Thanks for Scalzi scholarship

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”- Malcolm X

In the words of civil rights activist and fearless leader Malcolm X, education is virtually important to prepare for the future, expand one’s horizons, and learn about the workings of the world around us. I am now a sophomore Marine Engineering student at Cal Maritime and in the last year of school, I have learned many valuable lessons. Not only have I learned unfathomable amounts of information regarding my maritime degree and future career, I have also learned the importance of advanced education and gained new appreciation for the doors it opens.

I would like to extend a huge thank you for being awarded the Drew Scalzi Memorial Maritime Scholarship at the Homer Foundation, and to express gratitude to the donors that made this scholarship possible, and all of the wonderful people of Homer. Growing up in Homer, I have learned to value your neighbor and look out for each other and help everyone around you in any way you can. I highly appreciate this scholarship and I am extremely thankful. Being awarded it will help me continue to stay at Cal Maritime and better myself through education. I cannot explain how thankful and appreciative I am for being awarded the Drew Scalzi Memorial Maritime Scholarship so I can continue the legacy of mariner Drew Scalzi.

Liam Houlihan

Kids Fair was a success

The weather and the people turned out for this year’s Safe and Healthy Kids Fair! With 25 agencies offering fun activities and great giveaways and over 300 kids enjoying the sun and the play, we can say that the fair was a huge success. This was the 29th year that the Safe and Healthy Kids Fair has been offering youth and adults a space to learn, play and get connected. Each year is a reminder of how many people care about this community and want to make sure it is a safe place to raise a family. We all know too well that safety is not guaranteed. But when the fair comes around, we can also be reassured that there are many organizations and individuals in our town that have dedicated their work to making sure Homer’s families have supports in place to get them through the tough times and to celebrate the joyous ones. Saturday was, definitely, a time for joy.

The Safe and Healthy Kids Fair Committee wants to thank all the agencies, organizations, and individuals who showed up with their pig lungs, car seats, teddy bears, vegetables, books, bikes, bubbles, play dough, ATV and Firetruck to engage, educate and entertain the masses. A special thanks to all the older youth who came to help too!

Next year will be the 30th anniversary of the Safe and Healthy Kids Fair. So, mark your calendars on May 6th for the best fair yet! If you are an agency who is interested in participating next year, or an older youth who would like to help, contact the planning committee at safeandhealthykidsfair@gmail.com. See you next year!

Red Asselin Martin for the Safe

and Healthy Kids Fair Committee

Thank you, Rev. Lisa

Rev. Lisa Talbott of the Homer Methodist church provided our community with a much needed safe, peaceful sanctuary in which to share our grief and prayers for Duffy Murnane. Thank you, Rev. Lisa. You not only opened your building, but your heart as you greeted each attender, offering quiet words of welcome, an invitation to light a candle, write a note to Sarah and Ed, and an offer to listen as needed.

The space was indeed peaceful, beautiful with photos of a young and happy Duffy, the candles, and just the overall beauty of your church. I know many shed tears, others sat in quiet contemplation. My own feelings were indeed a tangled mess of relief, grief and anguish, as I try to comprehend the details of her death and the arrest of the suspect.

I send my love to Duffy’s family, to her dearest friends, to our community which has struggled to know how this could happen and what we can do to take care of one another. Rev. Lisa, thank you for your guidance and example in this time.

Lolita Brache

Softball team is grateful

The Homer High School Mariner Softball Team is extremely grateful to the large crew from Church on the Rock that spent Sunday morning preparing our fields at Jack Gist Park. It was a very thoughtful and much appreciated assistance in helping us get ready for our Second Annual Bash on the Bay Tournament last Thursday through Saturday with five teams from Anchorage coming to challenge us.

Come on down to the park, not just to see the excellent work this crew did, but to watch some high level high school softball. More information at marinersoftball.net.

