DUE TO THE HIGH FUEL PRICES SAVE MONEY BY PLAYING BINGO IN SEWARD.

JOIN US THURSDAY NIGHT MAY 15 AT THE AMERICAN LEGION. DOORS OPEN AT 600PM - GAMES START AT 700PM. 

PULL TABS  AND FOOD AVAIALABLE…………………………

In our lifetime, one of our hopes and dreams is to own our own home. It’s the piece of the American Dream along with life, liberty and the pursuit to happiness. Are you one of the 31% Americans who cannot afford to live the American Dream of owning a home? Don’t lose heart.

In 2003, President Bush signed into the Law the American Dream Downpayment Act. The objective according to the President, “… was to help many low-income buyers to overcome that hurdle, and to achieve an important part of the American Dream.” 

Coming up with 20% downpayment on a $140,000.00 home is difficult for some of you. The banks, local agencies and govt. will not voluntarily give you the information for the best deals in buying a home. . If you have the time and the patience to fill out all the paperwork, you will within a year or two own your own home through this downpayment loan assistance program.  If you are skeptical about this program, I suggest you not apply.  Currently, the HOP Program is accepting applications.  I wish I had shared this information earlier. Here’s the website:   http://www.alaskacdc.org/home_opportunity_program.htm 

This Thursday, May 15 at 7 pm at the Rae building, Kirk Hoessle of Alaska Wildland Adventures will give a presentation on plans to construct an ecotourism lodge at Pederson Lagoon in Aialik Bay.

Your input to Kirk will be valuable. Tell your friends.

Children ages 3 through 6^th grade are invited to share in the fun at the United Methodist Church, 321 Fourth Avenue, Seward, from June 9-13, 9 am – 11:30 AM, as caring leaders share the story of God’s love using a summer theme of “Beach Party: Surfing through the Scriptures!” The program is presented by the United Methodist Church and a group of volunteers from Oklahoma.

To register your child or children in the program, please call 224-7368. Please call with any questions, too. There is no cost and children from all faith traditions are welcome . More information is at the church’s website: http://www.sewardumc.com.

Your kids will visit an exciting beach where they will learn the basics of surfing, ride the wave of God’s love, and go home with a new “Beach Be-Attitude.” Be obedient, be kind, be forgiving, be bold, and believe are the essential “Beach Be-Attitudes” that, through Surfin’ Scripture teachings, will be the basis for your kids VBS beach outing.

The Seward Wildlife Conservation Community Program (WCCP) has been 2 years in the making and is finally coming to fruition. 650 bear-resistant garbage cans (BRGC) are being delivered to Seward for distribution to all Seward and Moose Pass area residents. BRGCs are being sold for $50 each (for 32, 65, and 95 gallon sizes), which is a fraction of their retail value. This reduced price is made possible by generous grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ($108,150) and ConocoPhillips ($35,000).

Come on out and join our BRGC Barbecue, Monday, May 19^th from 4 to 7 pm at Leif Olson’s camp- ground; located behind the small pond just north of the airport. Look for the BRGC signs. Burgers and refreshments will be served, and possibly live music too. For more information call Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance at 224-4621 or visit http://www.rbca-alaska.org/.

The Seward public works department will soon install signs around town announcing Seward as a Wildlife Conservation Community. The WCCP is sponsored by Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance, the City of Seward, Kenai Fjords N.P., Chugach N.F., the Alaska SeaLife Center, ADFG, US Fish & Wildlife Service, ConocoPhillips, Alaska Waste Inc. and Glacier Towing.

Using a BRGC will make your neighborhood safer for your families, pets, and for area bears! We look forward to seeing you on Monday evening.

Headlines and newscasts announced worldwide food shortages and skyrocketing prices.  But when I heard that rice was being rationed right here in Alaska, I could hardly believe it.

Since 2002 the numbers of Americans turning to food banks and charities for help has been steadily increasing.  And the supplies of surplus food and monetary donations have been dropping, according to the Society of St. Andrew, a Christian Ministry dedicated to gleaning America’s fields and feeding the hungry.

