The South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board will hold its regular monthly meeting via ZOOM at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8. The Committee of the Whole will meet at 5:30 p.m. before the regular meeting. The South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board is an elected board that oversees local tax dollars for a healthier community. Learn about the workings of your hospital and your Service Area Board. All are welcome to attend either or both meetings. The ZOOM link is available on the Kenai Peninsula Borough calendar found at https://www.kpb.us/service-areas/south-kenai-peninsula-hospital-service-area or by emailing Devony at dlehnerediting@gmail.com.
Join Lucas Wilcox for a discussion on Altruist Relief Kitchen (ARK) from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at Grace Ridge Brewery. As part of the program, he will discuss how Homer residents can help millions of people on the other side of the world, share his experiences being in a country at war, and suggest scenarios for how the future could unfold. An idea birthed in Homer is now helping to feed people in crisis situations around the world, including Ukraine.
Wilcox, who was born and raised in Homer, has spent more than a decade developing Altruist Relief Kitchen, or ARK. ARK’s goal is to provide immediate relief wherever disaster strikes in a sustainable, transparent way by building large field kitchens with the capacity to cook 75-gallon meals without fossil fuels or electricity. One is currently operational in Ukraine. Others have been used in Tijuana, a camp for refugees in Texas, and in Houston after Hurricane Harvey. For more information about ARK or how you can help, go to altruistrelief.org.
Anchor Point Group of Alcoholics Anonymous continues to meet in person at the Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce at 34175 Sterling Hwy (north of Chapman School) on Wednesday and Friday at 7 p.m. These are open meetings, and alcoholics and non-alcoholics are all welcome. For more information, call 907-223-9814.
The Homer Unity Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6:30 p.m. downstairs at Homer United Methodist Church, 770 East End Road. All meetings are open to anyone wanting to learn more about recovery from alcoholism. More information and online links to meetings can be found at www.aahomer.org.
The Homer End of The Road Group of Alcoholics Anonymous meets every day at noon and every evening at 8 p.m. at 126 W. Pioneer Ave., Suite 1. For more information, contact 907-283-5722.
Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDa) meets at 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 6:30 p.m. Sundays in the Hillas Building, 126 W. Pioneer Ave., Suite 1 (next to the Homer Theatre). The contact number is 907-756-3104.
Step into Freedom is a narcotics anonymous group that will be held at 7 p.m. every Thursday at the Glacierview Baptist Church “Big House” next to the main church. This group is for both women and men, and is open to non-addicts who would like to sit in on the meetings. For questions, call Jaclyn at 907-756-3530.
The Homer Area Caregiver Support Group meets in the activity room at the Homer Senior Center from 2-3:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. This group is for family caregivers of individuals suffering from a debilitating illness and requiring full-time care, either in the home or in a facility; caregivers who assist with care of a loved one who lives out of state are also welcome. This is a time to receive support and wisdom from others who are on the same journey as well as to benefit from presentations provided by speakers well versed in subjects related to care giving, such as exercise, communication, self-care and available resources. Newcomers are welcome, always. For questions, please call Pam Hooker at 907-299-7198 or Louise Rempel at 907-399-1262. Remember: You are not alone.
Anchor Point Senior Citizens
The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Avenue serves take-out meals on Thursday evenings with pickup from 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday is soup night, serving from 4-6 p.m. Walk ins are welcome or call ahead at 235-7786 to reserve. Thursday night is Home Cooked Dinner Night. Each Thursday is a different meal. Dine in or take out; served from 5-6:30 p.m. For reservations, call 907-235-7786. Visit www.anchorpointseniorcenter.com for more information. Meals and programs are open to the public and do not require membership. Call 235-7786 for more information.
Homer Senior Citizens
The Silver Linings Cafe offers congregate meals with COVID-19 protocols. Resident dining is 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and public dining is noon-1:30 p.m. If there is any overlap between the residents and the community, they are asked to wear a face mask until they are seated. Today the kitchen is serving roast beef sandwiches; Friday is salmon with horseradish day; Monday will be steak and peppers; Tuesday chicken tacos is served; Wednesday its pork shoulder; Next Thursday the meal is beef ravioli. Meal includes soup, salad, entree, dessert and choice of beverage. The cost is a suggested donation of $7 per meal (ages 60 and older) and $15 for those under 60. Call 907-235-4555 to make your reservation.
We now have the Strong Seniors fitness class that is a slow-motion weightlifting and stretching class that promotes strength and mobility training. Classes are at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Prior physician authorization is required to participate. Forms can be found at our office or online at homerseniors.org.
Are you interested in playing cards or board games with friends? Games at the Senior Center have started up again! Card Games are from noon-4 p.m. on Mondays, and board games are every first and third Thursday of the month from noon-4 p.m.
