Thank you for supporting children and families

On behalf of Sprout Family Services, we would like to thank the Homer and Kachemak city councils for their grant support of our programs. With this grant, we were able to provide more parent trainings to families in our community, free diapers through our safe diapering program to families in need, and books and story times that foster curiosity and a love for learning through our Imagination Library literacy program. This support allowed us to reach over 200 young children and their families this past year. Thank you again City Council for your generosity and we look forward to working with you in the future.

Jon McGhee

Executive director, Sprout Family Services

Don’t get distracted from what’s really important

This is what he does. He does blatant, outrageous, sickening things to distract us. He is just setting us up. He will continue to do this for four exhausting years. If we LET him distract us, he will have succeeded. And WHEN he distracts us he will put something in motion that will truly hurt us: a norm, a constitutional right that others have fought and died for, a freedom that we love as Americans.

For the next four years each of us will have to THINK about what is so important to us that, when he does break something, we then speak out and protest. We’ll have to draw a line and say, “This is too much, too egregious, too hateful, too hurtful, too un-American.” Everything else is just a distraction to throw us off balance.

Jim Lavrakas

Homer

Vote no on proposed amendments to senior center bylaws

On Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 1:30 p.m., Homer Senior Citizens Inc. is scheduled to hold a Special Membership Meeting to vote on proposed amendments to their bylaws. If you are a paid member of HSC, you should have received a mailed ballot. The ballot that you should have received only allows you to vote on the total package of amendments by voting for, against or abstaining.

While many of the proposed amendments seem to be in line with HSC’s Articles of Incorporation, some are, in the opinion of some HSC members, in direct conflict. At present, the Articles of Incorporation state that to be a member of HSC who can vote and be on the board of directors you have to be 55 years or older. The proposed amendments to the bylaws would change that to allow anyone 18 years or older to be a voting member and a voting member of the board of directors. In addition, the proposed amendments would allow a majority of seats on the board of directors to be held by individuals under the age of 55. It is the opinion of some HSC members that this would change the focus of the organization and not be in the best interest of HSC.

After reviewing AS Chapter 20, Alaska Nonprofit Corporation Act, it is felt that the proposed bylaw amendments are in direct conflict with the HSC Articles of Incorporation as they relate to the age for voting members and being on the board of directors. If you are a member of HSC, you are encouraged to vote no on the proposed bylaw amendments by returning your ballot or by attending the meeting on Feb. 5 to vote.

Fred Lau

Homer