 America’s Second Harvest, the Nation’s Food Bank Network, surveyed 180 food banks, pantries & soup kitchens nationwide to determine the impact that the general economic downturn has made.  99% of the survey respondents reported 15-20% increase in the number of people coming to them for temporary assistance from one year ago.  81% of them said that they are currently unable to adequately meet the needs.

What can we do?  There are lots of good ideas found in a number of websites of charitable organizations.  The place to begin is with awareness and communication within the community and looking for solutions.

Last year, at the Alaska Dandelion Festival, a booth dedicated to National Hunger Awareness Day listed several ideas.  For example, there are many wild plants that are available for the harvesting that make healthy additions to many meals or recipes. 

One delectable delight is deep fried dandelion blossoms!  Washed, patted dry, dipped in a light batter and quickly fried, dandelion blossoms offer incredible nutrition and put fun and interest into a meager meal.  Did you know that the dandelion was actually brought to this country by European settlers as a food and medicinal plant? 

There are several good books available with instructions and recipes for wild edible plants in this area.  The Kenai Fjords National Park book store has some and so does Safeway.  Look for Potscrubbers, Popcorn, and Poultices: A Guide to Seward Area Plants.  Another good one is Cooking Alaskan put out by Alaska Northwest Books.  Marie Wagner has made a booklet of 34 Dandelion Recipes available for $5 each and 100% of the proceeds will go to the He Will Provide Food Pantry in Seward.  The contact phone number in Seward is 224-6471.

What are you doing to offset the high cost of food?  Share your ideas about how you are coping and how we might work together to help those less fortunate.

Marie Wagner

Concerned Citizen

336 3rd Ave

224-5604 

Lunch Everyday At Noon 

Monday 5/12

1-3 – Summer League Wii Bowling

Tuesday 5/13

Movie @ 12:45 ~ In the Underground Theatre - Dan In Real Life

Wednesday 5-14

12:15  Consumer Direct Personal Care Presentation

Beginners Wii Bowling 1-3   Sign-Up to learn!

 Thursday 5/15

Older American’s Lunch – Free Lunch for 60 & Wiser

30^th Anniversary Group Photo Op – 12:30

1-3 – Summer League Wii Bowling

 Friday 5/16

9-11     BRUNCH

Bingo @ 11:15

Saturday 5-17

United Way – Fox Island Dinner Cruise

Tickets $50

Call 224-5604 for more info and to purchase tickets        

Drop by the Seward LIO and meet with Representative Seaton today from 4 to 6 pm. He will also be giving a legislative update at City Council this evening, so tune in to the council meeting. Seward LIO phone number is 224-5066.

Let’s face it.  If people were meant to fly we all would have been born with wings, or propellers, or at the very least perhaps we’d disappear underground for a while to hibernate in a larval state, only to burst forth one fine morning in all of our grubby glory to spread our scaly wings and fly to Miami.  But sadly, we’re up to strike three.  Mother Nature can throw a mean curveball. This is where Falconry comes in.  If you can’t have wings yourself, why not enslave a fellow creature that does for your own personal advantage?  And, even better, you can make your new friend wear a funny hat, fashion yourself a giant glove from half a cow, and then find a sunny meadow where the two of you can wreak death and destruction on ferocious animals like bunnies and squirrels and kittens.  Yes! Take that lesser beasts!

One evil little kitten down.  Two baby chipmunks to go.

So you see, there’s no reason to be bitter about being confined to this cruel quasi two-dimensional world we humans call home when you could go out and get yourself a raptor.  If you can wrangle up one of the Jurassic Park variety then by all means do so;  though you might want to wear two gloves for that one.  The modern feathered raptor however, besides being intelligent and a fair hand at trivial pursuit in a pinch, is the friendly death machine you’re looking for.  Something to think about at least, instead of staying up nights gluing feathers to your arms and jumping off the bed wearing tissue boxes on your feet.  So come on down to the Library.  A higher world awaits you!  As well as hunky English lads in fetching sweaters apparently.  