Get into the holiday spirit with live music in the Silver Lining Cafe.We’ll have the Homer High School Swing Choir on Friday, Dec. 9, and on Thursday, Dec. 29, with Sarah Firth and Aurora Fagan. The music starts at noon. For more information about any of our programs or events, call 907-235-7655 or email info@homerseniors.com
Homer Council on the Arts
Community Jam Sessions are coming to HCOA. Grab your instrument and join us in the gallery on Mondays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. FREE! All skill levels welcome. More info at homerart.org.
Join us for a fun adult geared ceramic project just in time for the winter holidays. Create your own Holiday Tree Light with instructor Krista Etzwiler. To find out more and register, visit homerart.org/education/ceramics/.
It’s time for the 25th Kenai Peninsula Writers’ Contest, open to KPB residents of all ages. For contest rules and entry visit homerart.org. The deadline to participate is 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16.
Homer Foundation
YAC is back!: Homer Foundation Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is back for fall 2022. The YAC has begun meeting to formulate their grant program for this year. Each year this youth lead and youth focused program establishes their objectives for granting to youth related issues. This year the YAC will again have $10,000 to grant in the Foundation’s service area. Thank you to all of the funds which contribute to this award winning program. If you want be a part of youth focused philanthropy you can give to support the YAC Grants. please follow the link below and when asked “What is your donations for?” make sure you select “Youth Advisory Committee ” the or call the office at 907-235-0541.
The Pratt Museum & Park
The Pratt Museum & Park is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
“Salmon Culture” runs through Dec. 17 and is a visually rich exhibit that celebrates the connections between salmon and Alaska Native peoples through contemporary, historical and archaeological works of art. A complementary exhibit, “Salmon Culture: Kachemak Bay Connections,” shares stories of salmon connections the have helped shape the culture, economy and ecology of Kachemak Bay.
Glacier Salon: Please join us for our third annual Glacier Salon featuring Homer’s own Glacier Salon Quartet for a performance of Hayden String Quartet Op. 76 #4 “The Sunrise” and Dvorak String Quartet Op. 96 “The American,” at 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the Pratt Museum & Park. Members of the Glacier Salon Quartet are Marcio Candido on Violin I, Daniel Perry on Violin II, Nancy Darigo on Viola, and Mannfried Funk on Cello. Wine and dessert will be available following the performance. RSVP to communications@prattmuseum.org. A suggested donation is $100 per person, but more importantly, every gift is needed and appreciated. Seating is limited so please RSVP today.
The Pratt Museum & Park, located at 3779 Bartlett Street in Homer, Alaska, is open 11 a.m to 4 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge is open free to the public from noon-4 p.m on Wednesday through Saturday. Pre-K Puffins children’s program will return this month from 10-11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29.
South Peninsula Hospital
South Peninsula Hospital will offer free community yoga from 6-7 p.m. every Wednesday in December at SPARC. Classes are open to all skill levels. Please bring a yoga mat, layers, water bottle and blanket. SPARC is located at 600 Sterling Highway next to the Homer Middle School.
The SPH Testing and Vaccine Site on Bartlett Street will no longer be offering COVID-19 vaccines as of Jan. 1, 2023. Vaccines will be available by appointment through your provider at Homer Medical Clinic 907-235-8586, Family Care Clinic 907-235-0900, and the Specialty Clinic 907-235-0310. Additionally, Safeway pharmacy offers vaccination by appointment or walk-in.
Covid-19 testing is still available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Insurance will be billed, and for those who are uninsured, the cost is $50. At home test kits are available at no cost for pick up at the vaccine and testing site during normal business hours, the front entrance of the hospital on weekends and after hours, at the library, and for purchase at local retailers.
Your providers at SPH would like to remind you that flu season is upon us, and flu vaccines are available! Homer Medical Clinic, Family Care Clinic, the Specialty Clinic, Safeway, Ulmers, and Public Health are just a few places where you can get yours today! And remember, wear a mask in public when you have symptoms and until they are fully resolved.
A Safe Sitter Class is at 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 22 and 23. Safe sitter is designed to prepare students in grade six through eight to be safe when staying home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting. This fun instructor-led class if full of game, activities and even includes CPR and choking rescue practice on medical manikins! Email wellness@sphosp.org for registration information.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10221
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10221 holds burger night from 5-7 p.m. every Friday. Monday night tacos is 5-7 p.m. The VFW is open to the public; you do not need to be a member to attend. Dine in or take out. Call 235-5582 to order ahead. The VFW is located at 72551 Milo Fritz Ave. in Anchor Point.
Hospice of Homer
Hospice volunteers and staff are busy making this holiday season a little brighter. Check out our events and fundraiser below, or find more information on Facebook or on our website.
