The New Hope Fellowship Church has raised $35,285 for its scholarship award since 2016. Paul Rogers explained that the money has been distributed to 11 Haines students since that time. In 2024, there were no applicants, so in 2025, the church awarded two scholarships. Rogers and Sage Thomas started the recent fundraiser night by introducing the auctioneer, Dave Routh. Routh’s fast-talking description of the strawberry trifle made by Inez Gross was a good start. Other dessert auction highlights included brownie balls, grasshopper pie with Oreo crust, gluten-free cake, and an eclair cake. But the bidding for Sharon Stickel’s chocolate raspberry cheesecake with ganache topping got fairly exciting. Heather Rogers was the proxy bidder for Jim Stickler. Stickler could not attend, but trusted Rogers to make the right choices. In the end, Heather Rogers walked out with half the elaborate chocolate cheesecake. The other half was served on a freshly cut round of wood, and shared with everyone at the end of the auction. 

Duly Noted flashback to last week — perhaps you recall the educational mule trip to Baja, Mexico? Please note that Matt Whitman was on that trip. He was also hiking into the rugged terrain, sleeping under the stars, enjoying meals prepared over an open fire, and experiencing the ranchero lifestyle and cave art with the group. This Duly writer overlooked this important detail. 

Christen Price is the new pastor in town. She started in January at the Haines Christian Center.  She and her husband, retired Lieutenant Col. Russell Price, plan to be in Haines forever, as they have burial plots at Jones Point Cemetery. Christen Price says that during her husband’s career in the Army, they relocated every so often. She enjoyed living in Georgia the most, but her husband is an Alaska boy, so this is where they need to be. Since Christen Price took over in January, she says that the children’s choir has been a great source of joy for her. Price credits her worship team.  She says that all Haines kids, regardless of their church affiliation, ages 5-12 are invited to sing at 5:45 p.m. Thursdays at the Haines Christian Center. Price says that the Sunday services have included plenty of piano, bass and guitar lately. Palm Sunday included two young people playing keyboard and Easter service should have some impressive kid-powered music as well. Russell Price grew up in Haines, the son of Mary and Warren Price.

Karlie Spud has been beading up a storm. She had the opportunity to share her craft with the 11 students who were visiting Klukwan and Haines from Colorado recently. The students spent time wood carving with Jim Heaton for part of that time. Karlie Spud has known Heaton for years and jumped at the chance to teach the eager students the one-needle method of beading. Spud says that the original plan was to teach them to make a beginner project, a salmon pin. She says that most of the visiting students completed multiple projects while practicing their new skill, including some impressive earrings. She says that the students were all “living phone-free lives while in Haines,” and that might be why they accomplished so much. Spud acquired the beading supplies from Lani Hotch at the traditional art supply store in Klukwan. She says that Lani Hotch has been a beading inspiration for years. Spud has been sharing that beading tradition with her 5year-old daughter, Aaliyah Spud. She beaded with the older kids and thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the Chilkat Valley. 

Greg Podsiki is starting a 4-H program in Haines. Podsiki says that his goal is to “fill the barn at the fair.”  He says that the background checks for volunteers are the first step, and already in motion. The next step is for the adult leaders to take the online training courses. The final part of the 4-H plan is to get kids interested in joining and get some animals. 

Amy Kane had a pop-up Monday at the Brewery. She served her homemade focaccia sandwiches, chorizo burritos and individual dishes of maple-spiced secret recipe nuts. Zane and Beau Bradley helped her hustle 50 sandwiches and burritos, which sold out just as the brewery closed for the evening. Happy patrons were excited for a dinner option in town.  Kane says the stunning sunset Monday evening was the real show stopper.

Mike Ward had a mini-family reunion last week, including cousins Eileen Beedle and Dottie Shook, who visited their aunt Judy Weir, the last remaining of eight siblings in her generation.  She lives at Haines Assisted Living. On hand were Connie and Tom Ward Jr., Summer Lynch and Tom Ward III, as well as Jeanine, Dustin, and 4-year-old Harper Rumfelt. Mike Ward hosted the group at his Lighthouse Restaurant.