood harvesting and aging process with the older students and adjusted the class for age and skill levels. Degtoff plans to offer another cedar-weaving class at Haines High School for students in April or May. She expects to share similar beginner projects, like headbands and trivets, with additional weaving challenges to practice their new weaving techniques.