Community doesn’t happen by magic, or wishing it so, it takes people to set up the chairs at the meeting and put them away again, bake something for the auction or the potluck, to sing and dance and turn on the lights and show up on time, from yoga class to burger feeds, choir to Zumba, church, school, a hockey game– it’s all the same. Without you, there’s no party, and, as Julia Child said, a party without a cake is just a meeting.
The annual Presbyterian Church Valentine Tea is a February community tradition
There’s a lot going on these days to practice community building:
Tickets go on sale today for the 26th Annual Haines Great Alaska Craft Beer and Homebrew Festival at seakfair.org. (It’s May 25&26 but it sells out fast.)
Tonight, there is choir for women at the Sheldon Museum 6-7 and the Men of Note sing at the same time at the Senior Village, both welcome new members. At 6:30 in the library there’s a film “2.6 Million Acres: The Story of the Chilkat Tlingits’ Lands” (Parts 2&3).
Friday is First Friday on Main Street, and it begins at 5:00 with a traveling photography exhibit opening at the museum, Alaska Positive, featuring Haines’ own fisherman and president of the Chamber of Commerce, John Hagen. There are art exhibits at Alaska Rod’s, Skipping Stone Studio, the Arts Confluence office, and the brewery will display Kelly Mitchell’s paintings. The Babbling Book store is open, too. (And yes, there are refreshments everywhere.) Also, up at Marnie’s Tower in the Fort there will be a heart and mind wellness workshop with the SEARCH clinic and Body IQ folks, featuring guidance on managing stress with art and breathing and meditation and such — participants will paint some rocks, too.
At 6:00 Friday in the school it’s Dinner and a Show, as the DDF team hosts a lasagna dinner and dessert auction fundraiser, then showcase their talents with some dramatic performances.
Saturday there are Skype interviews for the new school superintendent in the school library, check for the schedule if you want to watch. There is a masters swimming stroke clinic at 12-1 at the pool; 3:00 pm the re-scheduled informational meeting on what Tier 3 clean water guidelines mean for the Chilkat River takes place at the Bald Eagle Foundation, and at 5:00 on Saturday at the dance studio on Main St. there’s a “Dance Fitness and Yoga Flow Jam”, lead by my daughter Stoli and her dance friends, it’s free and no experience is necessary.
The library begins its Valentine Blind Date With a Book program today, Lizzie has chosen a bunch of good books, gift wrapped them, and set them out for you to check out. There are a few hints: non-fiction or fiction, mystery, novel- that sort of thing, but otherwise, you take your chances. Inside, there is a slip to rate your “date” to turn in afterward for a drawing for chocolate. How nice is that? “If you have a bad date, you can just return it and pick a new one,” Lizzie said.
The American Legion is seeking member input and electing officers on Tuesday Feb. 6 at 5:00 pm. They need members to keep the local post operating.
It is pipe-freezing weather so if you will be out a while, keep the water running, what with the cold and wind and no snow. I hope the ferry runs tomorrow. It’s a been a long time– we are talking two weeks– I know, because I have an extra dog, since her planned dog-sitter has been stuck in Skagway that long trying to get to Haines. She can’t drive the three hundred miles around because she has a broken foot, and flying is out, because she’s still shy of planes after surviving a crash and swimming to shore last summer.
(And honestly, no guilt Shelly, as these three dog nights and days are no trouble at all. They are keeping us warm. Breathe, paint a rock, and go to a potluck fundraiser over there. Skagway has a lot going on, too.)