“I make a mean crumpet young lady.”

Hello everyone - our stats on volunteer sign-ups to build the Seward Community Playground are lacking on several shifts and especially on the weekend. Please see below.

100 volunteers needed per shift;  WE HAVE.
Tues: morning- 66;   afternoon - 70;  evening  61
Wed: morning- 55;   afternoon- 44;   evening- 35
Thur: morning- 42;   afternoon- 47;    evening- 24
Fri:   morning- 36;   afternoon- 32;    evening- 18

250 volunteers needed per shift:  WE HAVE
Sat:   morning- 39;   afternoon- 51;   evening- 13
Sun:  morning- 28;   afternoon- 41

The good news - the Navy destroyers and USCG Alex Haley are still in town and we can request assistance from them.  The caveat - this is a Seward community built playground - and we’d appreciate more volunteers from the community.  Please help us out.  If you  signed up earlier in the year and haven’t been called for a shift, we have tried to call.  Please call us back, show up on site, or go on line and sign up for a shift/day.  Pass this message on to all your friends and groups to request their help.

We’ve got great sponsors for food:  American Legion, Sacred Heart, Chinooks, Ray’s, the Bakery, Seward Sr. Center, SPRD, Roadhouse, and other churches.  We have great activities planned for Childcare:  puppet shows, magic shows, balloon lady, fire truck visit, Sat. matinee movie, etc.  We have really planned an event for everyone in the community to participate in in some way and to be taken care of too when it comes to meals and childcare. 

Please sign up on line at www.sewardplayground.com or at this point, come to the site and sign up for a shift.  You can print our childcare and volunteer release/waiver forms on line and bring them with you at check in or we will have the forms there. Build days are May 13-18 and clean up May 19-20. Please call 362-1977 if you have questions.   

George surveyed the area and thought, “They sure have a lot of stuff down there. I wonder if I can have some of the scraps.” Gene agreed and added, “Yeah, they look like little ants, scurrying here and there. I thought there would be more people trying to figure out the plans and specs but it only looks like those two guys with orange vest have the plans.”

George and Gene watched everyone working for awhile more as they sipped their coffees. There were school children in the Children’s Work Area. The American Legion was getting ready to host Tuesday’s lunch and dinner meals. It was a busy place but there was a call out for more volunteers. George and Gene took a walk to the Volunteer Check-In tent and looked at the boards. P.A.R.K.S. goal was 100 people per shift during the week and 250 people per shift on the weekend. There were only 40-60 signed up on most of the shifts.

“Hmmm.” They both thought for a while and hoped no one saw them behind the line of volunteers trying to check in. “What do you want to do, George?”, Gene asked. “I don’t know. I suppose I could do a shift - but only if you do.” George said.

For those who are like George and Gene - We do need you! You can still sign up on line at www.sewardplayground.com or even drop in for a full shift or even part of a shift. Build dates are May 13-18, Clean up May 19 & 20. Shifts are 8-noon, 12:30-5, and 5:30-8:30. We will provide meals and childcare.

In addition to volunteers, TOOLS are still needed. The final tally gives the following specific needs:

corded drills - need 15
screw guns - need 5
utility knives - need 5
speed squares - need 12
framing squares - need 4
hammers - need 20

The Food Committee is also in need of large coolers - like the big white ones for fishing. Maybe 8-10?

Please pass this message on to your friends or other groups.

You can drop off these items at the site off Ballaine Blvd on Tuesday, May 13, after 8 a.m. or call 362-1977 for more information. Thank you.

The Community Library Museum Steering Committee hosted an open house at the Library basement for the public to talk to the architect Paul Voelckers, Juneau architect contracted by Foraker, and see the latest design look and layout for a new home for our Library and Museum.

