Sorted by date Results 251 - 275 of 415
It should have surprised no Alaskan that "middle-aged" Mitch Seavey of Sterling took first place for a third time in the 2017 Iditarod. Seavey blasted down the trail to win in a record-setting 8 days, 3 hours, 40 minutes, 13 seconds, close to eight hours off his 30-year-old son Dallas' 2016 record win - all at the record-setting age of 57. His win represents the spirit of a state where, no matter how old you are or where you're form or what your gender is, if you can hurdle the qualifying races...
One early January afternoon a few years back, I picked up a small box from the dining room table where my husband always piles our incoming mail. I was surprised to see the return address of one of my mother's cousins in California. We only correspond at Christmas time and I hadn't heard from her the past two years. Elsie had never before sent me anything larger than a letter, so I was immediately curious about the contents. Inside a folded letter lay on top of a tissue wrapped bundle. Upon...
Do you know an outstanding individual whose service, dedication and leadership have had a significant impact on the quality of life for seniors in Anchorage? The Anchorage Senior Citizens Advisory Commission is looking for someone just like that. The commission is actively seeking nominations for the 14th Annual Ron Hammett Award for community service, to be presented at the Older Americans Month Kick Off Event in Anchorage in May. Nominees for this honor must meet the following criteria: Nominees must be an Anchorage resident. Nomination may...
Fairbanks' Morris Morgan is 96 years old. He has been painting his entire life but he never sells his artwork, because he never knows when he might want to improve upon a piece. "I think a lot of people start painting and want to sell them right away," he said. "I was keeping them around to see what a mess I'd made of it. I try to learn from that painting, to the next one." His first-ever art exhibit didn't happen until 2015, and no one was more surprised to see all his work on display than...
Mabel T. Caverly Senior Center and Services in Anchorage seeks volunteers for its Phone Pal program. Volunteers will make calls from their home to seniors needing an extra friend to talk with them occasionally. Also, the program is looking for people who would like to receive a call from a Phone Pal. Call the Mabel T. Caverly office at 276-1496, or email director@mabeltcaverly.orgdirector@mabeltcaverly.org....
Seward Senior Center members will once again visit the Alaska SeaLife Center in January for the "FREEzing Wednesday Picnic". The annual event takes advantage of the free admission the SeaLife center offers on Wednesdays during the cold months, says Seward Senior Center director Dana Paperman. Meal "baskets" are provided, courtesy of the senior center's lunch program, and the visitors are introduced to new exhibits, animal feedings and behind the scenes tours at the SeaLife Center. The picnic clo...
Santa’s Senior Center in North Pole is temporarily moving while work is done on the building. Beginning in January, activities will take place at Moose Lodge, 300 South Santa Claus Lane, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This includes the usual midweek lunches and Monday and Friday exercise sessions and potlucks. Office hours will remain 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Staff request callers use the usual phone number and messages will be answered as soon as possible. The new location is expected to be used from January through June. Call 4...
A new program in Interior Alaska is helping both senior volunteers and the seniors they serve. The goal is to help people stay in their own homes as long as possible. The Senior Companion Program already has 18 volunteers on the roster, helping senior citizens in Fairbanks and Delta Junction, but director Cheryl LaFollette said there is always the need for more. "There are 15,000 seniors in our area," said LaFollette, in Fairbanks. "Seven hundred of those are 85 years old and over. "It's...
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Senior Center directors meet bi-annually to discuss common issues in senior services, sharing challenges and successes. Together, we create efficient and unduplicated senior services, assisting seniors in maintaining independent and quality lives. October's meeting brought three new leaders to the table, after long time directors Jan Fena (Soldotna), Rachael Craig (Kenai) and Ron Sloan (Cooper Landing) retired, taking with them an accumulation of 70 years in senior se...
Congratulations to Anchorage's Gordon Severson, selected for this year's Governor's Veterans Advocacy Award. From an Alaska Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs Nov. 16 press statement for the award: "Gordon began his military service in 1946 at the age of 15 – fibbing on his age at enlistment. He began in the Army as an infantryman towards the end of WWII. After this service, he was working road construction in Alaska when the Korean War began. He re-enlisted in 1950 and was awarded the P...
Haines Seniors toured the new exhibit at Haines Sheldon Museum, "Everything From Afar Drifts Ashore," following a sack lunch at noon on Nov. 2. The exhibit's well-arranged photos and captions that tell the story of Tlingit and non-Native interactions in Haines from 1850 to 1900 is open to the public for two years....
For many of their dedicated fans, identical twins Julie and Miki Collins are frozen in time. After all, they have been writing books and weekly newspaper columns about their subsistence lifestyle for more than 30 years. But they are aging just like everyone else. The sisters are 58 years old now. The lifestyle they cherish is hard work and they can feel a few aches and pains that didn't used to be there. But they have no plans to change their day-to-day lives. "We're pretty well set up," said...
Soldotna Senior Center Fall Bazaar and Art Show, Nov. 3-4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Peruse arts and crafts from various vendors and enjoy refreshments for purchase from our kitchen. Call 262-2322 for more information. Chugiak-Eagle River Senior Center Holiday Bazaar, Nov. 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring 40+ vendor booths, food and drinks, the Latte Fun Espresso Stand, CERSC Gift Shop and more. Free entry. 688-2674 Anchorage Holiday Food & Gift Festival, Nov. 4-5 at the Dena’ina Center. Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Around 100 v...