Women of Worth, the 2023 Hospice Calendar will be available in early December. Pre-order on our website or at the office and we’ll call you when they arrive. We’ve already sold over 75 copies.
Holiday chocolate fundraiser! Visit participating businesses to purchase something sweet: Classic Cook, Homer Bookstore, Homer’s Jeans, Lisa Ann’s Grooming, North Wind Homer Collection, Petro Marine and The Art Shop Gallery.
Luminaria fundraiser! Celebrate the light of someone you’ve lost by purchasing a luminaria. You’ll tell us what message you’d like to share and we’ll light the luminaria at our Light Up A Life event on Dec. 15.
Little Wishes can be found on the silver stars at the Homer Truffle Co. and our office. Purchase the item and drop it off at either location so that Hospice volunteers can fill up gift boxes and deliver them to clients in need.
Acts of Kindness – Commit an act of kindness in memory of someone you love who has died. Share an act of kindness anonymously in the community and leave behind a card saying it was done in memory of a child, spouse, friend and even a pet. Act of Kindness cards are available at Hospice of Homer or can be printed off of Facebook.
Upcoming Events
6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8 – Join us at the Homer Theatre for Love Actually. Admission is by donation, and all proceeds benefit Hospice of Homer. We are thrilled for the support our community has shown for this film series which is raising awareness and money for Hospice.
3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11 – Into the Dark: An Open Mic on Grief and Loss. Join us for exceptional coffee and catharsis at Ano Kissaten.
6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15 – Join us for our third annual Light Up a Life event. Celebrate a loved one who has died or share a message of hope with your community by purchasing a luminaria. Last year we lit 100 luminaria and came together to bring light to the darkness. This year we’re hoping for 200!
10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17 – Hospice of Homer teams up with Alzheimer’s Resource of Alaska for the second installment of Talking Dementia, Dementia and the Holidays. You’ll find the Zoom link on our website and Facebook.
Services and Gratitude
Are you experiencing grief? Hospice of Homer offers our Widow’s Group weekly every Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., and we have our Conversations on Loss on the first and third Saturdays at 1 p.m.
Thank you to KBBI for inviting us to join last week’s Coffee Table. You can find the recording for Grief and the Holidays on their website. Links to this discussion and November’s episode of Talking Dementia will be available on our website.
For more information please visit the Hospice of Homer website at www.hospiceofhomer.org, our Facebook page, or call the office at 235-6899.
Share the Spirit
Here it comes! The holiday season is in full swing and as promised, here are the dates and details for Share the Spirit, in this; our 30th year!
Adopt-A-Families are needed. Would you, your family, business or friends group like to take care of a household in need? This is a delightful and fulfilling way to help your community during the holiday season and it’s completely anonymous. You can fill out an application in the foyer at Wells Fargo or just call 907-235-7466 and we will call you back.
Gift Trees are up now at Captain’s Toy Chest, The Homer Bookstore, Ulmer’s, Kachemak Gear Shed and Homer’s Jeans. The ornaments on these trees represent the wish or need of a needy child or their household. Visit a tree and choose one or two ornaments, follow the instructions and bring a Christmas smile to the child’s face.
The Spaghetti Feed is back! It will be held Wednesday, Dec. 14 at the local Elks lodge from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. To-go orders will be available and can be ordered the day of, from 8:30 a.m. to noon by calling 235-2127. but better yet come join us for lunch or dinner, or both and enjoy local entertainment, including the wonderful Homer High Swing Choir! Many volunteers are needed for this event and volunteers are asked to call 907-235-7466, leave your contact information, we will call you back!
Volunteers are also needed Tuesday, Dec. 20 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (the earlier the better). Join us at the High School via the back loading dock and help pack the food and gift baskets. This is a heartwarming, back-straining day and it takes many hands to complete. So gather your children and come as a group to help us weave the community donations together to share OUR spirit with those in need.
If you are in need this holiday season, applications are available now at local Human Service agencies, including the AP & Homer Food Pantries and at many houses of worship. Please reach out to one of those and get your application completed, so we can help your children and household for Christmas.
Thank you all, and please always remember to Share the Spirit.
Kenai Peninsula College, Kachemak Bay Campus
General registration for the Spring 2023 semester is now open and the Spring 2023 searchable schedule is available online. Visit https://kpc.alaska.edu/academics/schedule/. To find classes offered at Kachemak Bay Campus select “Kachemak Bay” in the “Delivery” drop-down menu.