Thank you for turning out on April 28th! We had many community members come and make comments and ask questions. The Steering Committee has been working hard to come up with a design that is both functional and affordable to sustain for our community. We need your input and support. Information can be reviewed online at our website:

www.somethingforus.org or go directly to this spot:

http://somethingforus.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=68

See the latest plans and get information about our meetings. They are always open to the public.

Community Library Museum Steering Committee

www.somethingforus.org see Events

Seward Parks and Recreation Bulletin:

Sports & Recreation News:

Letter of Thanks

Seward Parks and Recreation hosted the Annual Super Saturday Clean-Up Saturday, May 3rd. Due to the outstanding efforts of the community and the support of Alaska Sea Life Center, our sponsors and Alaska Waste, Super Saturday turned out to be a “super” success. For our afternoon clean-up, we had over 50 participants register as individuals or groups picking up over 300 bags of trash! Thank you to all of the community for you support! Thanks to local businesses for donating a total of $1,500.00 worth of prizes to participants: Kenai Fjords Tours, Reknown Tours, Alaska Sea Life Center, Ray’s Waterfront Restaurant, Petro Marine, Sweet Darlings, Helly Hansen, Safeway, Metco, Harbor Street Creamery, Apollo’s, Seward Bike Shop, Starbird Studio Oriental Garden, Seward Parks and Recreation and the Lion’s Club. Special thanks to the guys that hauled away all the trash Micheal Vandervegt and Matthew Mooter from Alaska Waste the Public Works Department for their help with Amnesty Day also to those classes that participated in the cleanup from Seward Elementary and to everyone who helped beautify Seward. The town definitely improved its appearance over the weekend!

~Melanie Hauze

Seward Parks and Recreation

Girls Basketball Camp coming this Summer Sign up early and save $100!

Girls don’t miss out!  Save the dates! T’Neisha Turner along with her colleagues Robin Smith and Cotelia Bond-Young will be offering a basketball camp for girls ages 9 to 18 this summer.   This one week camp will run July 28 to Aug 1, from 8 am to 5 pm at the High School gym. Seward Parks & Rec is distributing camp registration forms now. Sign up by May 30th and save $100 early bird fee $250 and regular fee is $315 due by June 15th. Payment plans are available call 224-4054 for more information.

Exit Glacier Run Sat, May 17

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NOTICE:

Bikes that are on the bike rack north of city hall by the satellite dish are free for the taking. They will be available until May 31st when any remaining bikes or parts will be taken to the dump. Bikes in the enclosed fencing are NOT included.

Questions, comments, tip suggestions;

coptalk@cityofseward.net

Spring is here, time to clean house and get ready for summer fun! Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance is holding a garage sale/gear swap combo at the Seward High School cafeteria on Saturday, May 24^th from 9:30am-2pm. Want to de-clutter? Donate items to our garage sale (household items, working appliances, furniture, games, etc…)!!! Want to sell that unused sports equipment (bikes, skis, kayak gear, etc…)? Try selling it on consignment at the swap (20% of sale price to RBCA)!!!

Please drop off on Friday, May 23^rd between 5pm-7pm or between 8:30-9:15am on Saturday, May 24^th. Pick-ups can be arranged if absolutely necessary.

Any questions please contact Marybeth at mettamb@gmail.com or on my cell phone

610-220-1207. Thanks so much!mailto:mettamb@gmail.com.

Contact: Sue Lang FSO-PA Seward Flotilla 170-02-05 United States Coast Guard Auxiliary
suelang@alaska.com     http://a1700205.uscgaux.info/      (907) 491-9110

Seward Flotilla, US Coast Guard Auxiliary, will conduct Courtesy Vessel Examinations at stations at the North and South Launch Ramps in the Seward Small Boat Harbor on Saturday May 17 and Sunday May 18 from 10 am to 2 pm.  A Vessel Safety Check (VSC) is a free courtesy check of your boat (vessel) to verify the presence and condition of specific safety equipment required by Federal, state and local regulations. A Vessel Examiner is a certified member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary who is trained to conduct a VSC. The Auxiliarist will perform the VSC on your boat, discuss the purpose and value of required and optional marine safety equipment, answer any boating related safety questions and make recommendations that will help make you a safer boater. In addition to boating safety education, some important new Homeland Security rules for boaters are discussed. 