While growing up in Glennallen, I was involved in 4-H and took several classes including basic sewing. The year I turned eleven (1966), I decided to make cloth placemats and napkins for our family of six to use for Christmas. Mom paid for the fabric I picked out at our local grocery/department store, owned by the Martin family. I cut out the placemats and napkins according to the 4-H pattern, which called for all four edges of the napkins to be fringed as well as two edges of the placemats. I...
Honor Veterans Day at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center with “Celebrate Senior Veterans Week,” a week filled with information, recreation, companionship and remembrance. Here is the schedule, Monday, Nov. 6 through Friday, Nov. 9: Nov. 6 Information Fair, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Featuring booths from Last Frontier Honor Flight, Alaska Veterans Museums, Senior Care Providers, VA Health Care Systems and many more. Nov. 7 Presentations, 10 a.m. Featuring guest speakers and social hour. Nov. 8 Tournaments beginning at 10 a.m. Pool (10 a.m.) and pok...
Sometimes, it's best to just sit down and talk. Ask tough questions, listen to the answers with an open mind, and share opinions about the future. Young and old, facing each other in a platform of respect and openness, with outcomes possibly affecting the future of a generation. The Elders and Youth Conference, organized by the First Alaskans Institute (FAI), is preparing for a 34th annual statewide event October 16-18 in Anchorage. Featuring a slate of contributors, supporters, and passionate...
Joe Pichler is a lifelong Alaskan. His parents Norman Pichler and Barbara Henry were true pioneers in Alaska in many ways. Norman was involved in the Alaska Mountain Rescue group and avalanche control during the many years he was a ski patrolman at Alyeska. Barbara was a passionate advocate for improved health care, education and equal rights for people with physical and intellectual disabilities. Joe is retired from more than 30 years of employment at the Sheraton in Anchorage. He is the proud...
We've had a great 2017 summer at Cooper Landing Senior Citizens Corporation Inc. (CLSCCI) in spite of the often rainy weather (alas Eclipse Day 21 August was clouded in and raining). So great in fact it seems that we neglected to report in to the Senior Voice on our activities. So here's what's been happening on the Upper Kenai River at Kenai Lake. CLSCCI's President, Ron Sloan, resigned and was replaced. Ken Green stepped up to take the reins in July and appears to be surviving. Mayme Ohnemus...
Every year, Sitka hosts the Alaska Day Festival, and 2017’s theme, "Sesquicentennial of the Treaty of Cession," marks the 150th anniversary of the transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States on Oct. 18, 1867. Starting Oct. 10, official greeters dressed in 1860s garb will greet visitors at the Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport. “We’re expecting more tourists this year,” said Ted Allio, chairman of the Alaska Day Festival Committee. “We have a new hotel, so there’s plenty of room for people to visit.” This year’s festivities include everyth...
After a year of experience, how are we doing? We're loving it! Aging at Home Fairbanks (AAH) is a membership organization for older adults. It connects members with each other and the resources they need to remain active and independent as they age. AAH launched in January 2016. Quite soon we had 40 members and 30 volunteers. A year and a half later, we have over 80 members and 50 volunteers. We partner with the North Star Council on Aging and the Fairbanks Senior Center, which is our fiscal...
The 2017 Great Alaska Quilt Show, sponsored by the Anchorage Log Cabin Quilters Guild, will be held at the ConocoPhillips Alaska Atrium at 700 G Street, September 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information is available at anchoragelogcabinquilters.blogspot.com. Well over 100 quilts will be displayed by members. A "Small Quilt" silent auction will be held during the show and winners will be announced after 2 p.m. on Sunday. Also on Sunday, at 3:30 p.m., there will be a drawing for a...
Oohs, ahs and thank you's could be heard from every corner of the Mat-Su Senior Services dining room as Palmer senior citizens savored what has become an annual event: Silvers for Seniors. Now in its fifth consecutive year, seniors look forward to the meal of fresh caught silver salmon provided by Northern District Setnetters Association. For many seniors it is a meal that is simply too expensive to purchase, and no longer possible to catch. This dinner is not only about great food, but also...
The 2017 Alaska International Senior Games (AISG), held Aug. 11 through 21 in Fairbanks, will kick off with the Opening Ceremonies and Gala Games at Pioneer Park Civic Center on Aug. 11, 6 p.m. The annual torch lighting ceremony sets the tone for AISG's 65 events, including 20 different sports ranging from team sports like basketball and tennis to individual sports like track and field and cycling. "The Opening Ceremonies will also have puzzles, thinking games and fabulous food," added Diann...
It's 10 a.m. on Friday at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center and time for Socrates Cafe, a weekly discussion group assembled to do some serious thinking and have fun doing it. This week 10 people have gathered for a philosophical discussion designed to get their creative juices flowing and to tackle some age-old questions. Participants follow the Socratic method for discussions. The Socratic method is a form of cooperative dialogue between individuals. It's based on asking and answering...
Tanana Valley State Fair is from Aug. 4-13 in Fairbanks. Senior admission (age 60 and older) is $20 for a Senior Season Pass and $5 for a Senior Daily Pass. Free admission for seniors on Senior Day on Aug. 9. Events include a horse show, a senior luncheon, Giant Cabbage Weigh-In, rodeo, performances by Vocal Trash, Ukulele Mike's Super Fun Sing Along and Fairbanks Community Jazz Band, Superhero Costume Contest, Magic by Robbie and much more. For a full schedule of events visit...