The KBC Scholarship Packet for Spring 2023 is available now. Scholarship Application deadline is 5 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2023. For information please call 907-235-7743 or email kbcinfo@alaska.edu
Rich Chiappone and Justin Herrmann teach Writing the Micro Memoir: Friends, Family, and Food from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 14, 21 and 28. Join this hands-on writing workshop exploring the possibilities of extremely short personal essays. Write the experiences of your lives when these three things have come together to make memories worth sharing. For more information or to register call 907-235-1674 or visit http://kpc.alaska.edu/communitycourses. You can also email KBC Programs Coordinator, Jill Burnham at jmburnham@alaska.edu
Outdoor Adventures in All Kinds of Weather meets Saturdays, Jan. 14 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Jan. 21 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Field Trip. Are you interested in exploring the beauty of winter but are intimidated by the conditions and the potential dangers involved? Join local outdoor explorer, adventurer, geologist, and photographer Taz Tally for this two-day workshop in the classroom and for a field trip in the great outdoors on how to competently and safely engage and enjoy the outdoors in all sorts of weather conditions, and have fun doing it! $89 if registered by Jan. 3, $120 thereafter. For more information or to register call 907-235-1674 or visit http://kpc.alaska.edu/communitycourses. You can also email KBC Programs Coordinator, Jill Burnham at jmburnham@alaska.edu.
Nighttime Photography – Classroom at 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 20. Field Trip at 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. in February (transportation provided if desired). Our ability to capture amazing images with our iPhones now extends well into the evening and nighttime hours and yes, astrophotography, including auroras. During this two-day, hands-on class you will learn how to optimize your iPhone setup, settings, and shooting techniques to maximize your ability to great capture images in low-light conditions. $89 if registered by Dec. 23, $120 thereafter. For more information or to register call 907-235-1674 or visit http://kpc.alaska.edu/communitycourses. You can also email KBC Programs Coordinator, Jill Burnham at jmburnham@alaska.edu.
Annual Winter Bird Identification Class
Dave Erikson – Kachemak Bay Birders
The Kachemak Birders and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are sponsoring a Winter Bird Identification class on Thursday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center.
Dave Erikson, local compiler for the Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC), will go over the common birds we see around Homer in the winter months and how to identify them using simple field marks. He will also cover how to separate closely related species, differences among male, females, and juveniles, and differences in seasonal plumages. There is no charge for the class. Masks are encouraged.
This class is designed for beginning birders, birders new to the area, and is a good refresher for more experience birders. Everyone is welcome. The class also helps prepare people for the 123rd CBC, which will be held in Homer on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. People should meet in on the morning of the count at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. People can also participate in the CBC by monitoring their bird feeders and reporting the birds that visit the feeder on the day of the count day.
For more information on the class, please contact David Erikson: 907 441-7931 or derikson@alaska.net or Lani Raymond: 907 399-9477 or lanibirder@gmail.com or check out the Kachemak Bay Birder’s website at: http://kachemakbaybirders.org.
Weisser Community Fireworks Show
It is time for our fifthNew Year’s Eve Crowdfunded Fireworks FANTASTICAL! Let’s ring in the new year with a bang!
This is how it works:
Step 1) You give Aaron Weisser your hard-earned dough. Step 2) He buys a boat load of fireworks. Step 3) We all gather at Mariner Park at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and he lights them off in 18 minutes. Seriously, so much fun!
For the perfect execution of this flawless plan, Weisser lacks only one thing: your money. Last year you brought down the house with $15,380! Every buck makes for a better show! If you want a great show, go big!
Sponsorships: Businesses contributing $400 or more will be granted membership in the Super Duper Diamond Encrusted Elite Pyro’s Club! Business’ that join this ultra exclusive club will receive social media mention and radio mention on New Year’s Eve as part of our Live Radio Music Soundtrack on K-Wave 104.9!
Here are four ways to get fireworks funds to Weisser: 1) Send money to him via PayPal using the following link paypal.me/WeisserFireworks. 2) Drop off cash or check to the Weisser Homes office at 1091 East End Road. They have cookies. 3) Send money directly using his super special Venmo account @Weisser-Fireworks-2020 4) Send money to him directly using Facebook Messenger with “Fireworks” in the memo.
Here are a few important event details: 1) Captain’s Coffee Roasting Company will have a food truck in Mariner Park selling hot snacks and drinks. 2) Peninsula Radio will broadcast a commercial free, live Radio Music Soundtrack on K-WAVE 104.9 during the fireworks display. We’ve compiled a list of rowdy hits from yesteryear and today to sing out the year. 3) Mariner Parking is full — last year by 7:30 p.m. — and traffic was at a stand still on Homer Spit Road by 8 p.m. If you want a good spot, you must come early. 4) We will live stream this year’s show from our Facebook Event Page for those who cannot be there in person. 5) The fireworks event will be delayed if we have heavy winds, rain or snowfall. We will err on the side of safety for everyone on the lighting crew. 6) Your contributions are not donations. You are simply buying fireworks through Weisser. No refunds, no rebates, no regrets!
Looking forward to celebrating a New Year with you!