A list of required equipment is available at The Fish House, Ace True Value Hardware, Storm Chasers and NAPA. 

To learn more about Courtesy Vessel Exams or to take a Virtual VSC, visit http://safetyseal.net/what_is_vsc.asp.

 The Flotilla will also have a public information booth at the Mustang Moorings building from 10 am – 2 pm, Saturday May 17 & 18 as a part of Seward Harbor Opening Weekend.  

For more information about the US Coast Guard Auxiliary or to schedule a VSC, call 224-8237 or visit the flotilla website at http://a1700205.uscgaux.info/ .

Seward Music Fest Call to Artists The Seward Music and Arts Festival Planning Group is now looking for interested artists to submit a design for the 2008 SMAF poster. The theme is maritime, and we ask for logo only. No lettering necessary. send inquiries to mountainanarchist@gmail.com. see attached poster.

Seward City Council Special Meeting

Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 8:00 am

1. Call to order

2. Pledge of allegiance

3. Roll call

4. Citizens’ comments on any subject except those items scheduled for public hearing.

5. Approval of agenda

6. New Business

A. Resolution 2008-043,. Authorizing The City Manager To Repair Damages To I-Dock In An Amount Not To Exceed $20,000, And Appropriating Funds

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This past budget cycle was a very high-profile one for our community, and some of the issues remain unresolved.  May 8th, at 7 PM, the City Council is holding a worksession on the sales tax cap (along with the 1st quarter financials).  It is your opportunity to be heard and explore in depth what sales (and which businesses) would truly be impacted by an increase in the sales tax cap.

Sales to government entities and non-profits are excluded.  These charges already account for a large amount of Seward’s gross sales.  The tourists will not be paying more as our hotels are taxed on an individual room rate per night, and our sightseeing boats and charter trips are taxed per seat, per day.  None of these charges exceed $500.

What about our commerical fishing vessels, ships repair services, construction projects, home heating fuel?  Please attend, and be sure that we all know who is impacted when we implement a sales-based program.

Laura Cloward

Executive Director

Seward Chamber of Commerce

Jackie Pels, Editor of HardScratch Press, will be visiting the Library on Sunday, June 1st to showcase her new book about our own Jesse Lee Home, Family After All, Volume II.

Please join us for a Presentation featuring readings and photos from the upcoming book, with refreshments served after. 

Jackie will be selling (and signing!) books after the event, with 50% of proceeds benefitting the Library/Museum Project.

Come on by Sunday, June 1st at 2pm for this wonderful event!  Below you’ll find more information about the book.

 ”The second half of the Jesse Lee story is told most often in the voices of the residents themselves, especially the children — from recollections of the arrival at Seward to first-hand accounts of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the town and eventually closed the Home. Woven through 40 years of photographs are narratives of loss and longing, hard work, high spirits, school days, the “merit system,” and music, always music. Seward’s community hospital and post-World War II tuberculosis sanatorium have their chapters as well. Finally, a celebration of the annual race up and down the 3,022-foot peak that rises behind the town — the Mount Marathon story from a Jesse Lee perspective.” -Poet/Artist/Historian Raymond Hudson

“Boomer” is a 9-month old male heeler/husky mix.  This sweet boy is great with other dogs and is a love with people.  He is a playful boy who enjoys clicker training and going on walks. This boy will truly become some lucky person’s best friend.

Lifelong Alaskan and Seward resident, Ms. Carol Eve Eads, 60, passed away Monday, May 5, 2008 at the home of her sister, from brain cancer, with her family at her side.There will be a celebration of her life and a potlatch at a later date.