Livy Erickson and Bill Bell, Coaches

Thanks for shorebird festival support

A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered the 30th Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival, to all of the businesses who welcomed the birders and their families and to all who attended from May 4-8! This year was a huge success with over 600 participants from throughout Alaska and the United States and 129 bird species seen with 27 species being shorebirds. From walks, talks, boat tours, viewing stations, Jr. Birder, Teen Birder activities and more. Visitors of all ages and abilities to Homer had so many great options. Thank you to our program leaders and speakers, we could not do this without their bird and local knowledge. Thank you to everyone behind the scenes preparing scopes, paperwork, installing signs, making schedules, film festival, keeping tallies, and more. Thank you to our local tour operators and vendors who participate with the Festival. Thank you to our Festival artist, Stacy Studebaker for her artwork. Thank you to our many sponsors, including the Homer News, Audubon Alaska, Schantz Brothers Foundation, and so many more!

We look forward to next year’s event, including keynote speakers and more indoor activities. Thank you HOMER!

Lora Haller, for The Kachemak Bay

Shorebird Festival Planning Committee

Thanks for nursing scholarship

Thank you Homer Foundation and Nursing Studies Scholarship committee and donors for so generously supporting me and my education into the nursing program at Simpson University. I am so grateful for the financial support this community has offered me in the past year. I’m looking forward to a career of nursing, and am really honored to be the recipient of this award. Thank you!

Jessica Sonnen

Spring Book and Plant Sale at the Homer Public Library was a success

The Friends of the Homer Public Library (FHL) would like to thank the dedicated and steadfast Friends and volunteers who helped create a successful Spring Book and Plant Sale. This includes the people who donated books and plants, the volunteers who helped set up, organize books, cashier, and clean up, and of course the folks who purchased books, plants and became new FHL members. A special thank you goes to long-time volunteer Tom Goode, who kindheartedly returned after a year-long hiatus to sort and box donated books for the Book and Plant Sale. For the last three decades Tom has devoted countless hours preparing books for the ongoing Book Sale shelves at the library as well as the bi-annual Book and Plant Sales.

Once again, our generous community supporters showed up in great numbers and left with stacks of bargain-priced books, beautiful plants and immense smiles. Thank you all!

Cheryl Illg, Coordinator and Friends of the Homer Public Library Board Members

A matter of priorities

Dear Editor,

Abortion supporters protested on Pioneer Avenue again last weekend. They were motivated by a leaked document from the U.S. Supreme court that indicated the Roe V. Wade decision might be overturned. They shouldn’t be surprised by this decision. Even the liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg warned Roe was poorly decided and predicted that it could be reversed someday. If this should happen, it does not mean that abortion would necessarily be illegal. It will be left up to each state. Those on the left that are concerned about this issue could introduce legislation in the Alaska legislature and go through the democratic process to codify abortion.

However, the fact of the matter is that abortion is an unpopular, divisive issue that doesn’t resonate with most Alaskans. They have their own concerns. Many Alaskans are more worried about high inflation and how they are going to pay grocery, housing and fuel bills. Many wonder if elections can be trusted anymore, if they can get baby formula for their infants, or if the country is on the road to nuclear war with Russia. Those on the left need to realize that for most Alaskans their priorities are way different than yours, and abortion isn’t one of them.

Respectfully,

Greg Sarber

Thanks for teaching scholarship

I would like to publicly thank the Delta Kappa Gamma-Omicron chapter for awarding me a generous scholarship that will help pay my tuition fees for Fall semester 2022. According to their website, “The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.”

I am currently enrolled in the Masters of Arts in Teaching in Special Education program through University of Alaska Southeast. The program is designed to enable students to work full time while taking classes remotely and will allow me to stay in my home district while I student teach. I live in Homer and work as a Special Education Aide for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD). Once I complete the program, I intend to apply to become a Special Education teacher for the KPBSD.

I am honored to have been chosen to receive this scholarship and appreciate the recognition of my hard work and financial support for pursuing my educational and professional goals.

Sincerely,

Kara Bakken Clemens

Motivity Dance is appreciative

The Motivity Dance Collective and friends would like to thank Sean Crosby, Suzanne Torian, the Board of the Kachemak Shellfish Mariculture Association, Ryan Jordan of the Broken Oar Oyster Bar and Charles Evans of the law firm of Jermain, Dunnagan and Owens for the use of their space for our second annual dance and variety show “Expand.” The collective would also like to extend a thank you to our illustrious Master of Ceremonies Dave Aplin, the performers and all those who came out to support us.

Thank you,

Rhoslyn Anderson, Breezy Berryman, Kathy Brennan, Bridget Doran and Emilie Springer