Carol was born September 9, 1947 to John and Martha Eads in Seward, Alaska where she lived her entire life.The family wrote: “Carol’s favorite times of the year were spring for composting and planting and fall for the annual family bird hunting, trout fishing and berry picking trip. She was an avid reader on topics from Nature to History, to Art and philosophy. She absorbed everything she read and shared it with those of us who loved her. She will be greatly missed.

She was preceded in death by her mother Martha.

Carol is survived by her father, John Calvin Eads, brother John (Charlie) Eads, sister Ava L. Eads, son John Calvin Wood, all of Seward. Daughter Tonya V. Bass, grandson’s Travis, Trevor, Timmy and Taylor all of Wasilla, AK. niece Deanne S. Moore of Kenai, AK and significant other of 20 years Sammy Goodwin of Seward, AK.

Memorial donations may be made in memory of Carol C/O Ava L. Eads to P.O. Box 1107 Seward, AK 99664.

Arrangements made by The Peninsula Memorial Chapel.

The Closet (previously Compassion Closet) is a non-profit clothing ministry focused on meeting the needs of children in Seward and the surrounding area since August 2005.  We offer nice, clean children’s clothing for a small donation in a well organized setting.  Sizes range from newborn to teen size 18.  We also have maternity clothes and other children’s items, including outdoor gear, baby furniture, books and toys.  It’s a wonderful way to recycle locally and save money.  All are welcome to shop and donate thier children’s items.  Monetary donations help cover operating costs.

The Closet has been open only one day a month due to the need to set it up and take it down for each sale.  We are preparing to move to a new location where it can remain set up and will be open once a week beginning in August.  As a regular weekly event it will also be easier for people to donate thier items since we do not have a drop off site for donations.  We are also planning on expanding to include men’s and women’s clothing.  Times and location to be announced.

The Closet would not be possible without it’s volunteers to help share the load.  Regular volunteers include Robin Audette, Robin Barnum, their teens and Valarie Kingsland.  Volunteers help accept the donations, sort the items, wash them, set up the sale, put out the items, run the sale and clean-up after it.  Pastor Blair Roarbaugh helps set up the sale.  Many other local residents help with laundry, an important job since we insist on keeping a clean environment.  We also help with emergencies and special requests made throughout the month.  A big thank you to each person who gives of thier support, time and effort to The Closet.

We will be open May 9th at the Nazarene Church at 4th and C St, from 3-7 pm.  All summer clothing and gear will be out since we will not be open in June or July.  

Anyone interested in volunteering, sharing ideas or learning about The Closet is invited to join us for a meeting at the Community Library on May 12th at 7 pm, downstairs.  Please call Valarie at 224-7052 for more information.

Somewhere around 11pm last night & after thoughtful debate, the borough assembly voted unanimously to fund schools to the cap. A number of members also put the district on notice there could very well be a different outcome next year.

Thanks to everyone who came to support our schools, testified or submitted testimony. It was definitely not a sure thing, & you made a difference. Thanks for giving up part or most of your evening for kids!

Seward PTSA
Chartered in 1990 - Serving all Seward Schools
every child one voice
For additional information & news go to our page on Seward school Edline pages or cut & paste the following address in your browser. https://www.edline.net/pages/Seward_Elementary/PTSA_Corner

Play and Chat Play Groups

Play and Chat offers weekly activities, circle time, songs, crafts and parent/speaker sessions for families with children under age 5

May’s Theme: OVER THE RAINBOW

Speakers during the chat sessions

• May 7 Gail Burnard - Home Made Toys
• May 17 No Play and Chat - Child care will be available in the library basement for parents involved in building the playground
• May 21 Brent Ursel, PA-C - Immunizations and proper diet
• May 31 Monica Luther - The Importance of Regular Developmental Screening

10:30 a.m. to 12 noon

Seward Community Library Downstairs

FREE

If you have any questions, please call Monica or Carol at 224-5357 or

Carolyn at 224-4445

Sponsors: AK Children’s Trust, SeaView ILP, Rural CAP PAT,

and Seward Community Library